Chapter 11: The Painful Room

It was hurting my knuckles but nothing compared to the emotional disturbance this room was giving me.

“HELP!!”

I continued to scream until that middle aged man from before slammed the door open and growled at me, pushing me back, causing me to fall on the ground.

“Shut up, woman! No one is coming for you!!”

“My Father will!! You don't know him, he will find me!! You can't imprison me here!” I yelled, clutching my dress, tears glistening in my eyes.

“We most certainly can and if you don't stop your screaming then we will tie your mouth.” He warned me but I won’t stay in his nightmarish room anymore.

I was supposed to enter it as a bride, not as a prisoner.

“Do it! HELP!! ANYONE!!”

“Don't force us.”

“Or what? What will you do? Kill me, huh?! How will you answer your cruel Boss then?” I foolishly challenged him.

“Tsk. Tie her mouth. I had enough of her.”

He ordered as a few men came and tied my mouth along with my hand behind my back, throwing me on the bed and leaving me all alone in the dark room again.

Asim….

Closing my eyes in this sealed room with no windows to help me escape, I was completely locked unaware of what they wanted from me in the first place.

But, surprisingly, they opened the ties in a few moments, releasing me quickly.

“If it wasn’t for the Boss' order, I would have cut your tongue.” That old man muttered. The second they let my hands go, I cowered in fear.

“Now you will stay quiet, okay or else I will cut this tongue off. Understood?” He growled, pointing his finger furiously at me.

“Mhm…” I couldn’t utter a proper sound in distress. I knew I would pay dearly if it continued.

On my Asim’s bed, I crawled back. Hitting the bed frame with such a vulnerability, rushing coldness in my bones, immobilizing my body in pure horror.

He scoffed at my reaction and left me all alone again.

If I stayed here, in these walls where my Asim died, I would lose my mind too. I won’t be myself anymore but obviously they wouldn’t realize that.

When I left all alone, I fell on the sheets, clutching them and began to muffled my cries, questioning the fate which was written with nothing but sorrow.

“Papa, Asim, Mama… anyone… anyone please… help me…”

"Do you think I am faking it as a publicity stunt?" I asked Asim worriedly. Tears stayed on my cheeks as I hugged my knees.

I was humiliated in the whole world, no one believed that I was harassed, they called it a publicity stunt.

No one believed in me.

"What? No. I have faith in you, Aalifa." Asim reassured, sitting on the farthest corner.

Since then, I had felt discomfort with physical contact which he understood and respected. My Asim never touched me without my consent. We never went farther than holding and kissing hands.

"Thank you so much, Asim. If it wasn't for you, I had no idea what I would have done to myself." I spoke sincerely, another tear rolling down my cheek.

His support meant the world to me.

"Don't be ridiculous. I am here, I won't let anything harm you in my presence." He grinned, closing the distance.

"Promise?" Gulping hard, I offered him my hand weakly.

He continued to grin and take it in a firm grip to reassure me, his touch felt beautiful, it felt warm and peaceful.

"I promise, my love, that I will always protect you, love you, marry you, have two kids and build our home, our world."

Blushing faintly at his list of what we intended to do, I looked away shyly.

"Okay, okay, you are going too far."

He stared intensely, tugging a strand of my hair behind my ear, speaking his words from the bottom of his heart.

"Because I am seeing my future at this moment."

... Look what he did to the future we wanted to create...

Staring at the wall, tears gleaming on my cheeks as in this horrific room with no escape. Only darkness, silence and the scent of death.

I won't stay here. I would turn insane if I remained in this room longer.

"Here, eat something." A guy came and gave me my food.

I glanced at him, making quick decisions and anything possible at hand at this point to escape myself.

"Ah!" Gasping, I held my sides and fell on the ground, faking a loud whimpering from pain.

"My kidney, it's hurting..!! Please, I am diabetic. Help me." I lied, hitting the ground, hoping my fake actions would get any sympathy or reaction which could help me.

"What do you need?" He frowned, looking down at me on the ground. Opening my eyes slowly, my eyes locked on his gun on the side.

"My sugar level is high, I need medicine..." I continued, desperately, groveling to him so he wouldn't notice.

"Okay-"

The second he turned to call someone probably to check up on me. The second he lowered his guard, I collected my courage and took out the gun secured on his side.

"Don't move!"

Trembling violently, I got up quickly, pointing it at him.

"What the-" Taken aback, he put his hand in the air. Since I was living alone, for safety, Asim taught me how to shoot. Aiming at his arm, I pulled the trigger.

"Argh!" Yelping in pain, he fell on the ground as I ran out of the room, praying to avoid anyone else's gaze and tried to escape.

I couldn't stay in that room anymore.

Asim's voice was driving me crazy. My regrets were driving me mad, I was on the verge of a mental breakdown already. I couldn't spend a single second here, it would devastate me beyond repair if I remained here.

"SHE ESCAPED! CATCH HER!"

At this scream, I gasped and tried to run through the corridors of his house. I had been here many times, I knew which way led and what place was the best to hide better than them. Praying constantly to save myself from this predicament.

"Find her! Boss will kill us if she escapes!"

Covering my eyes, I suppressed my tears, tightening my grip on the gun, mentally prepared to shoot if I must but I would do anything to find redemption.

I had no fault. I was innocent.

I won't become his prisoner.