"Why are you trembling so much now, my dear? Hmm?" Ivan calmly asked as if he didn't realize the terror he was bringing.
"You were so brave when you slapped me that night, weren't you? Where did all that courage go?" he continued. His voice sounded gentle as if he were simply talking about the weather, but the look in his eyes sent chills down Hannah's spine.
"What? I—I never did that," Hannah strongly denied as she rapidly shook her head, hoping that it was enough to make the man let go of her if she told him that she didn't know what he was talking about.
However, contrary to her expectations, Ivan's eyes narrowed as his smile turned into a cold, calculating expression. His grip on the pistol tightened, his finger itching against the trigger as if he wanted to pull it.
"Oh, my dear Hannah, you can deny it all you want," Ivan said, his voice dripping with a menacing edge.
"But I have a keen memory, and I never forget a face. You may have thought you could hide and pretend to be innocent, but I am not one to be deceived."
He took a step closer, the barrel of the gun pointed toward the ground.
"You slapped me that night, Hannah," he continued, his voice low and dangerous.
"I rarely go to clubs, but who would have guessed that the one time I went to one, I would be slapped by you?" Ivan continued.
Hannah knew she was doomed the instant she heard him mention the club. Her mind raced as she tried to recall the events of that fateful night.
However, the memories were hazy, blurred by the effects of the alcohol she had consumed.
The realization hit her like a punch to the gut—she had been reckless and vulnerable, and now she was paying the price for it.
Her voice trembled as she spoke, a mix of fear and regret lacing her words.
"I... I don't remember much from that night," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"But I... I'm sorry if I did something to offend you. Please... please let me go. It was just a drunken mistake"
Ivan's gaze remained fixed upon her, his expression unforgiving. He took a step closer towards her, the gun still held firmly in his hand.
"Apologies, my dear, won't change what has transpired," he said, his voice devoid of any sympathy.
"You see, in my world, every actions have consequences, and you will learn that lesson very soon,"
Hannah's heart sank as the weight of her mistake settled upon her. Suddenly, Hannah wanted to turn back the clock and give herself a good kick.
"This will be a lesson that you will never forget... or survive."
Hannah's breath hitched as Ivan pointed his gun directly at her head. Fear cascaded through her veins, her body trembling uncontrollably.
She felt the weight of her own vulnerability, her helplessness in the face of Ivan's power.
Her mind raced, desperately searching for an answer, an escape, anything to survive this harrowing encounter.
Never in her life did she ever have to suffer or get scared like this, but in that moment, she realized that her pride and dignity meant nothing in the face of such overwhelming danger.
She had no choice but to submit to Ivan's will, to hope that some shred of mercy remained within him.
"Please... please, I beg you... spare me," she begged for mercy, her voice barely audible. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.
"Hmm, let me think about it," Ivan said; his words hung in the air, teasing Hannah with a fleeting glimmer of hope.
She dared to imagine the possibility of escape, of a chance to survive this harrowing ordeal. But as quickly as the hope emerged, it was mercilessly snuffed out.
Ivan's voice turned cold, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her.
"Actually, on second thought, mercy is not something I'm inclined to offer," he said, his tone void of any compassion.
He put his finger on the trigger and was about to pull it. However, Hannah refused to die so young, so she let the stupid side of her brain win.
Without thinking twice, Hannah quickly grabbed the lampshade near her and threw it at Ivan, aiming directly at his head.
He was not expecting her to still fight back, but despite that, Ivan remained calm.
Hannah's desperate attempt to fight back was met with Ivan's swift evasion. His reflexes were honed, and he effortlessly sidestepped the lampshade, avoiding her attack with ease.
A dark amusement flickered in his eyes as he observed her futile resistance.
"Feisty, aren't we?" Ivan taunted, his voice laced with a mix of amusement and menace.
"But I'm afraid your efforts are in vain, my dear." He took a step closer, his grip on the gun tightening once again.
The threat of impending danger loomed over Hannah, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She knew she had to think quickly to find another way out of this life-or-death situation.
Despite her fear, Hannah gathered her courage and ran towards him at full speed to attack, and without hesitation, she kicked him in the gut, causing him to stagger back a few paces.
"What a strong fighting spirit you got," Ivan praised her with a groan after being kicked, an amused glint visible in his eyes, as if he were watching a mischievous child perform her tricks.
The petite maiden attempted to take the gun from Ivan's hand, but his grip on it was too tight, so even though Hannah gave it her all and tried her hardest, she was unable to take the gun away from him.
Instead, Hannah's body was thrown in the air, and she hit the wall behind her when Ivan fought back and kicked her just as hard as she kicked him.
"Oh no, are you all right?" Ivan asked as if he was genuinely concerned about her even though he was the one who attacked her just now.
Hannah groaned in pain as she felt how her breath got knocked out of her as soon as her body collided with the wall, the impact jarring her senses.
She struggled to catch her breath, her vision momentarily blurred. Ivan's feigned concern only added salt to her wounds, a cruel reminder of the power he held over her.
Through gritted teeth, Hannah tried to get back up on her feet, but before she could do so, Ivan fired the gun into the ceiling, creating a deafening noise that reverberated throughout the room.
The loud noise made by the gun, along with Ivan's insanity, frightened Hannah so much that she didn't dare to make another move. Instead, she remained quivering in her place as tears began to fall from her eyes.
"You look so adorable," Ivan said as he began walking closer to where Hannah was.
Her body continued to shake uncontrollably, her quiet sobs echoing in the room. She felt paralyzed by fear, trapped in the clutches of a man who seemed to relish in her suffering.
"Sadly, I don't have time to play with you," he added.
He stopped walking and stood just right in front of Hannah, his tall figure cast a dark shadow on her small frame, crouching in the corner. He then raised his hand and pointed the pistol that he was holding at her head.
"Considering that this is your first offense, should I give you some leniency?" Ivan asked. His words dripped with false kindness, a twisted mockery of leniency.
Hannah's body tensed, her breath catching in her throat.
She knew that any semblance of leniency from the man would be nothing more than a fleeting illusion, a cruel game he played to further toy with her emotions.
Hannah felt like throwing up everything she had just eaten out of fear and anxiety as she stared at the man who was pointing his gun at her.
Numerous horrendous thoughts of what could go wrong filled her mind, and it didn't help that she could also feel the cold barrel of the gun being pressed harder on the temple of her head.
Her voice quivered as she responded, her eyes pleading.
"Please... I beg you, show me mercy," she whispered, her words laced with desperation.
Her breathtaking blue-grey eyes are staring straight into Ivan's amber eyes as she begs for her life, and hot tears continue to flow from her already reddened eyes as a result of the overwhelming wave of fear she's feeling from the bottom of her heart.
Looking back at her glossy eyes, Ivan stared at her for a while before his lips once again arched into a slightly naughty and playful smirk.
His dashing face has a villainous appearance to it, appearing both incredibly sinister and elegant at the same time.
"Give me one good reason for me to spare you, and I might be willing to let you live." While speaking, Ivan pressed the muzzle of his golden pistol deeper into her temples, adjusting his grip on it to avoid accidentally pulling the trigger.
"Should I admit that I have no idea what he's talking about? But he wouldn't believe me. Instead, he'd assume that I was lying to get out of this situation."
Hannah's mind raced, her trembling body held captive by Ivan's menacing presence. She knew that honesty might not be enough to sway him, that he would likely see it as a feeble attempt to escape her fate.
While Hannah is thinking about what she should say, Ivan's impatient voice can be heard saying, "The clock is ticking, sweetheart."
'What am I supposed to say?!'
"Perhaps you just need a little inspiration. I'll count to three. One..." he uttered all of a sudden, which made cold sweat drip down the smooth skin of Hannah's back.
"Two..." Ivan continued, which made Hannah unable to think clearly, and in a panic, her mouth moved before she could even think twice.
"I-I like you!" she stuttered.
***🦋***
Author's Note
Awww, don't cry, Hanny-boo~
What can you guys say about this chapter? Ivan, this man with a sweet smile plastered on his face, isn't as sweet as he appeared to be, right?
Are you curious about what's going to happen next? Keep reading then and enjoy the rest of the book.
★★★★★
(Special Monologue, Chibi Version)
Ivan: Ho! Did you dare to slap me? You deserve to die!
Hannah: No! Please don't kill me~
Ivan: And why not? ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
Hannah: I like you ૮₍˶Ó﹏Ò ⑅₎ა.
Ivan: You like me?
Hannah: (,,>﹏<,,) nodding
Ivan: Then prove it.