While Ariel was unconscious, Marco walked in with an unknown man and started making small talks. Though she was unconscious, her consciousness did not entirely fade and she could hear them speaking.
"Alright, I brought her just as you wanted." That was Marco's voice. She wanted to open her eyes. She wanted to ask him to help her up. She was scared.
"She's such a beauty.. I thought the picture was fake but seeing her for myself, I can't seem to control myself." Came the voice of the man who had accompanied him in.
"See, I told you."
"But are you really comfortable with giving your girlfriend to your superior just to get better treatment?"
"Ah, this is nothing. She's just a little thing that follows me everywhere. She has no one so even if this is done, she can't leave me because she has no one to go to." Marco boasted.
Ariel, hearing all this, felt like her heart had been hit with a rock. What was he saying? What was Marco saying? It was a lie, right? He wouldn't do such a thing to her.
"Alright then. You can go out now. I'll take care of her for the night." The man said.
"But didn't you say you're into 'that'? I can hold the camera for you."
"And how am I supposed to trust you that you won't use it to blackmail me later?"
"I would never. Though I'm confident that this bitch has nowhere and no one to rub to, I still need something on her in order to keep her on a leash. I might need her for something like this again, you know what I mean?" He winked and the man nodded, giving in to his reasoning.
"Alright. You can film but make sure my face does not appear in the video, got it?"
"Yes, sir." Marco's eyes brimmed with vigor.
Ariel's eyes were already spilling out tears. She couldn't understand it. Why was this happening? Marco was going to do such a thing to her without a single inch of regret.
Why was she the one that would have to suffer?
Just as the man advanced towards her, she struggled to open her eyes and once she did, all she had to do was move her weak limbs. She didn't care if she'd have to risk her life.
No matter what, dying was better than living such a humiliating life.
"You're so gorgeous." The man said, licking his lips and his eyes leaking with lust. "The dress I got for you seems to fit you really well. You don't know how many times I imagined ripping it off you and having you beg under me." He touched her face.
Ariel felt sick. This dress... Was it from him? Her eyes raged and the anger within burned, causing her to finally move her body like she wanted.
When the man least expected, her elbow went straight for his face but Marco caught it, glaring at her.
"What do you think you're doing?" He looked angrily at her. "Can't you be obedient?"
She glared back at him in disgust and anger.
"What's with that gaze? Can't you sacrifice this much for me? Why are you being so petty? Just because you're pretty, do you think everything revolves around you?"
Ariel's anger surged. Who was he to speak to her like that?
Of course she knew the world did not revolve around her.
From the moment she was born, the moment she understood her situation in that house and the moment she started receiving his abuse, she knew very well that that world was not about her but that it was against her.
She spat on his face, infuriating him and he hit her face without restraint.
"Hey, don't ruin her face." The man said. "She has to look good for the camera."
"Oh, sorry sir." Marco looked like a trained pup in front of his superior but in front of Ariel, he glared daggers.
"Thanks for hitting me." Ariel suddenly said.
What she needed more than anything was a reality check and as soon as he hit her, everything became really clear and she understood what she must do, going forward.
Neither of them expected her to suddenly retaliate because of the drug but then, she started struggling and screaming her lungs out.
"What the... Did you feed her the drug?" The man asked Marco who nodded.
"I did. I don't understand why she still has this much control of her body."
"Then feed her another."
While Marco was rummaging through his pocket for the remnant of the drug, Ariel bit hard on the man's hand and punched his face before walking out from underneath him but that wasn't enough.
Her ankle got caught.
"You little bitch. How dare you?" The man spat out with a bloody nose. "You'll regret this. I'll break you into a million pieces."
'No, I have to escape.' Was all Ariel could think of.
"Give me something to tie her with." The man ordered and Ariel's eyes widened, still reminding herself.
'I have to escape.'
Just when Marco picked up his tie, a hard knock came in the door.
"Hey, what's going on in there?" They both froze.
Seeing this, Ariel took her chance and yelled as loud as she could.
"Help me."
This cry for help reached outside and the door burst open.
"What's going on here?" It was a staff member.
The man held Ariel down and covered her mouth to avoid her from screaming or making a fuss.
"Nothing's going on. You must have it wrong." Marco said, smiling awkwardly.
"But I heard."
"Don't butt in other people's matters." He said to the staff and tried to close the door but at that moment, Ariel bit the man's hand to the point of ripping out his flesh, causing the man to groan in pain and let go.
"Please help me." Ariel screamed.
Marco tried to close the door by force but suddenly, a foot or rather, a shining black leather shoe which seemed to cost as much as a house, stopped the door.
"I seem to have heard a damsel in distress." Came the voice of the shoe's owner.