As for me, I was locked in a pigsty by the buyer, surrounded by heaps of pig dung. A short, filthy man kept urging me to submit to him, promising that if I bore him a son, I could sleep in the house with him and avoid further suffering.I thought seriously about it and decided that if it ever came to that, I would rather die than endure such humiliation.Tears welled up in my eyes, but I bit my lip to keep them from falling. I clenched my cold fingers in fear and glanced repeatedly at the door, calculating my chances of escaping. However, the wilderness was vast and unfamiliar, making the path to freedom uncertain.Soon, it was mealtime. Nico buzzed around like a bee, serving food and drink in a manner that seemed overly hospitable. I was beginning to suspect this was a deliberate ploy to win me over and make me feel at ease.What scared me the most was when Zuri suddenly appeared with a bottle of unknown liquor. He bit off the cap and poured the liquid into several white porcela
Besides, if Nico was also being deceived like me, we might be able to form an alliance and plan an escape together. I could only hope he wasn't a bad person and wouldn't betray me.With so much on my mind, I was too anxious to eat more than a few shaky bites.Elijah sighed. "I forgot you city folks are used to fine food. I doubt you can handle these simple dishes." He then turned to look at his wife, saying, "Ava, get some goat milk for the city girl. We don't want her going hungry on her visit here."I forced a polite smile. "Well, great… Thank you, sir, for the kind hospitality…"After the meal, there wasn't much entertainment in the countryside, so we all gathered around the TV. Ava brought me a chair with a thick cushion and beckoned me to sit. "Here, sit on this. It's soft and comfy. The show's about to start."The chair was just the right height, and the cushion was indeed soft and comfortable. However, I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles, my mind racing with tho
Colin cleared his throat, suppressing a laugh, and gently reassured me, "It's okay. Just go to sleep. I'll stay with you.""Promise me you won't hang up until I'm asleep," I pleaded."Alright," Colin agreed softly.I was truly exhausted. Selfishly ignoring Colin's evident weariness, I fell into a deep sleep lulled by his deep voice.With Colin's voice as my companion, I slept peacefully. I was no longer afraid and didn't have any nightmares. Instead, I dreamt that I was immersed in a sea of flowers, surrounded by their fragrant scent.I woke up at 6:00 am. As soon as I opened my eyes and saw the dark ceiling, the terrifying events of the previous night came rushing back. It wasn't until I pulled back the covers to see myself still fully clothed that I could take a deep breath, calming my racing heart.After getting ready, I opened the door to find Ava quietly preparing breakfast in the kitchen. She greeted me with a welcoming smile, "Good morning, dear. There's hot water in tha
I felt terrible for my wild thoughts from the previous night. I couldn't believe I had mistaken these kind, elderly folks for human traffickers.As Ava spoke, Nico chimed in with his own playful jab, teasing that I was too shy to eat and that I was a pampered child from the city who couldn't handle any hardship.Colin sat beside me, trying hard to suppress his laughter, his ears turning red from the effort. If it weren't for my constant warning glances, he might have blurted out the truth, and I would have been the butt of everyone's joke.Despite my frustration, I couldn't say anything directly. To keep Colin in check, I subtly stepped on his foot, warning him to behave.Alas, Colin caught my leg the next time I tried and propped it on his own lengthy limb, even mischievously pinching my calf as a final taunt.With my body halfway suspended in the air, I was too afraid to move for fear of tumbling to the ground. I quickly sat upright and focused on my meal, not daring to try anyt
Seeing Colin so exhausted, I couldn't imagine asking him to carry me. That would make me the worst girlfriend in history."I'm not tired. I've been practicing my self-defense skills with Zara, and we could do squats for an hour. My stamina is really good now, and I can walk for miles!" I boasted to Colin, holding his hand and bouncing with excitement."Are you tired, Colin? When we get back, I'll give you a massage so you can have a nice, restful sleep," I offered.Colin replied, "I am a bit tired, but it's not too bad. I can still manage. But Baby, you better keep your promise. I'm looking forward to that massage. I won't be able to sleep well without it."I gazed at him. "Of course, I won't forget! You're tired because of me. How could I not repay such kindness?"With a playful glint in his eye, Colin asked, "Oh, really? And just how does my baby plan to repay her husband's kindness?"I cocked my head, trying to think of a good way to repay him, but nothing came to mind. "You t
When I finally dragged my heavy, leaden legs to an open area, I understood why Colin had asked me that question and why the path seemed so familiar.This was the valley where Colin had been teaching, where heavy rains had triggered the mudslides, and where Jasmine had saved him.A rush of emotions overwhelmed me—love, hate, and something indescribably complex.I loved that the cruel forces of nature hadn't taken Colin's life, but I hated that this was where his entanglement with Jasmine began.With a look of surprise, I turned to Colin. His eyes seemed to glimmer with warmth as he pointed to the newly constructed buildings. "The last disaster caught the attention of many kind-hearted people. They rallied support and raised funds to build a new school for the children in a safer location. "Construction has already started and is expected to be completed before the rainy season. These new buildings will serve as temporary classrooms until then."I uttered, "That's great! Now, they
Although we had filled our backpacks with samples, we hadn't actually covered much ground. The mountain range extended ahead of us, with the same reddish hue permeating the entire landscape. This indicated a rich vein of mineral deposits in this region.Nico and I were both thrilled. If the results were what we hoped for, all the hard work would be worth it. Despite the challenges we had faced in recent weeks, our steps felt lighter with renewed hope.At the final sample site, the surrounding hills had transformed into a vivid reddish hue, extending to the tree branches wedged between the rocks. Looking ahead, the mountains stretching endlessly into the distance were all the same color.Everyone was stunned, and Zuri was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. Nico had previously mentioned that if the reserves were sufficient, it could pave the way for large-scale mining.If that were the case, Zuri's dream of bringing the younger generation back to work in the village could b
I understood the urgency of a 30-year-old man, but we couldn't get carried away with an audience present. The thought of anyone hearing us was mortifying.This wasn't our well-insulated apartment—a flimsy, poorly sealed door was all that separated us from the outside world. Every sound we made would be crystal clear to those nearby, making it feel like we were broadcasting live.No matter how bold I was, I couldn't bring myself to do it under these circumstances. However, Colin's persistence was overwhelming. Nothing I said could convince him. Once the beast within him was unleashed, there was no reining it without satiating its hunger.Realizing there was no escape, I decided to face the challenge head-on. If we were careful, maybe we wouldn't be heard. Attempting to calm Colin, I agreed to intimacy with strict discretion. We had to control ourselves and make as little noise as possible.Colin agreed quickly, but his body had already taken charge, leaving me unable to contro