Chapter 5

The basement was pitch black.

No windows, just the squeaking of rats.

I huddled in the corner, licking the wound on my hand.

The blood had dried, sticky and crusty.

I was so hungry.

I missed Caleb so much.

Suddenly, there was a huge crash outside the door.

Bang!

The iron door rattled violently, kicked repeatedly.

Then came the shouts of bodyguards and sounds of a struggle.

"Get out of the way! Let me in!"

That voice... it was Caleb!

I snapped my head up, my eyes suddenly alight.

"Caleb!"

I stumbled toward the door.

The door burst open.

Caleb rushed in, an iron pipe, smeared with blood, in his hand.

He was covered in injuries, his clothes torn, but his eyes shone with a frightening intensity.

"Elara!"

He saw my bloodied hands, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"You animals!"

He threw down the pipe and rushed over to embrace me.

"Don't be scared, Elara. Caleb's taking you away."

His embrace was warm, carrying the faint scent of the streets, but it was the safest smell in the world.

But we couldn't leave.

Julian, with even more bodyguards, blocked the doorway.

He stood there in his bathrobe, looking down at us.

"So this is your little stray?"

Julian's gaze fell on Caleb's hand wrapped around mine, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"A garbage picker?"

Caleb subtly shielded me behind him.

"Julian, are you even human? She has the mind of a six-year-old! You're abusing a child!"

Julian scoffed.

"A child? She's a better actress than anyone."

He waved his hand, and the bodyguards swarmed us.

Soon, Caleb was pinned to the ground.

Julian walked over, placing his foot on Caleb's hand.

"Ah!"

Caleb grunted in pain but clenched his jaw, refusing to beg for mercy.

"Since this hand dared to touch my woman, then let's break it."

Julian took a baseball bat handed to him by a bodyguard.

He raised it high.

"No!"

I rushed forward like a madwoman.

I pushed Julian away, shielding Caleb with my scarred body.

"Don't hit Caleb! Caleb gives Elara candy! You're a bad man!"

Julian watched me protect another man like a fiercely protective mother bear.

Jealousy distorted his face beyond recognition.

"Fine, very fine."

He tossed the baseball bat to a bodyguard.

"Since you love him so much, then I'll break his fingers one by one, right in front of you."

The bodyguard raised the bat.

Caleb struggled desperately. "Elara, run! Don't worry about me!"

I stared at that bat.

I knew it would be very, very painful.

I couldn't let Caleb feel that pain.

My gaze fell on a kitchen knife on the coffee table.

That kind lady once said that if you do something wrong, you have to pay compensation.

Since he wanted a hand, I'd give him one.

I grabbed the kitchen knife.

Without a moment's hesitation, I slashed at my left pinky finger.

"Splat-"

"No!"

Caleb and Julian roared at the same instant.

Blood sprayed.

The pain was so violent my vision whited out, yet I smiled.

I picked up my severed little finger, hand shaking, and held it out to Julian.

"I'll pay you back...See? I'll pay with my finger...Now let Caleb go. Please."

Julian stared at the finger, his entire body frozen.

His face was paler than mine.

Before the pain dragged me under, my hand was still curled tight in Caleb's shirt.

"Caleb... no pain..."