Adriq lunged forward, his teeth baring as he tried to sink them into the crook of Soha's neck once more. But Soha jerked her head away with lightning speed. There was no fear in her eyes now—only cold, calculated intent. To Adriq's absolute horror, Soha reached into the intricate folds of her red mesh dress and pulled out a razor-sharp, miniature silver dagger. The dress was so fine and translucent that no one could have ever imagined a weapon was hidden within its weave.
Soha (Sharp voice, in Russian): "Ты думал, что я просто сидела и ждала? Я не твоя жертва, Адрик!"
(Did you think I was just sitting and waiting? I am not your victim, Adriq!)
In one swift motion, Soha used her foot—shod in those lethal heels—to kick Adriq violently in his burned thigh. As he doubled over in agony, she plunged the dagger deep into his shoulder. The gun flew from Adriq's hand, clattering across the floor.
Adriq (Screaming in pain): "Ahhh! You... you dared to strike me!"
Soha transformed into an unstoppable predator. She aimed the dagger at the old bite mark on his hand—the very spot where he had drawn her blood three months ago.
Soha: "This is just the beginning, Adriq. You burned my body; you broke my soul. Now, it is your turn!"
Soha's cold gaze and the blood-stained dagger in her hand made it clear that she was in no mood for mercy. Adriq writhed in pain while his bodyguards stood frozen in shock. Soha knew that if she let this serpent go today, he would only return to strike again.
Soha gripped the collar of Adriq's blood-soaked shirt. Her dagger was now pressed firmly against his throat. She leaned down and whispered into his ear one last time in that familiar Russian.
Soha (Calm but ice-cold): "Ты сказал, что я твоя личная рабыня. Но посмотри, Адрик... теперь ты — просто труп в моем дворце."
(You said I was your personal slave. But look, Adriq... now you are just a corpse in my palace.)
Adriq tried to speak, but Soha gave him no chance. In the blink of an eye, she sliced the dagger across his throat with a violent pull. Warm blood sprayed onto her red mesh dress, but she didn't flinch. She had waited three months for this exact moment.
Adriq's lifeless body slumped to the floor. Soha walked slowly to the sofa and sat down, pressing her expensive black-and-red heel onto his bloody, unmoving hand. She looked at the remaining bodyguards and commanded in Russian:
Soha: "From tomorrow, every move of this empire will be by my command. Dispose of his body. And find that treacherous maid—bring her to me."
Soha began to laugh. A hollow, haunting laugh that filled the room. Standing over Adriq's corpse, her scarlet lipstick and his fresh blood were indistinguishable. She sat upon his chest, her long hair cascading over his lifeless face.
Soha (Whispering through her laughter): "Didn't you know, Adriq? In hating you, I made you a part of my very soul. You destroyed me, and I destroyed you... was this our version of love?"
Soha took a long, deep breath. The same pungent perfume, the same scent of blood she had smelled in his dungeon three months ago. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent, merging his essence with her own breath.
Her red dress was now heavy and soaked with blood. She pressed her forehead against his. Tears streamed from her eyes, yet that demonic smile remained fixed on her lips.
Soha (In Russian): "Теперь ты со мной навсегда. В моей крови, в моем безумии."
(Now you are with me forever. In my blood, in my madness.)
She realized that by killing Adriq, she had killed a part of herself as well. Soha stood up, her heels leaving bloody prints with every step. She walked to the window and let the first light of dawn hit her face.
She let out a long, free, yet toxic breath. For the first time, she was truly independent, but the taste of freedom was bitter. She wiped his blood from her face, but the scars on her heart remained raw.
Soha (To herself): "Goodbye, Adriq... my love, my curse."
Soha stepped toward her new empire. Every breath she took now smelled of power and vengeance. She was no longer the innocent Soha; she was the woman who had built her paradise upon the ruins of her own destruction.When silence descended over Adriq's lifeless body, the fire of revenge within Soha suddenly turned into an unbearable, ice-cold void. The man she had hated every moment, the man she had hardened her soul for three years to kill—now that he was truly gone forever, Soha's heart shattered into pieces in an instant.
Soha suddenly dropped the blood-stained dagger. Her psychopathic laughter transformed into a soul-crushing scream of agony. She collapsed onto Adriq's limp body. His blood was now smeared across her face, hair, and skin.
Soha (Screaming and sobbing): "Why? Why did I do this? Wake up, Adriq! You said you would never leave me! Then why aren't you speaking now? Adriq!"
She wrapped her arms around his blood-soaked neck. Stroking his head, she began to kiss his forehead and cheeks frantically. This man, who used to lock her in pink handcuffs, who used to strike her with a belt—this very man had been the sole reason for her existence for three years. In the process of hating him, she didn't even realize when she had merged with his darkness.
Soha's Lament:
"Adriq, curse me! Choke me! Lock me in that dark room again, I won't run away anymore! Just open your eyes once!"
She took his cold hand and rubbed it against her cheek. But that hand was now as cold as ice; there was no dominance left, no heartbeat.
A Desperate Attempt to Wake Him:
Soha began to shake his body violently. She wanted him to smile that terrifying smile and say, "Soha, you are my caged bird." But fate was cruel. The blood had stopped flowing from the deep wound in Adriq's neck, and his eyes were fixed on an unknown void. He would never wake again.
Soha (Tearing at her hair): "I wanted to hate you, Adriq, but I don't know how to live without you! Why did you turn me into such a monster that today I destroyed my own last refuge with my own hands?"
The bodyguards standing in the corner witnessed a bizarre sight. The woman who, moments ago, was a goddess of destruction, was now sobbing like a helpless child over her victim's corpse. Soha closed her eyes, resting her head on Adriq's chest. His blood became a permanent stain on her pale skin. She realized that by killing Adriq, she had essentially killed herself. Adriq was dead, but he remained an eternal wound within her.
Soha's wailing stopped abruptly. The broken girl turned back into stone in the blink of an eye. She pulled her hands away from Adriq's bloody body. Her dress and skin were soaked in his blood, but her gaze was now as grey as a deserted wasteland.
She stood up slowly. She looked once at the blood-stained dagger on the floor, then at Adriq's unmoving face. A strange chill spread through her entire body. She wiped away her tears. her voice no longer trembled; instead, it held the gravity of the dead. Without looking at the bodyguards, she commanded coldly:
Soha (Indifferently): "Take him away. Remove him from here. Take him wherever you want—burn him or bury him, it doesn't matter to me anymore."
The bodyguards looked at each other, confused by her sudden calm. Soha walked toward the door.
Bodyguard: "Ma'am, where are you going? Are there any specific instructions for Mr. Adriq's funeral?"
Soha grabbed the door handle. She didn't look back once.
Soha: "I am leaving. The man for whom I was a living corpse for three years is dead himself. There is no place for me in this palace anymore. Just as he ruined my life, let his corpse lie here alone today."
Soha stepped out of the penthouse. While descending in the elevator, she saw her blood-stained reflection in the mirror. This blood reminded her that she was free today, but the taste of freedom was more bitter than poison. She took Adriq's favorite black car from the garage. The rain had intensified. Soha started the car and drove out onto the streets of Seoul. She didn't know where she was going. She only knew that the Soha who loved or hated Adriq had died in that blood-stained room today. The one driving now was merely a shadow.
Years have passed since that horrific night of Adriq's death. The blood-stained penthouse in Seoul and the mafia empire are now just a blurred memory to Soha. She is now far away, in a quiet mountain village by the sea, where she has built a new world of her own.
Soha is now about 28. The fire of revenge is no longer in her eyes; instead, there is a deep tenderness. The dark nights spent with Adriq tried to destroy her, but nature gave her a taste of new life. Soha has been blessed with three children. These three lives, born from Adriq's blood and Soha's soul, are now her only reason for living.
A Midday Scene:
The sunlight falls on the porch. Soha sits in a comfortable chair, surrounded by her three children. The elder two—a boy and a girl—are playing in the garden, while the youngest one—whose eyes are as sharp yet enchanting as Adriq's—is in her lap.
Children: "Mommy! Mommy, look how big the butterfly is!"
Soha smiled. This wasn't the 'psychopathic smile' of the past; it was the smile of a fulfilled mother. She held her youngest child close. The baby was crying out of hunger. Soha pulled her shawl and began to breastfeed her child in the quiet privacy of the afternoon.
As the child's small hands touched Soha's breast, she felt as if these little lives were applying balm to the wounds Adriq had given her. Adriq was gone, but he had left three parts of himself within her.
As the hungry little baby nursed, his fair skin turned a vibrant red from the warmth and emotion of the moment. He gripped Soha's breast with both tiny hands. A sweet "hmm..." sound escaped his lips while feeding, which sounded like the most beautiful music in the world to Soha's ears.
Soha gently stroked the baby's flushed, chubby cheeks and forehead. This "hmm" and the satisfied "owww" sounds gave Soha's motherhood a sense of celestial perfection.
Soha (In a very doting voice): "Owww... my cute baby! Is Mommy's darling so hungry? Hmm? You've grown up to be just as stubborn as your father, haven't you?"
The baby opened his eyes for a moment while nursing and looked at Soha. In those pupils, there was that familiar sharpness of Adriq, but no violence—only love for his mother. Soha kissed his forehead and held him even tighter against her heart.
Soha's Reflection:
Between the blood-soaked night of years ago and this milky, peaceful moment—Soha could hardly believe how far she had come. The body that once used to be bruised and hunched in pain was today the provider for these three innocent souls.
She whispered to herself, "Adriq, you wanted to destroy me, but look, a small reflection of you sleeps peacefully at my breast today. This cute baby has made me forget all my sorrows."
The little one finally calmed down, finished with his meal. The redness faded into a soft glow. He gripped Soha's finger in his tiny fist, as if saying, "Mommy, I will stay by your side forever." Soha closed her eyes, breathing in the sweet scent of her baby. Passing through the darkest days, she had finally found her true sanctuary.