03
I was momentarily stunned, my voice hoarse, “I have a fever.” Gideon frowned, impatience flashing in his eyes, “Stop pretending, the car’s already waiting downstairs.”
I couldn’t believe it, “It’s below freezing. You want me to get into ice water with a fever?”
“What else?” Gideon sneered, leaning down to grip my chin. “Nora’s body is frail. She’s not like you, tough enough to live shamelessly till now.” His grip was so strong it felt like he might shatter my bones. “I’m not going!” I pushed Gideon away, but he grabbed my wrist.
“You don’t have a choice. Don’t forget, the Lin company is still in my hands. If today’s shoot doesn’t happen, I can’t guarantee its survival. Your sister is gone. If Lin goes too, do you think your parents can survive? Hm?”
My body froze. Gideon knew too well where my weakness lay. Even if my parents disowned me, they remained the perfect leverage for Gideon
to control me.
I eventually nodded. Gideon raised an eyebrow, satisfied, leaving with a parting shot, “Vera, this is what you owe us. You’ll never repay it in
this lifetime.”
Once the door closed, I couldn’t hold myself up any longer, collapsing to the ground.
I stared at my reflection in the glass. Puffy eyes, sallow skin, a shadow of my former vibrant self. I endured countless humiliations and tortures like this.
I saw no end and couldn’t escape.
Dragging my feverish body to the set, the director impatiently pushed me to get into the water. The wind was biting, and ice shards floated on
the water’s surface.
I gritted my teeth, slowly lowering myself into the water. The director, unhappy with my slow pace, ordered someone to push me in.
Cold water rushed into my nose and mouth, making me cough violently. Before I could adjust, the director barked for me to go deeper.
But as I stood in water that reached my chin, the cameras didn’t roll. My lips turned blue, and I weakly asked the crew onshore, “When will we start shooting?”
They avoided me like the plague; I got no answer.
I tried to climb out for a break, but barely moved half a meter before the director shouted angrily, “Did I say you could come up? Stay there!”
My head felt heavier and heavier. A scream pierced the air, snapping me back to reality, “Blood! There’s blood in the water!”
I looked down, seeing blood spreading from between my legs. The crew pinched their noses, backing away repeatedly.
Lips turning purple from the cold, I weakly asked the staff on the shore, “How long before we start filming?” But they completely avoided me, not offering any response.
I wanted to climb ashore to rest, but I hadn’t moved half a meter before the director yelled at me, “Did I tell you to come up? Stay there and
don’t move!”
My head felt like it was sinking, and a scream jolted me back to consciousness, “Blood! There’s blood in the water!”
I looked down to see blood spreading from between my legs. The staff pinched their noses and backed away quickly. “Swimming while on your period? How unsanitary!”
But then it hit me–I hadn’t had my period for two months. Two months ago, the image of Gideon drunk flashed through my mind.
9:26 AM ·
<
That night, Gideon held me down with a crazed intensity, pouring out his hatred for me. We hadn’t used any protection that night. No.
I desperately tried to climb ashore, but the staff held me down firmly. The director eagerly adjusted the camera, “Hold her still! The blood in the water looks so real! I want a close–up!”
Water filled my nostrils, darkness closing in. I screamed with all my strength, “Let go… let go of me…”
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People stared at me with indifference, watching as I panicked in the water. Amidst the chaos, I felt a sharp slap across my face.
Gideon’s dark eyes were chillingly cold: “The scene isn’t finished yet. Where do you think you’re going?”
