Hellbound Heart

This bonus chapter is dedicated to @Babsia!! Thank you so much for the supergift!!! <3 <3

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Another day passed.

Sebastian had come and gone just like how he had done the past few days. Just staying for a moment to tell her that he was going to go back to the Black Forest again.

Elle was truly glad for Alexander's suggestion to her, telling her to go visit the library. Or else, she was not really sure how she would be faring right now. And if she was to be honest to herself, she would definitely have to answer that she would most probably be driven half mad due to her habit of overthinking.

"Let's stop by the market." Elle told her guards. The two ladies had been guarding her for a few days now. She had liked them, but Elle felt like these two ladies were a bit restless. Unlike Caelian, they were not as relaxed and calm. They were always on high alert and their alertness most of the time, ended up distracting her while she was trying to read in the library. To her observation, the ladies were a bit tense compared to all the other guards who had guarded her since she had entered this country. It was as though they did not know how to maintain their alertness but not allow the intensity of their aura affect their client.

"Okay, Miss." One of them called out. She had already told them to call her 'Elle' since she had donned on a small disguise when going out - wearing jeans and a baseball cap and face mask when going to the market to buy food to cook for dinner. But the ladies just could not seem to bring themselves to say her name so they had settled on 'Miss'.

The past few days, Elle had started to be the one doing the groceries – including the food Sebastian and Alexander had been bringing over to the Black Forest every day.

"Ooops... I think that this should be enough for now. Please hand me some of the bags." Elle felt sorry for her guards when she turned around and saw that their hands were already packed with heavy bags of food and necessities.

"No worries, Miss. These are very light for us." They reassured her and Elle could only give in, knowing that it was futile for her to insist on carrying something when these two were around.

"Oh! Hold on... I forgot the cheese!" Elle gushed as the three of them were walking back to their car. "Wait here, I'll be quick!"

Then she turned around and rushed back, not bothering to wait for them to follow her. Since it was only one small item, Elle thought that it would be faster for her to run back and get it on her own than wait for one of the bodyguards to put the bags down and follow after her. One of her guards put down all the bags and turned to run after her, but there was already a huge gap between them.

Elle had just accepted the bag of cheese she bought when her entire body froze. Her eyes widened in horror at the face that she had caught sight of in the crowd. W-what was that man doing here?!

Her entire being trembled and the moment she managed to move, she ran away, as fast as she could. Forgetting everything else. All that was in her mind right now was to escape the danger that was approaching her! That face... she was certain... there was no way that she would ever forget the face of the man who was almost always by that monster's side. As her mind was in turmoil, her legs pumped harder as she ran non-stop, bringing her further away.

That man, nicknamed Boone, was Brandon Haze's most loyal bodyguard and the most ruthless one too. Since she was young, that Boone guy had always terrified her because he had... he was the one who had punished her when she had tried to post a cryptic note about Brandon Haze on the Internet. They had quickly deleted all traces of that post that perhaps not many people had managed to read her post.

Boone had punished her by... Elle's hand flew to her neck and she crashed her shoulder against the wall. It felt as though she was drowning. The images of her kneeling in front of the fountain in the garden, while Boone was pushing her head into the water flashed across her mind.

Brandon Haze had asked the man to punish her without leaving any bruises and scars on her perfectly smooth and milky skin. So, Boone had chosen that punishment.

Panting hard, Elle found herself hiding in the bushes. She did not know how she had gotten here, but finally, she was starting to calm down. Where was she?

Her eyes widened at the realization that it was already dark and she was... lord... how did she manage to end up in a forest?

Elle held her breath, and slowly forced herself to lift her head. To her relief, she realized she was right beside the road and there were bright street lights along it. How long had she run and how did she end up hiding here?!

She remembered her instincts had simply kicked in and all her body and mind had wanted to do was run. To run as fast and as far away as she could from that danger sign named Boone.

Suddenly, her eyes widened again at the realization that everyone must be looking for her by now. The thought that she had caused everyone even more trouble when the situation was already not good, had her feeling even more worried. She should not be causing any trouble for Sebastian and Alexander when their hands were already so full with the matters regarding Azy and Alicia! It should not be that late yet, right? Maybe, they were still waiting for her in the house or Sebastian was still caught up in the Black Forest. Right, she can still return there quietly before everyone comes looking for her. At that thought, she nodded to herself.

Elle was about to rush out of the bushes where she was hiding, but her body froze up again. What if Boone was... what if she ran into him when she came out of hiding? What if he was still chasing after her? What if –

A paralyzing fear gripped her as she slowly and silently turned around in her hidden position in the bushes, and saw a silhouette of a man a few steps behind her.