Chapter 4

Hearing Naomi’s mocking tone, I knew very well this wouldn't be simple "grooming."

I desperately begged Julian.

"Julian, please don't throw me to those people. I’m leaving soon anyway. I won't get in your and Naomi’s way."

Julian’s harsh stance softened for a fraction of a second, but he was immediately interrupted by Naomi’s cry of pain.

She wept like a tragic heroine.

"Julian, do you think because I was married before, my pain doesn't matter?"

"If you feel that way, just let me go. I’m already dirty anyway!"

Julian completely panicked.

"Naomi, how could you say that? No matter what, you are the only woman I’ve ever loved!"

He turned a freezing gaze to the bodyguards.

"Do exactly as Naomi said! Now!"

No matter how loudly I begged, Julian never looked back at me.

I was thrown into a dark, filthy hospital utility closet by the bodyguards.

Shortly after, a few dirty, brutal vagrants crawled out from the shadows and surrounded me.

This wasn't "grooming" at all. This was Naomi’s brutal revenge.

I screamed and fought with everything I had.

But a single woman’s strength was nothing against four grown men.

At the final moment, the System extracted my soul, blocking all of my physical senses.

Floating in the air, I watched my own body being brutally defiled and trampled.

In the end, I was tossed aside like a broken doll.

I didn't know how much time had passed. When the four men finally left, my soul drifted back into my broken shell.

Incredible pain instantly flooded my brain, making it impossible to even whisper.

I forced myself to crawl toward the door to call a nurse, but Julian ran into me first.

Seeing my completely ruined, blood-soaked state, Julian’s eyes flickered with a hint of shock.

"You... how did you end up like this?"

I let out a weak laugh.

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

Hearing my words, the shock in Julian’s eyes vanished, replaced by cold indifference.

He brutally grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the hospital.

"Naomi said she lost her ring on the highway. As an apology, you are going to find it for her!"

On the highway?

But I had clearly seen Naomi wearing that ring when she entered the hospital.

I struggled with all my might to break free from his grip.

"I won't go! The ring isn't even on the road, how can I find it?!"

Ignoring my protests, Julian was determined to make me pay.

He threw me onto the busy highway, forcing me to search the asphalt over and over.

Behind me, a group of bodyguards watched my every move like hawks.

I searched for days and nights until my body was completely hollowed out.

With my very last breath, I summoned the System.

"System, is it finally time to leave this world?"

The cold, mechanical voice sounded in my head.

[Host, the departure time has been reached. Countdown beginning: 10, 9, 8...]

As the countdown hit zero, a massive truck sped toward me.

I felt myself floating in the air like a withered leaf, then crashed violently back onto the hard asphalt.

Through my fading consciousness, I heard the panicked voices of the bodyguards calling Julian.

"Mr. Vance, it's bad. The woman... she’s dead..."