The assassin took the gun, pointing it directly at her forehead, his laughter low and menacing. His face was inches from hers, and his eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure.
"If you want to live," he sneered, his voice cold and mocking, "spread those legs. Now."
Evangeline's heart twisted. She could feel her body trembling with fear, the weight of the situation suffocating her. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she swallowed them back. She couldn't let him see her break. Her mind screamed, but her body froze, trapped in a nightmare she could not escape.
The tears she had been holding back began to fall slowly, one by one, tracing the path of her silent despair. She turned her face away, refusing to meet his eyes, her chest tight with the suffocating weight of the threat. She had no choice. No choice.
"Do it," she whispered, her voice broken, barely audible above the pounding of her heart. Her fists were clenched at her sides, her entire body trembling, but her eyes were now empty, cold, resigned.
Tears fell freely now, streaking down her cheeks as she braced herself for the inevitable. She was frightened—terrified—but she would not beg. She would not scream.
She was no longer the granddaughter of Lady Azielle and daughter of Adrielle, a noblewoman of status. In that moment, she was just a woman, alone and powerless, forced to face the unspeakable. And yet, even in the face of all this horror, there was a tiny, defiant spark left in her eyes.
Even in her fear, Evangeline would not yield.
He smiled with dark satisfaction at her response.
"You're quite an obedient one, I like that, kitten..." he said, his voice dripping with malice. "it'll be an honor to taste the precious gates of womanhood from the most beautiful woman in Verdaselles," he added with a mocking chuckle.
"Your husband must be a lucky man," he smirked, his words laced with derision as he moved closer to her, ignoring her tears. His hand gripped her tightly, forcing her to remain still.
Evangeline's pulse raced as he pressed forward. He smirked at her ignoring her tears and grabbed her breast again with his free hand and moved the gun from her,he spreads Evangeline's legs and unzipped his pants, his actions making her body tense with fear as he was about to penetrate his manhood inside of her, She could see only the shape of him in the dim light, his face hidden behind a mask. The danger she was in was undeniable.
Her mind raced for any way out. In that moment, she caught sight of a small hairpin on the small drawer beside the bed. It was her only chance. With trembling hands, she reached for it, her grip tightening around the metal as he advanced.
She shoved the pin into his eye, and he howled in pain bleeding, staggering back. The knife he held fell to the ground, and she quickly scrambled for it. The sound of her heart pounded in her ears as she grabbed the gun from the bed.
"You Fucking Bitch!....You're going to regret this," he snarled, blood dripping down his face as he tried to pull the pin from his eye. "The Seldings won't let you get away with this."
The mention of the Seldings made Evangeline's stomach churn with confusion and dread. She couldn't think clearly, her mind clouded with the shock of his words.
He recovered quickly, charging at her once again, his eyes wild with fury. "If I can't have you, no one will!" he shouted, his hands reaching out to grab her.
Evangeline's breath caught in her throat. With quick reflexes, she aimed the gun at his chest, pulling the trigger. The shot rang out, and he screamed in pain, clutching his leg as blood splattered across the room floor.
For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The sight of the blood triggered something within her, and memories of past trauma surged forward, clouding her mind. Her hands shook, and she lowered her head, a soft, broken laugh escaping her lips. Was she losing herself?
Before she could gather her thoughts, the man lunged again, knocking her down to the ground. He pinned her, pressing his weight onto her as he struggled to regain control, holding her hand and spread legs and held his manhood in his hand to shove it inside her blinded by Evangeline's beauty forgetting about the gun in her hand and leaned closer his manhood pressing against the gates of her womanhood wanting to go in. But in that instant, her other hand, still clutching the gun, found his wrist, pushing the barrel into his side.
Evangeline's eyes locked with his, filled with defiance. Though every part of her body screamed with fear, she would not give in. Her heart raced, but her resolve hardened. She would fight for her life.
Evangeline's hand trembled as she pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the room, and the man screamed, clutching his bleeding ear. The sharp sound of the shot left his hearing damaged, but he was far from finished. He staggered back, blood dripping from his wound, and she pushed him away with frantic strength.
Stumbling to her feet, Evangeline pressed her hand against her stomach, where he had punched her. A groan of pain escaped her lips as her vision blurred. Her body was shaking, but it was her mind that was in turmoil. The sight of the blood brought back memories, dark memories, memories she couldn't control.
A twisted smile began to form on her lips, her pupils dilating as she stared at the bleeding man before her.
"This is how you want to shoot Dominic, right? Do it... you can practice on this man..." The voice inside her head echoed, cold and calculating.
Her finger twitched. She raised the gun, aiming it at him with eerie calmness, and fired again and again and again blood splashing on her dress.
The shots rang out, each one louder than the last, until blood splattered on her face. The man's screams faded, replaced by the sickening sound of her laughter. She felt herself losing control, a mania creeping through her veins as she continued to shoot, the shots seemingly endless.
Bang! A shot to his head, Bang! Another, Bang! A final shot. She stood there, her chest heaving as the echoes of the bullets filled her ears. Her hands were slick with blood, the gun cold in her grip. Her breath came in heavy gasps like she was losing breath, and for a moment, she felt like she was drowning in the chaos inside her own mind.
"I killed someone...I actually killed someone..." she muttered, her voice hollow, like a distant echo.
Her laughter broke the silence, manic and hollow, as the weight of what she had done settled on her. Blood stained her face, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like everything had come crashing down. She was drowning in the madness, in the horror.
But then the door to her bedroom burst open with a loud crash, and Evangeline froze, her bloodstained hands still gripping the gun. She snapped back to reality, her vision clearing as she blinked, disoriented. The man lay motionless on the floor, his lifeless body a grim reminder of what she had just done. Her breath hitched as she stumbled back the weight of her actions crashing on her at once.
For a moment she was paralyzed caught between madness and reality , her mind screaming for her to wake up to stop the spiral but it was too late.
Back to the Present.
Richard gently wiped the blood from Evangeline's face, his hands steady, though his eyes were filled with concern. She held herself together with visible effort, trying to suppress the tremors in her body, the tears threatening to break free. He pulled her closer, offering what little comfort he could.
"Contact George immediately," she said through gritted teeth, her voice breathless and strained. "I need to speak with him now."
Richard nodded, his expression darkening. He'd seen her in many states, but the look in her eyes now—a mixture of fear, rage, and exhaustion—was something new. Magdalene, standing in the doorway, noticed the servants arriving outside the bedroom. They had heard the gunshots. Her eyes flicked to the body lying motionless in the corner of the room. With a swift motion, she directed the maids to send someone to remove the corpse before anyone else saw it.
Evangeline's Bathroom.
Evangeline sat in the bathtub, her body covered in blood. The water, once clear, had turned a dark crimson, swirling with the remnants of the night's violence. Richard was in the bathtub with her, using the hand shower to rinse her off, his hands gentle but firm as he worked quickly to wash the blood from her skin. She sat still, her posture rigid, her breath shallow, as if every touch brought her closer to the edge of breaking.
Her nakedness didn't seem to matter to either of them in this moment of shared, silent tension. Evangeline kept her eyes lowered, not wanting to meet Richard's gaze. Her hands gripped the sides of the tub, her knuckles white with the effort of holding herself together.
"You're lucky he didn't... make love to you," Richard said softly, his voice filled with a mix of relief and disbelief. "But... how did you know how to kill like that? Where did you get that gun?" He carefully rinsed the blood from her hair, his fingers delicate as they combed through the wet strands. As he did, he noticed her slight tremors, the way she was gritting her teeth, holding herself back from breaking down completely.
"She's traumatized by the rape attempt..." Richard thought grimly. Fortunately, nothing worse happened.
Evangeline lifted her head slowly, her eyes meeting his for the first time since the incident. Her pupils were dilated, her expression distant as she stared at him, her voice barely a whisper.
"Ever since I was married to Dominic, against my will," she began, her tone low, almost hesitant, "I purchased bullets... and guns... to keep myself safe from Dominic Brusward." She exhaled shakily, as if admitting it to Richard was a burden she hadn't meant to carry.
Richard's expression shifted as the pieces fell into place. "She bought bullets for Dominic... even after hiring me to protect her from him." He cleared his throat, trying to maintain a neutral expression, but his thoughts betrayed him.
"I understand," he said quietly. "I remember you told me about learning martial arts... Did you learn how to use a gun, too? How to kill?" His voice was soft, but the weight of his question hung in the air between them.
Evangeline's gaze dropped again, her eyes fixed on the dark water swirling beneath her. She was silent for a long moment, as if deciding whether to reveal more. Finally, her voice broke the stillness, laced with a quiet sorrow.
"Dominic... taught me how to use a gun. How to hold it properly. My late father was a Major General in Rovensth... I didn't have the opportunity to see much use for guns, but... I learned what I needed to survive." Her words were heavy, the past coming back to her in waves.
Richard paused, absorbing her words. He couldn't help but feel a new level of respect—and perhaps pity—for her. "Dominic had prepared her for this... and now she has to carry the weight of that training, he's a very ambitious and cunning fellow... First He has a lot malicious attempts and still taught her how to use a gun..." He pushed a strand of wet hair from his face, his expression hardening.
"That explains a lot," Richard murmured. "Dominic taught you how to use a gun... while plotting against you. I can see now how he prepared for this."
Evangeline slowly pulled her gaze away from the water, her eyes hardening with resolve. "That's why I need to make my move. Do my part. And you need to do yours." She stood up from the bathtub, her body sleek and vulnerable in the dim light. Water dripped from her, mixing with the blood that still stained her skin and the water turned red, but her movements were determined, as if she had already decided what she would do next.
Richard watched her for a moment, his gaze lingering on her as she stepped out of the tub, her wet naked skin gleaming in the faint light. He couldn't help but feel the weight of her vulnerability, even though she moved with purpose, her mind already focused on the next step.
She didn't look back at him as she made her way to the door, but before leaving, she spoke one last time, her voice cold but urgent.
"I need to contact George now."
The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving Richard alone in the room. His heart pounded in his chest, the tension of the moment still thick in the air. He couldn't help but wonder where this path would lead them both—and if he would be able to protect her from the darkness she was stepping into.