Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 24436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 122(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 81(@300wpm)
It was too late the moment he called another woman his darling.
Summerine was too busy crying and mentally arguing with Inner Troll that she had already walked over a mile by the time she realized someone was following her.
Oh God.
Prayers had always been more of an idea she was only familiar with, having grown up with a set of parents who believed in playing it "safe" by offering to every god in every religion.
But even as a child, Summerine had always thought there was something wrong with her parents' examples. And in her heart of hearts, she always had this secret conviction that there was only one God—-
And You're there.
Right?
Because I have no one else to turn to.
So, please.
Please be there.
Summerine could barely hear her thoughts over the pounding of her heart. The best and worst thing about Evergreen, Texas was how spaced apart all of the ranches were. It was a place where one could enjoy privacy in ample ways...or feel helpless because of its isolated location.
Like now.
Their closest neighbor was miles away, and the farther she got away from Kagami, the darker and scarier everything seemed to be. The only shortcut she knew was through the cornfields, but since she had also watched her fair share of horror movies—-
Oh God, please help me.
Summerine heard something - someone? - scurry, but because she also seemed to have the worst night to make her escape, there wasn't even the thinnest sliver of moonlight to help her see. Even with her eyes having adjusted to the near-complete darkness, it was still impossible to make out anything.
Sticking to the highway was the quickest way to find someone to hitch a ride with. But it also left her exposed if someone was following her.
And meant her harm.
I know you're there, God.
But I also know it's not just you.
Summerine had always had this suspicion that Ryu's "darling" also operated on the wrong side of the law.
For all she knew, that woman might even be why Ryu had started a life of crime in the first place...and the reason Summerine couldn't shake off the feeling she was being stalked right this very moment.
Please, God.
Help me.
Please.
She broke into a run as soon as she finished praying.
Losing herself in the cornfields was her only chance of surviving.
And so she ran and ran and ran.
Save me, God.
Please.
Save me.
Because she could hear it now.
Footsteps running alongside her.
And the taunting sound made her bite back a sob.
Because didn't that mean the stalker could've attacked her long ago?
God, please.
The stalker was obviously having fun playing with her.
But she also knew that could only last for so long, and—-NO!
Summerine felt herself start to fall as something furry but unseen darted through her legs, and her stomach turned in fear at the sound of someone laughing in the dark.
A man.
Her stalker was a man.
And she could feel him coming closer and closer.
THUD!
Summerine let out a scream as a black SUV came out of nowhere, and the next thing she knew, a pair of powerful headlights showed a man's body literally flying in the air before landing on the ground in a bone-snapping sound.
Oh God.
She only managed to turn away before strong hands were already gripping her shoulders and forcibly turning her around.
NO, NO, NO!
Summerine struggled wildly, thrashing, kicking, and screaming—-
"It's me," a familiar voice gritted out. "You're safe now, it's me."
Her head jerked up, and a sob crawled out of her throat as her eyes collided with her husband's taut dark gaze.
"R-Ryu?"
He cupped her face, and his hands were icy cold against her skin.
"Are you alright?" Ryu demanded.
"I...I...How—-"
It was the last thing she managed to mumble before everything went black.
The Other Man, Pt. 2
SUMMERINE WAS ALREADY in the hospital when she woke, and seated next to her bed was her husband.
"You're awake."
Ryu almost sounded like he was worried about her. And he probably was, since he was rather nice, for a criminal.
"H-How..."
Everything started coming back the moment she started to talk, and her voice faltered as memory after terrifying memory razed her mind.
Oh God.
She wasn't even aware of whispering the words out loud, wasn't even aware that she had already started crying until she felt the bed dip under her husband's weight, and he was wiping her tears away.
"It's alright. You're safe now. He's never going to hurt you again."
"W-Who is he?"
"You don't have to know—-"
"I want to know." Because otherwise, her mind would only imagine the worst.
"It's your school doctor," her husband revealed with visible reluctance.
"Doctor Burns?"
She had barely exchanged more than ten words with the older man, and he didn't even look capable of hurting a fly. Why would Doctor Burns want to cause trouble in her marriage?
She turned to Ryu in bewilderment, and her husband read the questions in her mind perfectly.
"The bastard fancied himself in love with you. Decided to cause trouble without getting involved. His plan probably involved offering you comfort in the guise of counseling."