June arrived at the police station. She seemed to labour for air frantically. As she opened the door, it was as if her senses abandoned her—the world spun before her eyes, and she collapsed uncontrollably to the floor.
"Please help me!" she cried.
Her bare feet were torn by wounds, and the oozing blood was staining the ground.
The police quickly surrounded her—one held her arm, another her shoulder—and gently sat her on the bench.
"Are you okay, ma'am?" one of the staff members inquired, patting her back gently.
"Bring the water… quickly…"
She was trembling with cold; she had walked barefoot through the freezing night, all alone. She wore only an oversized black shirt belonging to her husband—it was the only barrier between her body and the chilling waves.
She was still shivering. The staff immediately rendered first aid. A female officer cleaned her wounds and wrapped bandages around her feet. They gave her a blanket to cover herself.
"Calm down, my dear—you're quite safe now," the lady officer said gently, her voice steady, her gaze protective and full of quiet authority.
June felt a little more secure now, the trembling in her hands slowly fading. The officer gave her a careful gaze and asked,
"Now then… tell us exactly what happened?"
Her eyes welled up, and she nodded with a shudder. Then, as though she'd been holding it in for far too long, she began to speak—rushed, broken with terror, desperate.
"I… I was kidnapped from my hometown two days ago and brought here. They forced me to marry Evan Edwards… and tonight, he—he forced himself on me and… and abused me…"
Everyone's jaws dropped in disbelief. Her words were heavier than a stone.
"Evan… Lord Evan Edwards!" the lady officer gasped.
June looked up at her face, confused by her reaction, and her tears stalled on her cheeks.
"Lady, do you even know what you are talking about… Lord Evan! He is the leader of the city you're standing in," the lady officer sneered. Her kindness soured in an instant, giving way to veiled barbs and a voice laced with contempt.
"Yes… I know, but isn't justice meant for everyone?" June said softly, her voice laced with innocence and aching sincerity. Her eyes shimmered with raw emotion, and she raised her trembling hands as if trying to make them understand the weight of her words.
"Lady! I think… yes… yes… yes. So you are the girl brought here from City X, aren't you? Brought here as a prize for his father's blood… Your brother—he killed him, as I recall…" the lady officer frowned at her with a hateful stare, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well, well… look who's here to file a report—a runaway slave!" she guffawed, and the other officer burst into laughter with her.
June kept looking at their ruthless faces, choking on her sobs. The iris of her soft green eyes widened upon the betrayal behind their once sincere expressions. She could hear the mocking chuckles of the staff around her.
What have I done? Why did I come here? I… I'm stupid and… an idiot… a moron…
She hit her head twice with her hands as she berated herself inwardly.
"Call Mr. William… immediately! And inform him, the lady June is here—in the police station," the lady instructed one of the officers firmly.
"Yes, ma'am!"
June startled at their behavior and began to tremble again—much harder than before. She felt as if her hands and feet had gone numb.
She looked at the exit door and wondered if she could run.
The lady officer gazed at her like a predator, looking into her swollen red eyes, reading her intentions. She grabbed her arm manically and said,
"Come on, lady, you're coming with me."
"Ugh… Ah… I can't wal—" June cried, but despite her weeping, the officer dragged her to an empty room like a criminal and locked her inside.
There were no windows, no staff, just a bench, a constantly flickering light—and June.
At that moment, she wished death would take her before Evan could. Her head, overwhelmed with dread, was trying to fight her heart, pounding out of her chest. Every second passed as if it mocked her situation.
June knelt on the ground against the wall, folding her arms around her legs to shield herself from the chilling waves rushing through her. She covered her bare legs and fragile figure with the blanket and rested her face on her arms.
Despite the chaos in her mind, the only sound in the small room was her shivering breath.
She replayed every moment like a film in her head.
…
June opened her eyes and found herself confined to a chair. Her head throbbed with pain, and her vision was fuzzy. She gently rubbed her eyes with her palms. She knew something was wrong but couldn't quite remember what.
Finally, her sight began to clear, and she saw grand chandeliers above her, their light glittering in her eyes. The walls of the hall were tall and ancient.
She realized she was sitting on a chair among many other empty seats. It looked like the guest area of a wedding hall. After a minute of mentally putting the puzzle together, she understood—it was an empty wedding venue.
What am I doing here? How did I get here? Why can't I remember anything?
Her mind rang with questions. She looked down and saw herself wearing a wedding dress. She stood up quickly, startled.
Suddenly, she felt the strong presence of someone behind her. She turned her head sharply and found a trio of tall, muscular guards standing like statues.
She felt jittery at the sight of them and stammered, "Wha… Who are you people? And what am I doing here in this dress? And… Where the hell am I?!"
No one answered. They stood there, unmoving, as if they didn't see or hear her. Their professional indifference made her wonder if they were even stationed there for her.
She blushed with embarrassment and tried to squeeze through the narrow space between the chairs, even more confused.
Who could've brought me here—and why?
One of the guards grabbed her wrist and pushed her back onto the chair.
"Ma'am, you can't go anywhere," the guard said with a tone of finality.
"But why? And who are you to tell me that?" she cried out, torn between turmoil and bewilderment.
They ignored her again, as though she hadn't spoken.
Then came a sharp sound of footsteps echoing through the emptiness of the grand hall.
June's gaze turned toward the sound.
A tall, handsome man with green hair walked in, dressed neatly in a grey suit, his coat perfectly folded over one arm. Every step he took echoed with confidence and carried the aura of someone powerful. His green hair moved perfectly over his broad forehead as he walked.
"He holds the answers to your questions—go ask him," one of the guards hissed, still standing in place.