Chapter 2

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“DO YOU like your new home, Kyro?” Kyro’s dad asked while patting his son’s back. Tumingin naman ito sa akin sabay ngumiti. “Puwede mo nang ma-solo si Faerie rito,” he added while winking at me.

Napalunok nalang ako ng sarili kong mga laway nang dahil sa kaniyang mga sinabi. No. He will freakin’ torture me for sure! Nakita ko ang ginawa niya kanina, and I am certain that it will be even worse if I will stay by his side!

“This house is so great, and big! We really love it, dad!” Kyro’s joyful words made his father smiled from ear to ear. “Hindi ba, wife?” Inakbayan naman ako ni Kyro habang nakangiti ring nakatingin kay Mr. Verde.

Wala akong planong sagutin ang mga sinabi niya, ngunit hinigpitan niya ang kapit sa aking mga braso kaya wala akong nagawa kung ‘di pilit na ngumiti, at tumango sa kaniya.

“We really love your wedding gift, Mr. Verde,” I answered while faking my smile. Wala na akong magagawa pa, ayaw kong maging bihag, ngunit alam ko kapag sinabi ko ito ngayon sa tatay niya, hindi ako paniniwalaan nito.

May kinuha naman si Mr. Verde sa kaniyang maliit na maleta. Nakarinig din ako ng mahinang kaluskos, saka paghuni ng isang hayop habang ibinibigay niya ang isang maliit na box sa akin.

“It is a cat, I know na hindi pa kayo ready gumawa ng apo ko, kaya’t naisipan ko munang bigyan kayo ng munting alaga,” aniya habang ngumi-ngiting hinawakan ang aking kamay, binuksan naman niya ang box kasabay no’n ang paglabas ng isang pusa, umiinat pa nga ito sabay nag-meow sa aming harapan.

“Thank you very much for this gift, Mr. Verde. I truly appreciate it,” I mumbled as I carried the cat in my arms. He looks so cute and docile. He didn’t even scratch me when I held him.

Ngumiti na naman si Mr. Verde sa akin, saka pi-nat ang aking balikat, pati na rin kay Kyro. “Mauna na ako ha? Enjoy niyo ang pagiging mag-asawa ninyo!” he uttered as he clicked his tongue playfully. He, and his butler started to walk away from us, I want them to stop. Gusto kong sumama sa kanila, however I felt a tight grip around my waist kaya napatingin ako kay Kyro.

“Let’s go,” usal pa nito at mala-demonyo akong ningitian. His eyes gleamed with mischief as he was about to grab the cat, but it suddenly went wild and hissed, so he angrily slapped it, which made me furious.

“What the heck are you doing?” I shouted angrily at him, my voice trembling with rage as I brushed my fingers through the cat’s fur to calm it down. “This is a freakin’ gift from your father, and if anything bad happens to this cat, you know what will happen next, don’t you?” I added, my brows knitting together in a fierce glare, my eyes burning with intensity.

I saw the way he glared at me, his eyes full of hatred. With a furrowed brow, he grabbed my hair and dragged me into the house his father had given us.

The pain was unbearable. The way he yanked my hair felt like it would all be torn out from the roots. I couldn’t do anything but cry and beg him to stop, but he wouldn’t listen.

As he dragged me through the mansion, I could see the maids looking horrified, their eyes wide with shock and pity. My scalp burned from the tight grip he had on my hair, and every step felt like an eternity of agony. My tears blurred my vision, but I could still see their horrified faces, making the whole scene feel even more nightmarish. The grand hallways, usually a symbol of wealth and power, now felt like a cruel prison as I was dragged further inside, each moment etching itself into my memory.

What the heck is happening to me?

“You belong here,” he said coldly as he opened the door to the basement. The place was barren, void of any items, a stark reminder of how new and empty the house was.

“Don’t worry, I will feed you. I won't let you die of starvation—I might go to jail, you know.” He smirked. “And your cat too,” he added, closing the door behind me with a final, resounding thud.

The basement was dark, silent, and dusty. The air was thick and musty, choking any semblance of hope. The single bulb hanging from the ceiling flickered weakly, casting eerie shadows on the walls. A chill ran down my spine, settling deep in my bones. For some reason, I smiled, though my heart ached.

I couldn’t understand why Kyro had become so cruel. Did he truly hate me enough to confine me here? Maybe he wanted to marry someone else and I was an obstacle. Is that why he’s so mad at me? But why must he make me suffer so? Do I really deserve this torment? The isolation gnawed at my sanity, each second feeling like an eternity.

“Meow...” the cat beneath me called while brushing his head against my feet. I kneeled down and gently booped his nose.

“I’m sorry for bringing you here with me. If you want to escape, I'll find a window for you to jump out of,” I said softly, stroking his head. He purred contentedly, and I managed a small smile. He loves it.

Days passed, and I lived in the basement with the cat. Kyro brought a wooden bed for me to sleep on, and he did bring food, but it was always leftovers. I ate and shared it with my cat, the water he gave me tasting strange and metallic. The basement was dark and damp, with the air heavy and suffocating. Each night was bone-chilling, and I could only hug the cat tightly to keep him from getting cold. The loneliness was unbearable, made worse by Kyro’s sporadic visits, filled with anger and violence. He would beat me without reason, tying my hands, taping my mouth, and covering my eyes, he even swayed his belt just to taunt me.

“Why can’t you shout for help?” he said, his voice dripping with cruel amusement.

“Because I know it’s useless,” I replied, my voice barely a whisper. He just laughed at me, the sound echoing in the desolate basement.

There are days when I hear the loud moaning of a woman upstairs, a very loud thud, and Kyro’s pleasured groans. Each sound pierces my heart, and I couldn’t help but cry from the pain and betrayal. So, that is his woman. He could have told me we couldn’t be married. He could have talked to his dad about wanting to marry her. So why did he have to marry me?!

“I married you because that’s what he wanted! If I didn’t obey his orders, I would be dumped into the slums with low-class people! Also, I want to be the CEO of the company. Without you, who is favored by my dad, I can’t be the successor of this company!”

That was his reason. He needs to fulfill his father’s wishes for his own gain. The basement, already dark and damp, felt even more suffocating with the weight of his words. I can’t even imagine how terrible Kyro is. I thought he was gentle, as people say, but I was freakin’ wrong.

Each night, as the cold seeped into my bones and the loneliness gnawed at my sanity, I realized just how deep his cruelty ran. The basement, with its oppressive silence and lingering shadows, became a prison not just of my body, but of my soul. My heart ached with each passing day, knowing that above me, Kyro lived a life of pleasure and deceit, while I withered away in the darkness.

I had to endure living here for a month. I did nothing but play with the cat, who is now malnourished because I can’t even take him to the vet, and we don’t have proper meals. The only thing I enjoyed was playing with my phone, which Kyro didn’t know I had. Thankfully, I had my purse with me; otherwise, I would have died of boredom by now.

There is no Wi-Fi, no internet, and no signal. However, for some inexplicable reason, there were two games on my phone: Subway Surfer and a game called Goddesses and the Villainess. I enjoyed playing these a lot. My cat also wanted to join in; as soon as I opened the game, he would come to his spot and watch me play. He even meowed and hissed when something bad happened to the character I was controlling.

This game unfolds like a gripping story where you get to choose the dialogue during key conversations. It tells the tale of a Goddess who was betrayed by her closest friend. Determined to rise to the top of the academy, she must navigate numerous challenges imposed by her treacherous rival. Despite the obstacles, she perseveres, driven by her unwavering dream.

As the Goddess faces these trials, she discovers hidden strengths and forms unexpected alliances. Her journey is fraught with intrigue, magic, and tests of character. Ultimately, her rival is exiled from the Imperial Palace for her treachery and meets a dire fate, starving alone in the wilderness. Justice is served, and the Goddess's resilience and courage shine through, leading her to triumph.

I completed all the chapters and played them over and over again. There is a secret chapter, but I couldn’t access it because it requires downloading additional resources, meaning I need an internet connection.

I heaved a distant sigh, and found myself staring at the ceiling after finishing that game. The cat did the same.

“How I wish I could call someone and ask for help to get out of this hell,” I uttered out of nowhere. The cat meowed softly and snuggled its head into my armpit.

“Mabaho yan, wala akong ligo-ligo,” I said with a chuckle, but it didn’t mind and fell asleep instead. I soon followed, hugging him tightly and closing my eyes. I hope that when I open my eyes, everything will be alright...

As I drifted into sleep, memories of the Goddess’s struggles and triumphs filled my mind. Her story of betrayal and perseverance echoed my own feelings of despair and hope. Tears welled up as I thought about her journey, wishing I had her strength.

The darkness of the room felt suffocating, but the warmth of my cat provided a small comfort. I held onto that warmth, praying for a better tomorrow. In the stillness of the night, a sense of sorrow enveloped me, making my heart ache with longing for a different reality.

Two days passed, and something horrible happened. After we ate our lunch, something happened to Chewy, my beloved cat. He died for an unknown reason. My heart felt heavy, and I couldn’t understand why this had to happen. The only one who stayed by my side was this cat, and now he was gone. I called for help, but the maids didn’t care. I knocked on the door several times, but they didn’t respond.

My eyes were dripping wet as I kneeled down, cradling Chewy’s lifeless body. The only reason I was striving to live was because of this cat. Seeing him eat happily, even the leftover food, gave me an appetite. He would boost my spirits by rubbing his body against me, begging me to eat. He was gentle and the only one who stayed with me even when I couldn’t feed him properly.

“I just want to bury him properly. How can they not let me?” I whispered, my voice breaking. I couldn’t breathe, my eyes were blurry, and my head was spinning. Despite this, I continued banging on the door until my body became numb. The air I was trying to catch slipped away, and then a black facade surrounded me.

fin.