Pov Author
The air in the room was heavy, almost suffocating, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath. Anna had been wandering aimlessly, trying to make sense of the strange castle she had been trapped in. Her heart raced, the wooden floors beneath her trembling slightly under her uneven steps. Then, a creak—a slow, deliberate sound—made her freeze in place.
The bookcase before her shuddered, and a tome slowly opened on its own. Her stomach dropped. From the shadows of the half-lit room, he emerged. Lord Kazan. Her chest tightened as hope—the fragile, flickering hope she had clung to—shattered completely.
"Please… someone… anyone…" she whispered, her voice trembling. But the mansion swallowed her plea. No one came. No one ever did.
Before she could react, Lord Kazan's hand shot out. His grip was cold, unyielding, and terrifying. He grabbed her arm and yanked her roughly toward the large bed in the corner. She stumbled, tried to resist, but he was relentless.
"I… I'm not who you think I am!" Anna stammered, her voice shaking. "Please… I—"
He ignored her words, as if they were nothing more than the rustling of leaves outside a storm.
Panic surged through her. She stumbled backward, trying to create distance, but he advanced relentlessly. The air between them was thick with danger. And then… she was pinned down on the bed.
His lips pressed against her neck, biting viciously. Anna screamed, a raw, horrifying scream that echoed through the empty mansion.
"Help! No… stop! AAAAAA!"
But no one came. No one heard.
Lord Kazan pulled back slightly, eyes wild, burning with a golden darkness that seemed almost unreal. "Why are you screaming?" His voice was cold, unfeeling, cruel. "Another sound from your mouth, and I will teach you a lesson you'll never forget."
Anna's mind raced. She remembered the last time he had hit her—how the slap had nearly broken her jaw. Panic turned to terror, and terror to silent submission. Tears ran down her cheeks, hot and relentless, as she whispered prayers into the darkness.
"Someone… anyone… even if it's Satan himself… please help me."
The world seemed to hold its breath. Then, the door burst open.
Anna's eyes widened. Shou Feng stood there, his presence immediately cutting through the suffocating fear like a blade. "Shou…" she whispered, relief and disbelief mingling in her voice.
Lord Kazan's head snapped up, his golden eyes narrowing dangerously. "Lord Feng! You have no manners! How dare you—"
With a fluid movement, Shou Feng raised his hand. The air around it rippled, bending slightly as if reality itself obeyed him. Lord Kazan was thrown across the room by an unseen force, slamming into the wall with a resounding crash.
Anna's chest heaved. She scrambled toward Shou Feng, but the chains around her wrists caught her. She fell hard at his feet, the cold metal biting into her skin. Without hesitation, Shou Feng knelt down and lifted her gently. The chains clattered to the floor and dissolved as if acknowledging their master.
Lord Kazan rose, fury radiating off him in waves. "Shou Feng! What do you think you're doing?"
Shou Feng's gaze was calm but unyielding, an icy certainty that radiated danger. "I'm doing what is right."
Lord Kazan's laugh was cruel, tinged with madness. "Right? You are not doing right! This girl is Nahan! She belongs to me, and she belongs right here—on my bed!"
Shou Feng's eyes darkened, burning like twin storms. "She is not Nahan. She is Anna. A different person entirely. Nahan is dead."
The room exploded with tension. The air crackled between them, thick with power and anger.
"You dare defy me?" Lord Kazan hissed. "You think you can take what is mine?"
"She is not yours!" Shou Feng's voice cut through the room like steel. "I will not allow this."
"You have no idea what you are dealing with!" Kazan roared. "She is mine by right!"
"And you have no right to terrorize her!" Shou Feng's tone was absolute, leaving no room for negotiation. "I will not let you harm her. Not now. Not ever."
Their powers clashed, invisible waves of force pushing the room into chaos. Books tumbled from shelves, chandeliers shook, and dust filled the air. But even amidst the storm, Anna felt a strange calmness. Shou Feng was here. He was real. And for the first time since she had been trapped, she dared to breathe.
After what felt like an eternity, Shou Feng's presence dominated the room. Lord Kazan, glaring and furious, finally retreated, but the tension lingered like a living thing.
Shou Feng turned to her, his black eyes softer now, concern flooding through his features. He helped her to her feet, guiding her gently back to his chamber. She felt her knees weaken as she sat on the edge of the bed, exhausted and trembling.
He cleaned the wounds on her arms and shoulders with meticulous care, handing her an ice pack that pressed cool against her raw skin. Anna buried her face into her hands, crying quietly.
She remembered William's hands, the fear, the helplessness, and the shame. "I feel… dirty," she admitted, her voice breaking.
Shou Feng hesitated, then spoke softly, his voice unwavering and filled with conviction: "No one has the right to make you feel less than who you are. Never. You are more than their cruelty, Anna. You are strong, and no one—no one—can take that from you."
Tears flowed freely now, hot and cleansing. Anna threw her arms around him instinctively. At first, he froze, caught off guard by the raw emotion. But slowly, he wrapped his arm around her, holding her small frame gently against him. She sobbed into his shoulder, the room echoing with her quiet despair.
For an hour, she cried, letting the pain, fear, and memories wash over her. And as exhaustion finally claimed her, she fell into a deep, troubled sleep, still clinging to him.
The silence of the mansion was broken only by the soft sound of footsteps. Yuvan and Kiyoshi entered cautiously, their eyes immediately finding Anna.
"What happened here?" Yuvan asked, his voice tight with concern.
Kiyoshi's gaze swept the room, assessing, calculating, and his expression hardened. "This… this is serious," he said gravely. "Deadly serious. She's been through more than we thought."
Shou Feng tightened his hold around Anna, his jaw set, eyes scanning the room for any remaining threats. He didn't speak, letting his silence speak volumes. Anna, still half-asleep, murmured against his chest, comforted by his presence, by his protection, by the fact that someone—finally—was there for her.
And for the first time in a long time, amidst the chaos and the fear, she felt a flicker of hope.
End of the chapter