Adrik's madness reached its peak that night. He wanted to prove the horrific consequences of defying him or even thinking about leaving him. The heavy doors of the room creaked open as Adrik's bodyguards dragged in a weeping, unfamiliar girl. She was likely someone from Soha's school, or perhaps someone who had merely whispered about helping Soha with an escape plan.
Soha sat huddled in the corner of the room. Adrik grabbed the girl by her hair and threw her down in front of Soha. The girl sobbed hysterically, clutching Soha's feet, "Soha Di, save me! I don't know anything!"
Holding a glass of wine in one hand, Adrik began to unbuckle his belt with the other. A terrifying, diabolical smirk played on his lips.
Adrik (Cruel voice): "Look, Soha. Look closely. You kept asking for freedom, didn't you? This girl was dreaming of getting you out of here. Today, I will show you what I do to those who lay a hand on what belongs to me."
Soha screamed, "No, Adrik! Please! She's innocent! She's just a girl! You can't be such a monster!" She lunged to grab his feet, but Adrik kicked her aside with a sharp jolt.
With a demonic frenzy, Adrik pounced on the helpless girl. Soha covered her ears and closed her eyes, screaming at the top of her lungs, but it was futile. The girl's agonizing shrieks and the sound of tearing fabric pierced through Soha's very soul.
Soha (Crying): "Adrik, stop! I'll never talk about escaping again! I'll listen to you, I'll stay as your slave, for God's sake, let her go!"
But Adrik was intoxicated by lust and violence. He ravaged the helpless girl right in front of Soha's eyes. He wanted Soha to be shattered, her spirit crushed until it lay groveling beneath his feet.
When he finally stood up, his shirt was disheveled and sweat beaded on his forehead. He wiped the tears from Soha's eyes with his own hand and let out a loud, hollow laugh.
Adrik: "Do you know why you're crying? From today, your tears are my peace. Every time you think of running, remember that someone else will pay the price like this. She was just a girl; next time, it might be your father."
Soha lay on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. The girl lay motionless before her. Soha felt the tattoo on her neck burning like venom. She realized she wasn't with a human; she was in the clutches of a devil who knew no mercy.
Seeing the girl lying still on the floor, destroyed by inhuman agony, Soha felt her insides twist. She couldn't take it anymore. Staggering up from the floor, she went over and pulled the girl into her arms.
Soha took the shawl she was wearing and covered the girl's battered body. The girl buried her face in Soha's chest, sobbing until she drifted into unconsciousness. Soha's tears wouldn't stop, but today, behind those tears, there was an inferno rather than fear.
Soha lifted her head and glared at Adrik. He was still leaning against the wall with his wine glass, enjoying the scene with demonic satisfaction.
Soha (In a terrifyingly calm voice): "What you did today, Adrik, is unforgivable. You think you can keep me under your feet by scaring me? Mark my words—from today, I am no longer afraid of you. I hate you now... a hate so deep it will burn you alive."
Adrik burst into a roar of laughter. He finished his drink in one gulp and walked up to her. He leaned down and gripped her chin tightly.
Adrik: "Hate? Brilliant! That's exactly what I wanted, Soha. Love is for the weak. Hate me as much as you can! Because your hate will keep you tied to me forever. You will wake up every morning, look at my face, and find a new reason to hate me. That is my victory!"
Soha didn't reply. She simply stared into his eyes—that piercing mix of green and grey. Mentally, she took a deadly vow. She realized the time for crying and begging for mercy was over. To kill a devil, she would have to become one.
Adrik grabbed her by the collar, pulling her up toward him. "Tonight was a lesson for you. Now go, clean yourself up. My men will dump this trash outside."
Soha stood tall. She knew Adrik had struck her soul, but her mind was now crystal clear. She whispered to herself, "Adrik, today you sowed the seeds of your own downfall. I will dig your grave from within this very room."
Just before losing consciousness completely, the girl suddenly gripped Soha's hand. Her nails dug into Soha's skin. She pulled her face close to Soha's ear and whispered something in a faint, broken voice—something that made the ground slip beneath Soha's feet.
The Girl: "Soha Di... if you want to live, do not trust Adrik... but do not trust me either. He used me to put on a show for you. He knew seeing this would break you. But the real secret isn't in this room... it's inside that tattoo on your neck."
Soha gasped and looked at the girl. The girl's eyes were no longer crying; they held a strange void. She whispered even closer:
The Girl: "In the ink of that tattoo, he mixed a Smart-toxin. It's not just a mark; it's a slow poison. If you ever go more than 10 miles away from him, that ink will spread venom into your blood. You will die, Soha... he will never let you be free."
With those words, the girl went limp. Soha froze in terror. She touched her neck. The tattoo she thought was merely a mark of ownership was actually an invisible noose inside her body!
Adrik, watching Soha's reaction from across the room, laughed like a madman again. He walked slowly toward her.
Adrik: "What did she tell you, Soha? Did she tell you our little secret? Oh, I wanted to keep that as a surprise."
Adrik came close and placed a deep kiss on the tattoo on her neck. Soha shuddered at his touch.
Adrik (Whispering): "Do you understand now? Even if you want to, you can't leave me. We are now literally 'one soul, one body.' The moment you think of moving away from me, your heart will stop beating. You are now the bird in my cage who will drop dead the moment she tries to fly free."
Soha looked into the mirror. The black sun and thorn design on her neck now looked like a venomous snake coiled around her. she realized how far-reaching Adrik's plan was. She wasn't just a prisoner; she was trapped in a living death-trap.