The Sacrificial Virgin and Her Rejected Mate

4-THE SCARS OF YESTERDAY

Lauren was unable to shake the sensation of the man's palm on her skin, even the perfume he had applied no matter how hard she tried. She and Tracey had obviously discussed that she would work for Siege Hendricks, but it was a different job. She could live with being a slave for the rest of her life, but as that man's s****l slave? She still found it difficult to believe everything up until that point.

She allowed Tracey to take advantage of her predicament and vulnerability. Had she been more prudent and cautious, perhaps she wouldn't have found herself in that situation. And the thought that he might have known her for a long time also continued to trouble her. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to recall even a little portion of her past.

"Why is all this happening to me?" Lauren was unable to stop herself until she started crying. She tried to stop her voice, but she was unable to do so until it echoed throughout the space.

Just then, suddenly Cole appeared on her mind. What was taking place with her? She always had it in her head that she would do anything to make him happy, even if it meant going against all the odds. However, it seemed as though she was regretting everything based on the way she was acting and thinking. When did she start being so cruel, especially to Cole?

"Even if your tears run out, you'll never have a chance to get out of this place," a woman's voice cut Lauren off right away.

"That man owns every woman who has come to this place. If I were you, I wouldn't waste any more tears. You're only wasting your precious damn life," the woman continued.

Lauren wiped away her tears swiftly and looked up at the door. A woman, whose age she guessed to be close to her own, greeted her with cold eyes with only a thin shirt and underwear on. She recognized her as one of the women in the room earlier.

Lauren pleaded, "W-what do you mean? Please, tell me."

The woman walked towards Lauren. And as soon as she was close, she removed her top and her underwear. Her body was covered in numerous scars, which caused Lauren to cover her mouth with her palm as her eyes became larger. On the side of her chest, there were multiple new cuts.

Lauren was certain that this woman had suffered greatly because of the sheer amount of scars that remained on her body.

"Do you see all these scars? They are proof of all the pain I bear every day," the woman stated.

"I convinced myself I could defeat that monster. However, I sank further and deeper with every sunset until all that remained was my deep internal terror," the woman continued. Her eyes were full of immense pain and suffering, which Lauren could see.

Abruptly, Lauren thought of the piercing scream when she was on her way earlier. She looked at the woman's newly cut wounds once more. There was blood on her body, and some of those wounds smelled and looked fresh. She didn't even comprehend at that point that this might be the woman she had heard screaming inside the room.

Lauren's gaze fixed on the woman's whole body. She continued to cry for some time without realizing it. How could this horrible world be the one she lived in? She felt sorry for her, but there was nothing she could do. She would now experience the same destiny as her.

"Learning to dance to the music is a necessary skill for survival. Only the greatest performers have the right to survive on this stage," the woman gave Lauren contradictory advice.

"It would be best if you would just act appropriately and submit yourself to that monster since, like me, I'm sure you have someone important that you want to keep safe. If you keep unyielding, you never know when he might take your life." The woman got up and put on her clothes and gave Lauren one last glance before eventually leaving the room.

*****

The light went out, and the entire area was enveloped in complete darkness. The woman had been gone for over an hour. Lauren was still processing all she had told her.

Lauren had heard earlier from others that all the women who came to that mansion were paid to provide entertainment for wealthy businessmen. Others claimed that after being hired as prostitutes by clubs, if they were fortunate enough, they would be sold to the three well-known syndicate gods. Her terror increased as a result of these revelations.

"Hey, eat up, and try not to dwell too long on what Chise told you. Simply keep in mind that you must live for the ones you love. I'm sure they're waiting for you, so stay strong." A slender woman carrying a tray walked up to Lauren.

"Don't expect to be with them anymore if you let yourself be consumed by your feelings. Be strong enough because that will be the only key for your safety," the woman stated.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Suzette Tayler. And I'm among the dolls created exclusively for Siege Hendricks. If I refer to them as "s*x slaves," it will sound scary."

"Siege Hendricks?" If so, Tracey was referring to that particular man.

"Yeah, the man from earlier." Suzette set the tray on top of the bed and sat down next to Lauren.

"Don't worry, we'll succeed in obtaining freedom. However, let's prioritize our safety for the time being," Suzette suggested, reaching for Lauren's hand.

"Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. I'm Lauren by the way." Somehow, Lauren felt better.

"Alright then, eat up before the food cools down."

Lauren heard a loud scream just as she was ready to start eating. Subsequently, three consecutive bullets were fired from within one of the rooms. Suzette and she exchanged a look. After some time, the door opened unexpectedly. They saw four armed men in all-black clothing.

"Hey, you over there!" one of the men shouted.

Lauren gripped her chest when she noticed the man's finger pointing at her. She gulped as soon as she saw him approaching her direction, which made her start to perspire profusely.

"Lord Siege summons all newcomers. Punishment awaits anyone who disobeys all of his wishes." Two of the men seized Lauren by her arms and forcibly dragged her from the room.

"I'm very sorry, Lauren," Suzette whispered. She couldn't do anything but stare at Lauren.

Suzette was powerless against Siege, even if she wanted to help Lauren. She had known Siege for quite some time. And death was certain to befall her should she dare attempt to defy him. She would not let her sacrifices be in vain because she would now be reunited with her family.

"This woman is undoubtedly among the better options. Her scent alone is appetizing," the man remarked, grinning like a dog. In addition to having a large belly, his body was huge in comparison to his companions. The large scar on the right side of his eyes added to his menacing appearance.

"Oh, yeah! Look at her skin! It is smoother than that of the previous woman, and her body is so damn stunning," the other man added. "They were so disgusting. My d**k will never get hard, even if they strip in front of me."

"Yeah, you're right, unlike this woman." Their eyes burned up with desire when they saw Lauren's healthy breasts, which were only partially covered by her blouse's open neckline.

Lauren simply closed her eyes. These men appeared to be ravenous animals. She just tried to remain courageous, not panicking and afraid of what might happen to her. She had to ride the wave for Cole's sake, just as Chise and Suzette had instructed.

She arrived at the previously mentioned room a little while later. Six men were stationed to watch over the entrance. She also noticed more men in the next room keeping watch. Every room she walked past reeked of women's moans. Siege Hendricks was definitely waiting for her.