Sidney often dreamed that she was back in that day, when Deandre tied her to a chair with coarse hemp rope. She was filled with intense fear, terrified that if he got upset, he might kill her to silence her. Despite the hot island climate, her whole body trembled, her teeth chattering uncontrollably. She wanted to cry but couldn't. She watched as Deandre dialed Jayson's number, and listening to their conversation, she knew he would come to save her. But she didn't understand why she was involved in this.
From the phone conversation, she learned that the man was the one who had killed Jayson's mother. She also knew he would harm a defenseless woman. She was tied to the chair, deprived of food and water, yet she still had the urge to relieve herself.
Deandre not only refused to let her go to the bathroom, but also mocked her when she involuntarily wet herself. He slowly watched her humiliation and asked, "When's the last time you had an accident like that?"
Sidney felt unbearable shame as she endured the stench of urine. By morning, an exasperated Deandre said he would secretly punish Jayson, eyeing Sidney as he pondered how best to torment her to cause Jayson the most pain.
Sidney begged desperately, humbling herself to the utmost, pleading with him not to harm her. But in the end, Deandre's eyes fell on her ring finger, where her wedding ring was.
He said, "What a beautiful ring! And such a beautiful finger. If you send the ring back to me, I'll be anxious, but if you send the ring along with the finger it's on... now that would be truly thrilling!"
Sidney shook her head desperately, begging and pleading, but it was no use. In the end, he sawed off the finger with the ring and placed it in a box.
Sidney, barely alive, watched his movements as he sawed off her blood-soaked finger. She screamed endlessly, the searing pain piercing her to the core. She tasted it.
That pain followed her, even though the wound had healed and the scene was no more. Yet, in the dead of night, she would always see the version of herself from that time, with that pain clinging to her like a shadow.
She ran, her breath shallow and her body heavy, each step feeling like a struggle. The child disappeared without a trace, and she woke, tears still on her face, as if she had just run a race she couldn't remember. The sky was always dim at this hour, a constant reminder of the weight on her. She dragged herself out of bed, took a quick shower, and another day began. But she stopped counting the days long ago. How many had passed since she returned to A City? What day was it? She had locked herself away, unwilling to face the world or think about her future, her life, or Jayson.
She had to empty herself completely to stop the constant overthinking. Although she couldn't help but get caught up in her own worries, recently, she even found herself resenting Jayson. If only he hadn't sought revenge, if he hadn't gone after her mother's killer, she might have been slightly pregnant by now, immersed in the joy of soon becoming a mother.
This thought would sneak up on her, echoing in her ears, and she found it increasingly hard to face Jayson. She didn't know how to interact with him anymore, especially after the shocking scene where he had kicked Deandre into the fire, leading to his death. It was too overwhelming—she was filled with both hatred and fear.
After finishing her shower, Jayson was already awake. He got up and, with thoughtfulness, took a towel to dry Sidney's hair. He knew she must have had another nightmare.
Sidney immediately took the towel from his hands, refusing his help. She quietly sat down at the edge of the bed, and Jayson, trying to please her, asked, "What do you want for breakfast?"
Sidney didn't respond, but Jayson didn't seem to mind. He continued, "I called the chef over. How about having something freshly prepared for you?" His tone was like he was coaxing a child.
Sidney still didn't respond, so he changed his clothes and left the room. Before long, the chef arrived as expected.
