Belinda regretted not having learned Chinese Kung Fu or kickboxing because of laziness. The only thing she could do was stand still. As the man stalked forward, her heart went to her throat. Belinda had a strong impulse to run off, but she dared not pass the man by. She didn't know what kind of person he was. She was at a loss. The best course of action for her was to stay put.
She had always been a tough woman. But in this remote and dark place, Belinda was scared. Her hands clenched into tight fists. She was prepared to fight if necessary.
The man approached her step by step. Belinda's knees trembled, as if she was about to face a monster. She didn't dare move her eyes away. If she had anticipated this would happen, she wouldn't have refused Duke's invitation in exchange for her ridiculous pride. She'd already have been far away from this damned place! But what was done couldn't be undone. She had to bear the consequences for her waywardness.
"Oh, my! I never dreamed of seeing such a beauty on this remote land." Belinda was right, the man was indeed drunk. She could clearly smell the disgusting scent of alcohol that he gave off as he drew nearer.
"You... What do you want?" Belinda asked, her lips quivering. She glanced several times in the direction of the highway, hoping Duke would come back. To her disappointment, however, not a ray of light could be seen at the end of the trail. Everything was cloaked in sheer darkness.
"Hmm... You're so beautiful, doll! What do you expect I want in this dark, desolate place?" The man asked as he burped loudly. He was of medium built and in his forties. Belinda could not make out his facial features in the dim light. But his sentence had already frightened her.
"Stay back. My husband... he's nearby. He went to fetch something. He'll be back soon." Belinda backed away as she threatened him to ward him off. But she panicked and lost control of her pace.
"Husband! Aha... You can take me as your husband, doll. Hmm... I won't mind taking your husband's place tonight." He staggered nearer. Belinda screamed and darted in the direction of the highway. The man began chasing her immediately as she sprinted.
"Hey, doll. Don't leave me alone! I promise it'll be fun for you!" He yelled as he chased Belinda on one foot. He was in such a drunk state that it wasn't easy for him to catch her. Belinda, however, was in high heels. In panic, she tripped again.
No, please! Don't hurt me." Belinda lay on the gravel that wasn't paved with cement. She retreated inch by inch as the drunkard approached her. She had several wounds on her body. In spite of the pain, she screamed for help in desperation. She would never have been afraid of this man in the past. But tonight, she was completely worn out emotionally after the fight with Duke. In her place was just a helpless woman in need of protection.
"Don't what, doll? Would you like to have some fun with me? I promise to give you the time of your life." His face was hidden in the darkness, but Belinda could well imagine the lascivious expression on it.
"Stay where you are. I'll scream for help if you take another step forward." Belinda warned him, her eyes widening. She had lost the ability to cry. Her hands blindly searched around, hoping to find a weapon. Maybe a stone could work.
"So scream! I'd be disappointed if you keep silent. Go ahead, doll. Let me hear you scream! It will excite me." The man deliberately swallowed, before licking his lips lecherously. Belinda was disgusted.
"Shameless beast! Go away! Duke, help me! Save me!" Belinda cried. She felt traumatized to the point of collapse. How she regretted fighting with Duke! But it was too late.
"Hey! Doll! Stop shouting for help. Don't you understand? It's as quiet as a graveyard here. Even if you scream your head off, no one will come to your rescue. Now, listen. I promise to treat you nicely." The man wretchedly bent down toward her. She could finally see his face. His expression was lewd and he was clearly aroused. What a pig!
"Go to hell!" Belinda took hold of a handful of earth and threw it at his face. She had intended to attack his eyes, but the wind made it fall into her own as well. She didn't care. She took advantage of the opportunity and ran off before he could finish wiping off the dirt. She could hardly see through one of her eyes, but it didn't make her stop.
"Bitch! You play tricks on me! I'll fuck and kill you once I get my hands on you!" The pain had sobered up the drunkard a little. He cursed as he rubbed his eyes. Then he dashed to catch Belinda. She couldn't run much faster because of her wounds. He was catching up to her quickly.
Belinda's face distorted in fear. She glanced backward from time to time as she ran. She forgot about the pain, or even the direction in which she was headed. Sheer panic had taken possession of her. She was resolute in her belief that she could not let herself be stained by this drunkard, otherwise she'd lose any confidence she had regarding Duke. If she couldn't have Duke's love and be with him, she wouldn't be able to live. She'd rather die.
"Hey! Keep running! As fast as you can! I wonder how far you can go." His voice was getting increasingly loud as he closed the distance. Belinda could hear him panting as he yelled.
Belinda could image how deplorable she looked, but it didn't matter. She wanted to be as far away from the drunkard as possible. She had never anticipated such an encounter and didn't know how to respond under the circumstances. She could only think of escaping. But how, she didn't know. Her mind was blank.
"Bitch, you're a good runner. You've already exhausted me. You must serve me nicely, or I'll let you apologize to me on your hands and knees later." He was now within an arm's distance. If he stretched out his hand, he'd easily catch her. The drunkard suddenly darted forward, trying to grip her wrist. Luckily, Belinda twisted in time. In the process, he accidentally touched her collar and tore part of it open, revealing Belinda's fair skin. Aroused at the sight of it, he grasped her again, pulling her toward him before she could realize what had happened. The man circled his other arm around her waist and locked her in. It was impossible for Belinda to move.
"Let go of me, you beast! Leave me alone or you're a dead man!" Belinda racked her brains for every conceivable dirty name she could think of to curse the bastard. She struggled to twist her body and fend him off, but didn't realize how that excited him. He couldn't restrain himself any longer. He grabbed Belinda's face and tried to kiss her. Belinda could smell the alcohol on him. She felt nauseated and tried her best to dodge the forced kiss.
"Abuse me if you like! I get aroused hearing you curse. Smooth skin, pretty face. What a beauty you are! I can't wait any longer, doll." The man said as he caressed her arm, before moving to her face. Belinda shuddered, and dodged his touch in time.
"You demon! If you try anything with me, you'll die pitifully. My friend is a colonel. When she catches you, you'll be tortured in ways you can't imagine." Belinda was exhausted beyond belief, but she insisted on fighting till the very end. She would never surrender herself to this man. She'd find an opportunity to escape.
"But I must sleep with you before I die. It must be nice, dying in a beautiful woman's arms. You're mine tonight. You can't escape your destiny," He said, before pressing his mouth on hers. Belinda was horrified as she struggled against his arms. She stomped on his foot with one of her heels. He groaned in pain and relaxed his hold, helping her get away from under his body. But before she could think of escaping, heavy hands dragged her down on the ground. The drunkard laughed as he looked at Belinda's beautiful, teary face. He began taking off his clothes.