Winter Swan

Silje knew now. No matter how hard she resisted, Kail wouldn't even blink. In fact, the more she fought back, the harder he came after her.

Thus, Silje just watched as Jamal was dragged away. She herself was soon forcefully taken to the same place.

Her instincts told her that she and Jamal wouldn't leave this situation unscathed.

Kail was mistaken about her and Jamal's relationship. Was he jealous by chance?

She laughed at the absurdity of it.

It was ridiculous, but what if he did think that?

Silje thought quickly. She had to come up with something. Or else there was a chance that he might kill Jamal.

She didn't doubt that Kail would go that far without hesitation.

***

"Bring the rope and hang them upside down," Kail ordered coldly.

"Maybe it will help them think better if more blood goes to their heads."

They were brought to the storage building. Silje screamed, "Don't be irrational, Kail! Jamal and I are just friends, nothing more!"

Kail didn't respond and instead, he took off his black cashmere coat. He was wearing a black vest, a red turtleneck sweater, and black pants. Looking at him with her hands bound by a rope, Silje shivered.

It was rare to see Kail in such bright red clothes — it looked like he was wearing blood. Its intense color shocked her as if it was a hint of what was going to happen to her and Jamal.

The fact that he brought them into this storage room meant that he wasn't going to let them leave without any punishments. She knew he wasn't going to listen to her either. He would only let them go when he saw clear proof that Silje and Jamal were just friends.

Kail grabbed a long whip and walked towards them.

"Stop it! Kail, Jamal and I are not together."

Silje was getting angry. This was too much.

She exploded, "Why won't you believe me? You should know better than anyone that I wouldn't go out with him. Stop being so unreasonable. Let him go now!"

Kail's leather boots gleamed ominously. He continued to hold his whip and replied distantly, "Of course I know. I never thought you and that boy would be together."

"…!"

The despair she felt was uncontrollable. Silje felt like she was being sucked into a hurricane. She felt doomed and hopeless.

Kail wasn't crazy. It was stupid of her to think that he had lost his mind. Kail obviously was very much in control. He understood this situation with unbelievable clarity, and he was acting with cold objectivity.

So why did he bring her here? She knew he had a logical reason, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

Everything felt wrong.

Kail walked silently towards Silje and Jamal who were bound with ropes.

"…"

Kail had never looked any crueler. There would be no mercy in this room today.

The tension in the storage building was overpowering.

Silje raised her voice again in her last attempt.

"Kail! Let us go! This isn't like you."

At her sharp voice, Kail raised his face.

Crack!

Kail's whip slashed her cheek like lightning.

A red cut appeared on her cheek and it started to bleed. Silje glared at Kail in disbelief.

"O-oh my god! No! Silje, are you ok?"

Jamal became pale as he looked at her in shock. Meanwhile, Silje lost her calm and screamed at Kail, "What do you think you are doing? You! Are you crazy? Did you lose your mind?"

Kail stared at her with harsh intensity and replied, "As you can see, it is you who made me into this monster."

With the sharp pain that enveloped her, Silje frowned.

Oh my god. Why?

Crack!

When she gaped in shock, Kail slashed again with his whip. It was Jamal this time who screamed.

"Gyaaa! Help me! Silje, help me!"

It was such a desperate and pained yelp that Silje gasped. Slowly, she turned to her side to see Jamal who was sobbing.

Kail said to her, "As you can see, you have turned me into this. I know that you and this boy aren't together. Of course I know. But even knowing that, I still lost my composure and you are the one who forced me into this ridiculousness."

Her. Because of her.

Silje, who turned pale, glared at him silently. He was standing in front of her and confessing to her again in his own twisted way.

He looked at her with resentment and hurt. He knew what he was doing didn't follow logic, but he couldn't help it.

When she saw his eyes, Silje hesitated. If it wasn't for her, it was very possible that Kail wouldn't have done something like this.

And he was going down the path of no return. No one could stop him now, except perhaps her, but she didn't want to do it. Her pride wouldn't let her.

Silje was afraid that she was so close to getting sucked into the black hole Kail created. She had to stop this. She had to be strong.

Silje straightened up and scowled at him. When she refused to surrender, it seemed made Kail's eyes spark. He glowered at her in silence.

"…"

She thought he was going to scream at her or attack her again, but instead, Kail asked quietly, "Are you happy now that you made me into this monster?"

"No."

When she refused to show him any weakness, Kail slowly put his whip around her neck and squeezed hard. He looked at her with a blank face and whispered, "I know you would never be impressed by my show of power. I also know that you would never use me for it either."

She was being strangled slowly. Silje could barely breathe.

She started to cough, but Kail didn't stop. He put more force into his hands, making the whip tighter around her neck.

"…"

At this moment, Silje saw his glacier eyes and knew. She knew that this was the real Kail. And this man had the power to kill her or save her if he wished.

This was the guy who sliced her wrist and left her to die in the snow.

"…"

This was the truth. She forgot it for a brief moment, but she knew it now.

Silje had been ignoring the truth. He helped her recently when she was attacked by Brigit, and it made her blind to the facts. She relaxed and she shouldn't have. She was being stupid. She forgot what kind of danger she was in.

Silje was fooled by his sweet whispers and passionate looks, and this was the punishment she deserved for being senseless.

Gasping for breath, Silje thought with certainty.

'Fine. This was meant to be.'

There was no reason to be afraid. This was supposed to happen. Kail had always been the same. He showed her interest, but it was temporary. He was finally losing his interest in her and that was why he was doing this.

Even now, his eyes glared seductively and perhaps she suffered temporary insanity after being poisoned by him.

Instead of begging for her life, Silje looked at him and gave him a defiant smile.

"If you want to kill me, do it. To be honest, I forgot what kind of person you really are. But I remember now, and even if you kill me, it won't be a surprise to anyone."

She would never surrender.

Crack!

Kail swung his whip again at her, and she fell to the ground.

He replied sweetly, "As you wish. You will get to see what kind of darkness I can create for you. But before that, you should take a nap."

Crack!

His whip hit her face, and with the sharp burning pain, Silje lost consciousness.