The sound of fabric tearing filled the room, and Dean’s already tattered shirt finally gave way, leaving him exposed to the biting chill of the air. Despair clawed at him, almost overwhelming. He shook his head frantically, trying to stop what was happening, but Shawn paid no attention to his futile struggles.Shawn walked over to the shelves, selecting several clips with deliberate precision. Returning to the bed, he began placing them on Dean’s body, one by one. His movements were disturbingly practiced, each action methodical and calm, sending a shiver of terror down Dean’s spine.Shawn didn’t stop there. What little remained of Dean’s clothing was swiftly torn away, leaving him entirely exposed. From the assortment of items on the shelves—vibrators, wands, and other devices—Shawn began to gather them with an unsettling calmness.One by one, he positioned them near Dean’s most vulnerable and sensitive areas, each placement deliberated, as if orchestrating a cruel and calculated pla
The doctor hesitated for a moment before responding, "Psychotherapy is the most effective method. Through gradual and guided intervention, he can slowly unlock the parts of his mind that are closed off and begin to recall the memories that have been forgotten.""Is there a faster way?" Shawn's tone grew urgent, laced with a suffocating intensity that pressed down like a heavyweight.The doctor remained silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Hypnosis might be an option. Through hypnosis, it could be possible to directly access his subconscious and uncover the blocked memories. However, this method carries significant risks. If not handled properly, it could cause even greater psychological harm."Shawn fixed the doctor with a cold, unyielding stare as if weighing the pros and cons. After a long silence, he nodded slightly and spoke in a low voice, "The risks of hypnosis don’t concern me. I only want to know one thing—can he recover those memories through it?"The doctor replied
Shawn stood frozen, his gaze dark and fixed on the scene before him. His fists clenched, knuckles turning white as if he were struggling to control some rising emotion. Finally, he stormed forward, crouching and roughly grabbing Dean’s chin, forcing his head up. His voice was cold and biting. "Is it really that hard?"Dean was caught off guard, and the force on his face made him wince in pain. His throat felt as if it might tear apart, and now Shawn's grip on his chin forced him to tilt his head back, aggravating the wounds on his neck. Even the bite marks on his shoulders seemed to intensify in pain, the tension in his muscles worsening it all. He gritted his teeth, but couldn't stop himself from taking a sharp breath, his eyes stinging and reddening, tears quietly slipping down his face."Are you complaining because you're picky? And even crying now?" Shawn looked down at Dean, his voice devoid of any sympathy, laced instead with a hint of mockery. He pressed his thumb hard against
Shawn paused for a moment, then frowned, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and a touch of helplessness. "Ah, I forgot you can't handle spice." He leaned over the table, propping his elbow on it, and looked down at Dean, his gaze sharp. After a brief silence, he sighed and muttered, "Couldn't you have just told me you can't eat this?"Dean pressed a hand to his throat, struggling to calm the coughing fit. He lifted his gaze, his eyes carrying a trace of exhaustion, but his voice remained soft and distant. "It's fine," he murmured.Shawn shot him a sharp look, clearly dissatisfied with Dean's dismissive response but chose not to press the issue further. He slid his untouched bowl of white porridge in front of Dean, his tone firm. "Eat mine, I haven't touched it yet." Without waiting for a reply, he took Dean's bowl, placing it in front of himself.Dean glanced at the bowl of porridge, hesitating for a brief moment before picking up the spoon and scooping up a mouthful. The warm
Shawn kept his head lowered as well, silently picking at his food occasionally as if lost in his own thoughts. The air was thick with unspoken tension, an almost tangible weight of restraint as if neither of them dared to shatter the uneasy stillness that hung between them.Throughout the meal, they remained locked in their own worlds of thought. Dean replayed his words over and over in his mind, feeling a bittersweet mixture of relief for having spoken them aloud and the lingering sting of inescapable pain.Shawn, on the other hand, occasionally let an inscrutable emotion flicker across his gaze, dark and unreadable. Yet, he stayed silent, never uttering another word.And so, the two finished their meal in silence, each consumed by their own thoughts. They carried their unspoken burdens with them, retreating into the quiet solitude of their respective worlds.A few days later, Dean felt his body had recovered enough, so he decided to cook for himself. The clatter of pots and pans ech
Dean felt a chill run down his spine at those words. "I will remember?" What did that mean? A vague sense of dread crept over him as if there were a hidden agenda, perhaps even a plan behind those words... It forced him to raise his guard once more. Pushing down the unease in his chest, he spoke softly, "I don’t even know how to think anymore."Shawn was silent for a moment after hearing this, then swiftly turned Dean around, his hands pressing down on either side of him. His deep gaze pierced into Dean's eyes like a blade. "Need a clue?"Dean froze, uncertain if this was some kind of “favor” from Shawn. He responded cautiously, "C-can I?""Depends on how you behave," Shawn replied with a slight smile, one that carried a hint of pride and amusement.Dean swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper. "What do you want?"Shawn’s response was simple and direct: "Kiss me."Kiss him? Dean almost thought he had heard wrong. He looked up at Shawn, whose expression was filled with a mixture of
Dean lowered his gaze, thinking for a moment before slowly speaking, "My friends say I'm still confused... but now, I don’t know anything anymore." His tone carried a sense of bewilderment and helplessness. After briefly pausing, he added, "Honestly, I’m not even sure if I have a choice."The words caught Shawn off guard. It dawned on him suddenly—Dean’s state of confusion wasn’t something inherent, but something forced upon him. The tangled relationships, the fate he couldn’t escape, had shaped him into this contradictory and fragile person. Shawn had always believed he was the one in control, yet in this moment, a pang of guilt stirred within him. He realized he was one of the people who had pushed Dean to this breaking point.Shawn's gaze softened slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but then hesitated and swallowed the words. He reached out, pulling Dean into his arms, and whispered, "Sleep. Don't think about it." This time, his tone was unexpectedly gentle.Dean remained t
Dean's emotions were tangled, and despite appearing compliant on the outside, the unease within him remained unshaken. He knew deep down that he had reached a point of no return—any resistance would change nothing. Closing his eyes, he followed Dr. Parker's instructions, making a conscious effort to relax. Slowly, he let his body ease into a state of calm, though his mind remained alert, wary of what might come next.Despite his best efforts to quiet his mind, Dean’s thoughts continued to race, a whirlwind of confusion and fear swirling within him. He couldn’t shake the worry that he might accidentally reveal something he shouldn’t, especially about his reborn. The idea of letting such a secret slip, even under hypnosis, terrified him.As time passed, however, his body began to relax. The tension in his muscles eased, his heartbeat slowed, and his consciousness began to fade, slipping into a haze. Just as he thought he was on the verge of total emptiness, the surroundings around him s
Sally sighed softly, as if speaking to a child who just didn’t understand. "My little Dean, that man was taken care of long ago by your four boyfriends, remember? The matter’s over, and yet you still want to dredge up the past?"Dean clenched his fists so tightly that the ropes around his wrists dug deeper into his skin, the pressure causing faint trickles of blood to surface."How can you... be so unreasonable?!" he spat, his voice strained with frustration.Sally’s smile grew even more pronounced, her expression now tinged with mockery. "Oh, dear brother, we’re in the underworld now. Unreasonable? That’s just how things are, isn't it?"Dean’s heart tightened painfully. He looked at the woman standing before him—once his closest ally, his sister—now standing firmly on the side of the enemy, speaking with such cold, merciless words."How did you become like this..." he muttered, the words heavy with disbelief and pain.But before he could even finish, he was interrupted by the mocking
He was silent for a few seconds, then finally pressed the answer button."Dean, you have to at least give me a chance to see you," Leo's voice came through the phone, tinged with frustration and a hint of urgency. "Just me. I’m coming alone."Dean knew Leo was different from the others. Leo had helped him before.After a brief hesitation, he spoke, "Twenty minutes. Meet me on the top floor."He hung up, leaned back in his chair, and exhaled deeply.Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Dean stood up to open it. Leo was standing there, looking anything but his usual carefree self. His face was uncharacteristically serious, even grim.Without a word, Leo walked straight to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a drink, and downed it in one go. Only then did he turn back to face Dean, his gaze a mixture of concern and something darker. "You really won’t give them any chance at all?"Dean leaned back on the sofa, his voice cold. "I don't want to."Leo sighed, setting his glass
He hadn’t taken it seriously at the time, but now, he never would have imagined that there would come a day when he would need such a place.The lobby manager was already waiting. As soon as he saw Dean, he immediately approached him with respectful professionalism. "Mr. Harrison, we've prepared a room for you on the top floor. You can check in at any time."Dean furrowed his brow, a hint of confusion in his expression. "How did you know I was coming?"The manager offered a polished smile. "Your friend, Leo, made the arrangements in advance. He said you might need a quiet place."Dean froze for a moment, an unexpected wave of emotion sweeping through him.Leo...That seemingly carefree, always acting nonchalant guy had taken the time to set up an escape plan for him?He had even gone so far as to ask the young lady to help and secure the quietest room on the top floor?Dean pressed his lips together, a mixture of emotions welling up inside him.He wasn’t without friends, after all.At
Among the four people he trusted the most, Shawn’s betrayal was the one he could never accept.Shawn had built his empire with his fists, carving a path through blood and corpses. And yet, he had always believed that, at the very least, Shawn was a man of honor.He was wrong.He couldn’t have been more wrong.The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the Shark Gang’s headquarters. The gang members stationed at the entrance stepped aside the moment they saw him. No one tried to stop him—Ted had already given the order."Mr. Harrison." Someone greeted him with respectful deference.Dean didn’t respond immediately. He kept walking, his pace unwavering and his demeanor cold. The lobby was filled with whispers, the members of the Shark Gang pausing in their work to glance his way. No one dared to stop him, knowing that Ted had already made arrangements.As Dean strode through the building, his eyes briefly flickered over the gathered faces, cold and indifferent. It wasn’t long before Ted
Damon’s eyes instantly filled with panic.Unable to stand still any longer, he rushed toward Dean, and no matter how much Dean struggled, he held onto him tightly. "Dean! Please, listen to me—please, let me explain!""I don’t want to hear it!" Dean fought with every ounce of strength, his voice raw. "I don’t want to hear it! I’m nothing but a disposable pawn in your grand Dragon Gang plan!"Damon’s heart clenched violently. He had never felt so frantic in his life. "Dean, please! Calm down! Just listen to me—"Seizing the moment of Damon’s panic, Dean wrenched himself free from his grip and bolted toward the door of the office.He threw all his strength into yanking the door open, and there, just outside the elevator, he saw Leo standing, looking at him in confusion."Dean?"Dean’s gaze fell on the elevator as the doors slowly slid open. He turned back one last time to look at Damon, his eyes hollow with utter despair.He looked at Leo, his voice trembling. "Leo… If you consider me yo
He frowned, a sense of unease creeping up on him. It all felt a little too coincidental, like something was off, but he couldn't quite place it.Still, no matter what, he was always used to being alone. Shrugging off the nagging feeling, he let it go for now. Breakfast first.After breakfast, Dean went as usual to sort through the boxes that had been moved from Joe's villa. There were forty boxes in total, and he had already gone through most of them. The remaining ones seemed to hold little importance. Yet, he continued his meticulous search, knowing that even in these seemingly insignificant items, there might be a clue that could shed light on either Sally or Joe.However, today’s search felt different.When his eyes landed on a box in the corner of the room, he furrowed his brow.He had no memory of this box.It appeared older than the others, its surface covered in a thin layer of dust, as though it hadn't been touched in years. Stranger still, when he tried to move it, he found
Damon’s hand was the first to rest gently on his, his voice tender but tinged with worry. "Are you okay?"Chen gently supported his shoulder, carefully studying his face. "Do you feel any discomfort?"Shawn furrowed his brow, his gaze never leaving him. "Do you need me to call a doctor?"Greg’s expression was more somber than the others, a hint of restlessness in his voice as he sighed. "Why aren't you speaking? Does something hurt again?"Dean blinked, fully realizing that he had indeed returned.The words of the messenger from the afterlife echoed in his mind—he hadn’t been taken advantage of by Joe. Yet, even so, he still needed to hear it from these four, to hear the truth from them before he could truly find peace.He cleared his throat slowly, his voice hoarse. "I... was I... slept with?"The four of them froze almost simultaneously, their expressions varying, yet all betraying a mix of anger and concern.Damon tightened his grip on his hand, looking at him with unwavering deter
Dean held his breath, barely daring to hear the words that were about to follow.Joe slowly curved his lips into a smile, and with a soft exhale, he uttered two words that sent a chill through the air."Sleep with you."As his words hung in the air, Joe didn’t hesitate for a moment. He leaned down, capturing Dean’s lips with an intensity that left no room for escape.Joe’s kiss was ruthless and commanding, carrying the unmistakable weight of someone who expected complete control, without the slightest trace of tenderness. Dean tried to pull away, but he couldn’t even summon the strength to turn his head. The pressure from Joe’s presence was overwhelming. He fought desperately, but the lingering numbness from the shock earlier still gripped his body, leaving his limbs unresponsive. Every attempt at resistance only felt more futile than the last.Joe clearly showed no concern for Dean’s resistance; if anything, he seemed to take pleasure in the desperation of his prey. With one hand, he
Dean’s face drained of color in an instant, his pupils narrowing slightly. “What?” he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.Sally shrugged casually as if discussing something insignificant. “It was me who told everyone you were an easy target, which is why they liked bullying you.”It was as though the very foundation of Dean’s world crumbled at that moment.He stared at Sally, his eyes wide with shock, anger, and disbelief. He never could have imagined that the painful memories from his childhood and adolescence, the ones that haunted him, had all come from the very sister he had trusted most.He opened his mouth, but the words were trapped in his throat as if his very vocal cords had been scorched by fire. “Why…?”Sally’s laugh was sharp, dripping with sarcasm. “Why do you look so shocked? Fine, let me tell you,” she said with a lazy smile.She narrowed her eyes slightly, a malicious curve to her lips. “I did it all to make you angry, to push you into cutting ties with me.”Dean’s f