Chapter 96: Mercy?

The first thing he said that froze time was...

He wanted to make this life better than the one she had before.

Corrine lips parted slowly as the rain washed down on her in heavy drops.

Then he said, She would never see him again after that.

The breath that stilled in her lungs escaped slowly from her mouth. A slight crease formed across her forehead as her eyes lowered in thought.

Who gave him the right to want to fix her life for her?

Was it really that hard for him to let go?

Corrine moved the other way slowly, her heart racing, the chill from the storm seeping through her ruined dress as she thought about it again and again.

It really didn’t make any sense to her.

Should I be the one to disappear instead?

She blinked at that thought.

Since it would be so difficult to escape him through death, she would rather abandon her thirst for revenge, at least temporarily, until she escaped the web this creature had woven so carefully around her.

Whatever she felt for him or whatever he thinks he felt for her that he believes was genuine and pure has to end now. Tonight.

She was going to walk around a bit and ask for help. Who knows, she might be so lucky enough to find Berry or Stylie and then they would arrange for her nearest flight out of the country...preferable somewhere close to the ends of the earth and remain there until the thought of her was gone from him.

Corrine froze in her tracks as she remembered those steel-like golden gaze that flickered on her in a way that resembled the innocent.

’’I was following because I was curious to see where you were heading to and make sure you arrived there unharmed.’’

Corrine felt the length of her arms respond with tiny goosebumps now that the word replayed in her head once more.

’’I didn’t know I suffocated you.’’

Her mind replayed the way his golden eyes had narrowed, gleaming with something dark and unreadable. She wasn’t sure if that was exactly how he looked when he said that or her mind was just making a big deal out of this.

It scared her to know the extent in which she was terrified of him but she had to remain calm. Not after knowing the terrifying reality of his true nature.

Corrine turned around slowly to stare back at where she had just been running from. Her eyes narrowed into a suspicious slit.

Even if she miraculously found a secret country close to the ends of the earth to escape to, Corrine had this unsettling feeling of never being settled until she understood why he chose her as his object of torment. Why did he refuse to let her die in peace? And why he was suddenly so interested in making this new life memorable before he disappeared completely out of her.

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’’Ahhh!’’

’’Ahhhhh!’’

’’Ahhhhhhhh!’’

’’Oh my godless heart, what shall we do about him? We can’t just leave the first cousin of Hades here to suffer and be humiliated by the Prince in such a way, can we?’’

One female demon with purple lips and red eyes scoffed, bringing her fan close to her face as she narrowed her eyes down at the withering demon calling out to the rest of the demons afraid to move near him for help.

’’Just let him be, Noris. He deserved it for not knowing his place. I won’t also let a demon off the hook if anyone dared insult my beloved.’’

Noris dark gaze with thin white slits returned back to the demon whose entire body was lit in pain and everlasting torment. One much more pleasing than the ones reported from the bottomless pit.

Noris nodded back at the demonlord, Naomi.

’’At least, this awful place wouldn’t be so quiet and peaceful for a while. I must admit that humans have the guts of a viper to bite so high up to the demon at the top of the food chain. The prince of hell himself has wrapped around her wicked wrist. I wish I were as cunning as she is don’t you think, Naomi.’’

Naomi scoffed, pulling back as she grew bored of the scene. She was in the middle of torturing someone on her floor and there was so much blood on her bed. Now, the blood would have dried up into disgusting clots.

’’Whatever. I shall return now. Someone in need of more pain awaits me back at my suite.’’

She disappeared beside Noris like a puff of dark, purple smoke. Noris waited behind and smirked at the downfall of a very distinguished demon lord.

One that once felt too big to court the ’’likes’’ of hell.

Hope there won’t be an end to your misery.

Misery.

Noris was suddenly pulled away by a sharp magnetic force shortly after the revolving doors moved and someone dripping wet stepped in again.

Alveerah was the first to notice her as she sneaked in again, trying to find her way back to where she was coming from.

’’Miss!’’

Corrine stiffened and paused at the center of the large and now partly empty ground floor. The demon she had just rescued from being assaulted by the demon still struggling on the ground in pain rushed over to her.

Corrine wasn’t expecting the demon to pull her into a tight hug. The last thing she expected was a mumbled expression of gratitude as tears tumbled down her cheek. Corrine blinked as she remained stiffly in the demon’s embrace not knowing what to do or how to respond to this.

She came from a family where she was hardly hugged or rewarded with affectionate gestures...the only times her mother ever held or hugged her were when it was necessary. To show the world how loving and perfect her family was. The family she raised and destroyed with her greed for material things.

Corrine grew increasingly comfortable the more she remained in the demon’s hold. The poor girl sobbed heavily on her shoulder while confessing how very grateful and eternally indebted she was to her for life.

After a while, she slowly tapped the demon on her shoulder and Alveerah instantly apologised and pulled away. Her eyes glossy with tears and her nose blocked with mucus. Corrine felt what she did wasn’t anything exceptional. She just did what any normal person should do in such a situation and it was something she would always do for her or anybody else no matter what.

Such treatment of women was utterly intolerable.

’’Thank you,’’ Alveerah said, while staring down at her as if she was some heroic goddess. Corrine gave the creature before her a small smile and nodded.

’’It was nothing. Hope...you aren’t that hurt or he didn’t do anything further to you before I—’’

’’Oh, no, no, no. He didn’t. He didn’t.’’ Alveerah sniffed, staring down at the human in divine awe. ’’If it weren’t for your quick act of mercy on me today I would have been humiliated once again by them.’’

Mercy?

’’It has happened before?’’

’’Oh,’’ Alveerah retreated, feeling as if she had said too much or spoken something she shouldn’t have. ’’It’s—it’s nothing, miss—’’

’’Corrine.’’

Alveerah’s eyes sparkled again in admiration. She said that name once in her head before it rolled out of her lips like silk.

’’Miss...Corrine. If it weren’t for you bravery and all, we would have ended up dead before His Highness came to rescue us both. And I am so glad that you are back safe and sound, Miss. I am more than happy to serve you in anyway that I can and make your stay here one that will be envied throughout the world!’’

Hmmm....

About that...

’’Just tell me anything that you need, Miss and I will always be by your side to help you with it.’’

It felt like a promise.

A huge one Corrine was afraid was going to become an attachment. One she wasn’t ready to welcome in a million years and forever.

She was just going to face that demon again and ask him a few things then leave permanently from this place. She could not explain it but she felt like there was more to his words of wanting to give her a perfect life this time.

It felt more like something he needed to do than one he could decide not to do.

’’What is your name again?’’

Alveerah smiled. Her pale, chubby cheeks are reddening.

’’Alveerah. But you can call me, Alve, Miss Corrine.’’

Corrine nodded her head before staring about briefly.

’’It looks impossible for me to find my way back...’’

She was probably just scared, wondering back on her own.

’’Can you...?’’

Alveerah smiled again and nodded her head.

’’Of course, miss Corrine. Follow me!’’