Ava
Breathe, Ava.
In, out. In, out.
A deep breath.
I've been telling myself this for 10 minutes, but it's not working.
I have a crazy urge to scream, to break something.
Even to kill.
But I can't.
Damn, damn dinosaur!
I hope old Kim is burning in hell.
Oh, how I wish I were there, with a harpoon to torment him for eternity.
I kick a stone in the garden, pacing back and forth to calm myself.
I was a coward, I know.
Rori will never forgive me for abandoning her without even an explanation.
But what could I say to her?
'Sorry, honey, but if I don't leave, are you at risk of dying?'
That damned snake!
AAArrrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I scream, loudly.
My voice sends the birds perched on the low hibiscus branch into flight. I scared them to death.
But at least I've taken a load off my chest.
I braid my hair at the nape of my neck and run a hand over my forehead.
I have to react.
I've reached the farthest point of the garden, a glimpse that seems like paradise. There's a pond with carp swimming lazily, describing countless broken circles. Water lilies float like feathers on the surface, stretching their roots deep into the soil. A few birds land to drink quickly, casting a watchful eye at me.
I sigh and open the letter again.
'Miss Allen. Ava.
I've never loved your name; it gave you a sense of sanctity, like a divine being. And yet I know how much of a demon you are in a woman's body.
Only my son could love a woman like you and your mother. And that's why I lost him. The Western customs of your society have eroded my family's upbringing and dignity, no matter how hard I tried to please them. But you can't change a person, you can't rewrite their history. And that's why I'm asking you to distance yourself from Aurora. She's a Kim, a pure blood member of this family, despite the woman who gave birth to her. I consider it an accident. Erasable. Like you. That's why I ask you, if you truly love her as you say, distance yourself from her. Get as far away from this house as possible. And if the exits are barred, find a way to escape. If you care about her and her health, run away. If you're still within the perimeter of this house in 24 hours, Aurora will die. And I'm not kidding. My men will monitor your behavior, and at the appointed time, someone will kill her. You can try to save her, but you're wasting precious time for you and her.
I grit my teeth as I crumple the sides of the letter.
"If you decide to intervene and try to take her away, the first person to die will be Min. You're shrugging and thinking he doesn't matter... but 'really' doesn't matter anymore, Ava? I know. You know. And that's already too much."
I tear the letter in half and put it in my pocket.
Anger is suffocating me, and I don't want to dwell on my feelings any longer.
I have to find a way out.
I blow hard, rub my hands together, and climb the perimeter wall.
It's a good thing I'm still working out, because these bricks are so hard that I'm peeling my fingers.
I'm almost to the edge, but a jolt makes me lose my balance, and I fall onto the grass.
The impact is hard, and I feel a sharp pain in my back.
I stand there, breathless, and look at my hands.
They're stained black, as if I'd been burned.
I still feel electricity in my body, and only by looking at the wall do I realize there are metal plates.
The bastard has electrified the wall.
I let out an angry breath.
It might not be easy to escape from here.