chapter 9

A sudden bang jolted Amaira awake. It was still dark, and the cold wind blew through the window. She checked her phone- 2 a.m. She wanted to sleep more, but something told her she needed to find out what was going on.She quietly stepped out and followed the faint noise. The mansion was eerily silent. The only sound that rang in the air was the steady thud of heavy boots and soft, muffled whimpers.Trying to decipher the source of the noise, Amaira arrived at the door to Scar Boss's study. Flickering light seeped through the cracks, and she knew Scar Boss wasn't alone. A shiver ran down her spine. She hesitated, tempted to retreat to avoid his wrath."Please forgive me," a female voice pleaded. Amaira froze, recognizing the voice as vaguely familiar.Unable to resist, she pushed the door open, revealing the scene inside. At the higher end of the room sat Scar Boss in his chair, while a woman knelt before him, sobbing and begging. Scar Boss remained unmoved, his demeanour as cold and unforgiving as always.Amaira's heart dropped when she saw who it was. Mandy. What was she doing here at this hour? Why was she on the floor, pleading? Perhaps she'd made a mistake, and Scar Boss was punishing her, as he often did. But why did he have to be so heartless?Amaira took a cautious step closer. Scar Boss's eyes flicked to her. His gaze was like an ice storm, cold and suffocating. Amaira's legs trembled, but she forced herself to take another step forward, not looking at him. She kept her eyes on Mandy.Mandy's face was swollen from crying, her brown hair tangled and her body hunched in exhaustion. She looked like a tiny kitten trapped in a lion's den. The sight tugged at Amaira's heart. Her eyes were filled with pain, but what struck Amaira most was the blood dripping from her ear. A sharp pang of worry hit Amaira as she rushed to help her stand.Her gaze shifted to Scar Boss. His face remained impassive, but power emanated from him, a stone-cold beast in human form. For a moment, Amaira thought she could break that stone and bring the beast to its knees, but she quickly shook the thought away. It was just in her head, she knew. She could never challenge him, but a seething hatred began to rise in her heart.Amidst her thoughts, she failed to notice the glint of metal in Mandy's hand. Amaira's eyes widened as Mandy grabbed her and pressed a knife to her throat."Let me go, or I'll kill her." Mandy's voice was shaky, but the knife's edge was steady. Amaira flinched, paralyzed by the shock. She looked up at Scar Boss, her heart pounding in her chest, but he didn't seem to care. He casually speared a piece of fruit with his fork and continued eating.Mandy pulled Amaira back, her tears streaming down her face, as Amaira obediently followed. As they neared the door, Mandy made a move to escape, but before she could, a sharp object landed on her hand, causing her to drop the knife.Amaira stumbled away, her breath unsteady. On the ground lay the fork, the weapon that had saved her. Before Mandy could flee, two guards emerged from the shadows and restrained her.Amaira's heart raced as she watched them drag Mandy away. She couldn't process it. Mandy, the kind woman she had befriended, had just tried to kill her. Amaira's hand instinctively went to her neck, checking for cuts, but there was only a lingering shock.Scar Boss had not uttered a word through the whole ordeal. Once Mandy was taken out, he stood up, his presence as commanding as ever, and walked towards the window, his aura unchanged.Amaira stood frozen, her mind clouded, her senses numb. All she wanted was to escape the suffocating atmosphere. She began to tiptoe out, but his voice stopped her."Stop."The command hit her like a punch to the gut, and her feet froze to the ground."Come here."She didn't have the strength to argue. Part of her felt guilty, as though the night's events were her fault. She moved toward him, her body moving without protest, her energy drained.As she approached, the shadows of the room seemed to close in on her. Scar Boss lifted his head, and before their eyes met, she was pulled towards him. Her body didn't touch his, but the force of his pull was undeniable.Her breath caught as he pushed her toward the window. Her half-body dangled outside, her hand flailing in the air. Looking down, the distance to the ground seemed endless, and Amaira's heart stopped. If she fell, her life would end without a sound.But she didn't fall. His large hand gripped her wrist, steadying her. He stood there in the shadows, unfeeling."W-What are you doing?" Amaira stammered, her pulse thundering in her ears."What do you think?" Scar Boss smirked, his finger slipping off her wrist."Do you want to die?""N-No.""Then beg me."The words stunned Amaira. She hadn't expected this. She didn't want to beg, but at that moment, she realized she had no choice. Tears welled in her eyes, and she found herself whispering, "P-please... save me."Scar Boss pulled her back up, his grip firm as he steadied her. Amaira gasped for air, her legs shaking uncontrollably, her tears flowing freely.Before she could regain her composure, Scar Boss moved toward her with no warning. He grabbed her hands and slammed them against the nearby wall, pinning her in place. The suddenness of the action left no room for reaction.Now, they were inches apart. His face, usually hidden in shadows, seemed even more menacing up close. He leaned in, his eyes locking with hers.Amaira couldn't look away from the depths of his grey eyes. Hatred. Revenge. Death. It was all there, staring back at her. She had never believed in devils before, but now, standing before Scar Boss, she knew the truth. The devil wasn't a myth. He was real. And she was caught in his world.If someone had told her a month ago that her life would turn into this, she would have laughed. But now, standing before him, she realized how wrong she was. Her life was no longer her own. It was turning into a slow descent into hell, filled with pain, fear, and uncertainty.