Chapter 4
Sofia's POV
Half an hour later, hell began.
All the girls were shoved into the underground hall. My heart pounded wildly, cold sweat pouring down. The air reeked of blood and harsh disinfectant, making me nearly vomit.
Viktor stood on the platform looking down at us. Dim lights cast shadows on his face, making him look sinister and terrifying. Behind him, guards lined up holding torture devices—cattle prods, whips, handcuffs.
I was pushed into the crowd, knees hitting the cold concrete. FUCK, the storm was coming.
"Ladies," Viktor began, "tonight we discovered traces of betrayal."
He pulled out that damned note—my cry for help. I froze, palms drenched in sweat.
I was screwed. Completely screwed.
"Someone tried calling for outside help," Viktor paced slowly, each step heavy on the ground. "Someone thought they could betray us without consequences."
My legs went weak, breathing difficult. Girls around me huddled together, some already crying. Jessica looked pale, Lily trembling beside me.
"To find this traitor," Viktor stopped, mouth twisting into a horrifying smile, "we need a thorough cleansing."
His gaze swept over each of us. When his eyes landed on me, I felt my soul freezing.
"But first," Viktor raised his hand, "let's teach everyone about the price of betrayal."
He gestured. Marcus and two other guards immediately charged toward the crowd.
"Jessica Martinez, Sarah Kim, step forward!"
NO, no, no! Jessica and Sarah were roughly shoved out, terror written on their faces.
"Please, I don't know anything!" Jessica screamed. "I swear on my mother's grave, I really don't know anything!"
"I didn't do anything!" Sarah cried. "Please, I'm innocent! I just want to go home!"
But no one cared about their pleas. Marcus grabbed Jessica's blonde hair, dragging her to the center of the hall. Fresh bloodstains covered the floor—something horrific had obviously just happened here.
"Wait!" I stood up shouting. "They don't know anything! They're innocent!"
Viktor turned to me, ice-blue eyes sharp and dangerous. "You care about them, Sofia? Interesting."
SHIT, I'd said the wrong thing. But I couldn't watch innocent people die for my mistake.
"They really don't know anything," my voice trembled, but I forced myself to continue. "If you're looking for the traitor, then—"
"SHUT UP!" Viktor roared. "You'll get your chance to talk. But first, let's teach everyone a lesson."
He gestured again.
What happened next would be burned into my memory forever.
Marcus's fist slammed into Jessica's face, blood instantly spraying. She screamed and collapsed, but was immediately dragged back up.
"Please! God, please stop!" Jessica cried, blood flowing from her nose and mouth.
Another guard started torturing Sarah with a cattle prod. Blue sparks hit her chest, her body convulsing violently, inhuman screams tearing from her throat.
"I really don't know anything!" Sarah cried in English, then switched to Chinese, "I don't know anything about that note!"
But the torture continued. The whip cracked across Jessica's back, flesh and blood flying. Sarah was shocked unconscious, then doused with cold water and awakened for more torture.
The bloody smell intensified, my stomach churning. Several girls had already vomited, the sour stench mixing with blood, turning the entire hall into hell.
"God!" Emma broke down. "Stop! They don't know anything!"
"Please stop!" Lily sobbed. "They're innocent!"
But this was a nightmare with no one to stop it.
Twenty minutes later, Jessica died. Her body stopped convulsing after the final shock, eyes wide open, dying with grievance. Blood flowed from her mouth, forming a dark red puddle on the floor.
Sarah lasted longer but couldn't escape death. When the whip fell on her for the last time, her body went completely limp. Blood splattered on the walls, on my face, warm and sticky.
I wanted to vomit, scream, run. But I could do nothing except watch two young lives vanish before my eyes.
This was all my fault. All because of my damned note.
"This is the price of betrayal," Viktor wiped blood from his hands as if nothing had happened. "Traitors' blood will cleanse every inch of this place."
I knelt on the ground, tears streaming down. Girls around me were vomiting, crying, or had fainted from terror.
Then came the interrogations.
One by one, girls were dragged to the bloody interrogation room. The heavy iron door couldn't completely muffle the sounds inside—screams, cattle prod buzzing, whip cracks, bones snapping.
Every sound pierced my heart.
Tony stood at the interrogation room door supervising, expression ice-cold. He watched these innocent girls being tortured without a flicker in his eyes.
DAMN cold-blooded bastard! I'd thought he might have some humanity, but watching him expressionlessly oversee this torture, I realized how wrong I was.
"I don't know anything! I swear to God!"
"I don't know anything... please believe me..."
"Please, I have a little sister! She needs me!"
Heart-wrenching pleas echoed from the room, nearly breaking my nerves. Every cattle prod sound made me tremble. Every whip crack reminded me of my own torture.
An hour later, Lily was dragged out. Her left eye was severely swollen, mouth still bleeding, barely able to stand. Her clothes were torn, body covered in wounds.
"She doesn't know anything," Marcus reported to Viktor, disappointment in his voice. "This Asian chick is tough, won't say a word."
"Continue." Viktor waved coldly.
Next was Emma. Then Claire. One by one, each tortured half to death, but no one knew anything about the note. The bloody smell grew stronger, bloodstains multiplying on the floor.
Because only I knew the truth.
I huddled in the corner, trembling all over. Fear coursed through my veins, every heartbeat rapid. I knew my turn was coming soon—could I stay silent then?
When Nina was dragged out, she was unconscious. Blood flowed from her head, leaving a red trail on the floor. Her breathing was weak, death imminent.
Only eight of us remained. The others were either dead or tortured nearly to death.
"FUCK!" Viktor finally exploded, kicking over a nearby chair. "If we can't find the traitor, dispose of them ALL!"
My heart stopped beating. No, no, no...
Desperate crying surrounded me, some even starting to scream.
"Execute them all now." Viktor declared coldly.
The world started spinning. I felt suffocated, vision blurring.
"No, no, NO!" Emma cried. "We didn't do anything wrong! I just want to see my family again!"
"I still have my mom!" Nina, despite her injuries, desperately screamed. "She's sick! She needs me!"
"Please!" Amy shrieked. "I have a little brother to take care of!"
But Viktor was deaf to these pleas.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
I saw Tony suddenly move.