Chapter 2: Dreadful Days

"It has been two years since I last saw you, you have not changed, still so young!" I said as I smiled sweetly at him and spread my arms around his smooth neck. When I hugged him, I felt the stiffness of his muscles. On a whim, I kissed his cheeks gently and whispered in his ear in a voice that people nearby could hear, "I miss you... Dad!"

I felt his muscles relaxed and smiled. I was about to loosen my hands and saw how shocked the people nearby seemed. Suddenly, he held me tightly around my waist and held me in his arms whispering "me, too. " Then, he grabbed my arm to pull me out of the golden hall... The last thing I saw was Shawn looking at us absolutely dumbstruck.

I guessed he would be startled more if he knew what would happen next! The moment Jonathan pushed me into the car, he came in and pressed me against the back seat of the car as he drew closer to me. When his driver saw this, he pressed a button that let down a screen that offered us private space.

Jonathan clenched his hand around my jaw and forced me to look into his cruel eyes. He said in a gruesome and cold voice, "I told you, don't let me see you again... "

"Why should I obey you? I like going against your wishes, coming back, and letting you see me! Don't you hate me? I will show you how happy I am!"

His eyes swept over my chest, waist, and legs. I still smiled sweetly and tugged the zipper of my dress, then the thin black gown slid off my soft and flawless skin. "Do you want to make love to me?" I asked.

Whatever, I don't care... " he said.

I unbuttoned his suit slowly and gently touched his waist, then untied his belt. "Anyway, it isn't something new, I don't care... " he said. He held my hands above my head, pressing on my body tightly and kissing hard on my lips. Our bodies passionately entwined, we made love...I looked at him affectionately, as my first time with him.

Two years have passed, I would have thought I learned to be strong, to forgive. But it was just because he wasn't by my side!

When he looked at me, he gasped for breath, calling my name, "Desiree"

"Well..." I looked at him with a smile.

Although abandoned by him several times, I still liked to hear him say the words, "I love you!"

But he whispered in my ear, "Have you came up with another good way to kill me this time?" Hopelessly, I laid in the extremely uncomfortable seat and smiled bitterly.

The old memories of my childhood suddenly flashback into my mind after hearing what he said.

I used to have a happy and stable family like every ordinary child. Despite the poor living conditions, I embraced my parents, who loved each other, and my brother who could protect me. All that changed the day Jonathan Li appeared and killed my entire family.

"Good girl, come down quickly and be careful to avoid falling." My dad, who loved me the most, lifted me from the windowsill with his powerful arms, as strong as steel, and then kissed my face, as he scratched my skin.

"Handsome uncle!" I said as I pointed to the window and looked downstairs again. I had never seen such a handsome man. He wore a long black coat, with its buttons undone and when the wind blew, it opened his coat, revealing a black shirt and trousers underneath it.

He looked up at the bright sunlight, with his black, soft hair waving in the wind. Those dark eyes, that straight nose, and a hint of a smile are what I saw. I opened my eyes with excitement and saw his shadow with the sunlight glistening in the background. For that year, all my memories are rather vague, except for his handsome face engraved in the memory. I used to climb up to the window on the second floor to stare at him.

I still remember what happened one evening. "Hey!" My father screamed and threw me towards my mom. "Take our daughter away now. They're coming," he said.

"Is it Jonathan Li?" My mother was alarmed, and her face turned white. Standing for a moment, she rushed to take my father's hand, "How about you? Let's run together," she said.

"I should stop them," he said to her. In a panic, my dad pushed us into the utility room. When a dusty box fell, it almost hit me, instead of helping me, he urged with a sharp voice, "Come on, run quickly"

He opened the window in confusion and saw the man standing outside. Hesitating for a moment, he said hoarsely, "Stay here and keep silent."

My mother was about to shout, "No," but before she answered, my father quickly slammed the door.

Through the glass, I saw father was being pushed and kicked by a man in a tight, black suit, Jonathan's bodyguard. He fell next to the sofa. Then a dozen men appeared and stood by my father's side.

My father held his chest and pulled himself up, kneeling in front of the man named Jonathan saying, "I know it's my fault, boss. Please leave my family alone, don't punish them too." Sitting down on the sofa, he leaned forward and took a few puffs of his cigarette. Through the smoke, his skin looked flawless, and the demeanor seemed laid-back.

"Long time I haven't seen you!" he said, squinting as he stared ahead. I was trying to ask my mother something about him, but she covered my mouth so tightly that I could hardly breathe. Turning back towards her, I saw her bleeding lips, the blood running down her white teeth. I would surely have screamed if my mouth was not covered.

"Boss Jonathan! I never meant to betray Harvey Wells, but they used my wife and kids to threaten me, I had no choice but..."

"Do you remember what I told you? I always keep my word," Jonathan said calmly and steadily with a gentle smile on his face.

"It's my fault!" My father pleaded desperately. Even his forehead was bleeding, he dared not stop and said, "I was wrong! I am sorry!"

"I told you I will kill your whole family... " Jonathan reminded him.

"Please, it's none of their business... " I heard my father say.

He put out his cigarette and threw it on the ground. Sorting out his jacket, he stood up and walked slowly towards the door, as if it were over. The bodyguard in black approached him, his head bent so low that I didn't recognize his face, as he leaned over and said to Jonathan, "He has a son of ten and a daughter of seven, how about the children? "

I recall that day, the tears in my parents' eyes and how they cried for us to stay. It breaks my heart just thinking about it. I was thrown from the second floor and fell on the grass below. A sharp pain woke me. I struggled to open my eyes and saw that my dear brother was being hit by a speeding car. He lay there in a pool of blood and breathed his last breath.

The blood running down my forehead blurred my vision of that dreadful scene. I heard footsteps approaching…

my life started a journey along a different path from that moment onwards. The so-called brave policemen did not ask me what happened, nor did they ask about the killer, and closed the case as burglary and murder. As for the murderer's whereabouts, they dealt with it carelessly! As the only survivor, I was moved several times after I recovered. Later because of autism, I was transferred to a remote orphanage.