Why Her:The shadow of the past

The prisoner

Natasha's eyes locked onto the cup of coffee in front of her, her mind racing with the knowledge that it was poisoned. She tried to make excuses, hoping to avoid the inevitable.

"I'm not feeling well, Lucas," she said, trying to sound convincing. "I think I'll just stick to water."

But Lucas was not fooled. "Drink the coffee, Natasha," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "You know why you're here. You know what you've done."

Natasha's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape. But she knew she was trapped. Lucas had her right where he wanted her.

"You were given to me by your father, Don Hulio," Lucas reminded her. "You were a gift, a toy to please me. But lately, you've been a nuisance. You hurt what is mine, and that's unacceptable."

Natasha's face contorted in anguish as she realized her fate. "Please, Lucas," she begged. "Don't make me do this."

But Lucas was unmoved. "You should have thought of that before you crossed me, Natasha. Now, you'll have to take your own life. I won't be executing you myself. That would be too easy. This is a token of respect to your father."

As they finished their meal, Lucas gazed into Mel's eyes and saw the fear that lingered there. He knew that she was still reeling from the events that had transpired, and he decided to take her mind off things.

"Come with me, Mel," Lucas said, standing up and offering her his hand. "I want to show you something."

Mel hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But Lucas's grip on her hand was firm, and he led her out of the dining room and down a long corridor.

They eventually arrived at a large, metal door that looked like it belonged in a prison. Lucas produced a key and unlocked the door, revealing a set of stairs that led down into darkness.

"Welcome to my dungeon, Mel," Lucas said, his voice dripping with excitement. "I have something special to show you."

Mel's heart was racing as she followed Lucas down the stairs. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but she knew that she didn't like it.

At the bottom of the stairs, they entered a large, dimly lit room that was filled with all manner of strange and sinister objects. Mel saw racks and cages, chains and shackles, and all sorts of other instruments of torture.

Lucas led her through the room, pointing out various objects and explaining their uses. Mel listened in horror, her mind reeling with the thought of what Lucas was capable of.

As they walked, Mel caught sight of a figure in the corner of the room. It was a woman, dressed in a simple white robe, and she was chained to the wall.

"Ah, yes," Lucas said, following Mel's gaze. "This is a special prisoner of mine. A gift, really."

Mel's eyes widened as she realized what Lucas was implying. "What kind of sick man are you?" she thought to herself. "Killing someone and then taking me to your dungeon to show me your twisted trophies?"

Natasha's eyes filled with tears as she realized she had no choice. She slowly lifted the cup to her lips, her hand trembling with fear. Mel watched in horror, unsure of what to do.

As Natasha drank the poisoned coffee, Mel felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She couldn't believe what was happening.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. But then, Natasha's face began to contort in agony. She clutched her stomach, her eyes bulging out of her head.

And then, she coughed blood.

Mel screamed, horrified by what she was seeing. Natasha's body convulsed, her limbs thrashing wildly as she died a slow and agonizing death.

Mel was frozen in shock, unable to move or speak. She was horrified by what Lucas had done.

As Natasha's lifeless body slumped to the floor, Lucas's expression remained unchanged. He turned to Damien, who was standing by the door, and ordered, "Take care of the body. Burn it and send it to her father, Don Hulio."

Damien nodded, his face expressionless, and began to drag Natasha's body out of the room.

Mel watched in horror, still frozen in shock. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Lucas had just ordered the execution of Natasha, and now he was acting like nothing had happened.

Lucas turned his attention back to Mel, a smile spreading across his face. "Now, where were we?" he asked, picking up a piece of food from the plate in front of him. "Ah yes, breakfast."

He began to feed Mel, spooning food into her mouth as if she was a child. Mel felt a wave of revulsion wash over her, but she was too scared to move. She didn't know what Lucas was capable of, and she didn't want to find out.

As Lucas continued to feed her, Mel's mind raced with thoughts of escape. She knew she had to get away from Lucas, but she didn't know how. She was trapped, and she didn't know what the future held.

Meanwhile, Damien had taken Natasha's body to the basement, where a fire was burning in the incinerator. He tossed the body into the flames, watching as it was consumed by the fire.

Once the body was reduced to ashes, Damien collected them in a box and prepared to send them to Don Hulio. He knew that this would be a message to Don Hulio, a warning that Lucas would not be crossed.

As Damien finished his task, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He knew that Lucas was capable of great cruelty, and he wondered what would happen next time if someone tried to hurt Melody.

As Mel gazed at the woman chained to the wall, Lucas's eyes lit up with excitement. "This prisoner is one of my most important collections," he claimed, his voice filled with pride. "Apart from Derick, of course."

Mel's eyes widened in horror as she realized who Derick was. He was the man who had stalked and kidnapped her, the man who had caused her so much pain and suffering.

"What do you mean, one of your most important collections?" Mel asked, her voice shaking with fear.

Lucas smiled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I collect people, Mel," he explained. "People who are important to me, people who have value."

Mel felt a wave of revulsion wash over her. "You're sick," she spat, trying to pull away from Lucas.

But Lucas's grip on her arm was firm. "I'm just a collector, Mel," he said, his voice calm and reasonable. "I collect things that are valuable to me. And this prisoner, she's very valuable indeed."

As Mel looked at the woman chained to the wall, she felt a surge of pity and compassion. Who was this woman, and what had she done to deserve such treatment?

But Lucas just laughed, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You'll find out soon enough, Mel," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "You'll find out all about my collection, and you'll learn to appreciate its value."