071

Y/N

Run.

I run—or try to—legs heavy, belly pulling me forward like a weight dragging me toward collapse.

I cradle Lucas tight—his sleepy breath warm on my neck.The other presses hard against the bump—the unborn child squirming inside, as if they know we’re fleeing too.

Tears fly behind me—I can’t wipe them—they blur everything—the trees ahead, the sky, the dirt path I almost stumble down.

Is this real?

Were the gates really open?

Did he… let me go?

Or is this a game? A test? A trap?

Doesn’t matter.

I don’t care if it's God’s sign. Or luck. Or madness.

I’m out.

I’m out.

Streets bites my bare feet. Dew soaks through thin sweater. Wind slaps my face—cold, raw, free—and for the first time in a year… no walls block it.

No guards step forward.No voice commands "Stop."

Just birds. Wind.Breath tears my throat like they’ve been trapped too long—

"Come on"I gasp—"just keep go-ing… k-eep moving…"

Lucas stirs slightly but doesn't wake—he trusts me even in sleep. That trust burns in my chest like fire: Don't fail him. Don't fail us.

Left?Right?

Doesn't matter—the forest looms ahead—a dark wall of green..

Any road will do—as long as it leads far from that villa with its black walls...

Far from his eyes…Every inch of freedom tastes sweet— sharp—fear slicing close behind every step.

But still—I run.As fast as swollen legs allow,As far as breath can carry us,Toward something unnamed…

Finally i reach tree line— steady myself—I gulp—slowly look back—

The gate still stands open wide…

I breathe in harsh, ragged bursts—chest aching, heart pounding so hard I can feel it in throat..

—No one.

No one’s coming?

No footsteps. No voices. No engine roaring behind me.

Just silence—and the distant hum of traffic up ahead where gravel turns into pavement.

I gulp—trembling.Is this real?

Why isn’t anyone chasing me? Is he watching from shadow right now, smiling? Is this some sick joke? A game where he lets the mouse reach the exit… just to slam the trap shut later?

My heart pounds like it wants out.

But I can’t think about that now. I turn—My stomach burns, back aches—even legs shudder every few steps. Lucas is so heavy now—it's a struggle to even stand.I force myself forward—stumbling toward the sidewalk. Cars rush past with blurry light, horns blaring in the night.

where do I go now—what now?

Go home? No. I don't have one.Call the police? No, they'll be useless.Cops won't help me.Not hospitals—they call families before treating unaccompanied women "of interest."

Not shelters either—they ask questions too many, records too easy to trace...friends?—I haven't spoken honest words to anyone in years...

I gulp—can't catch my breath.Legs shake, The ground under my feet is cold, the wind cuts through my thin sweater.

Lucas stirs on my shoulder, I pull him closer, hold him tight.

I slow to a walk because running is impossible anymore.

The bump pulls me forward, like an anchor tied to my stomach, every step gets harder like walking on sharp rocks.

But w-why No one follows?Why No one shouts my name?I don't know whether to laugh or cry or scream. What do I do next?— I freeze a car blares past me then another—

Road filled with traffic—no escape there—they drive so fast.

I start moving faster, Waddling, really—hand under Lucas’s bottom, other cradling bump— it might burst with fear and effort.

Running is impossible now. Every step sends pain up my back—the child kicking like they’re screaming hurry—but Lucas sleeps on, drool soaking into my sweater… warm…

I stop at the crosswalk.

Signal blinks.C

ars speed past—fast. Loud. Real people going to real places—a coffee shop? Work? Home?

Home.

My eyes sting.Nowhere is safe if money owns every badge and bullet in this city...

The light changes silently in neon above—

Walk.

I move forward again—into crosswalk—one foot then another across asphalt still damp from morning rain...

Where do we go?Who helps women who don’t exist anymore?

Sigh.

I step down.

Bare foot on damp concrete—Suddenly darkness drops over my head "AHH—"

"AHHH—"Hands strong, unyielding—clamp around my arms.

I struggle—kicking, twisting.

"LEAVE ME! LET GO!"

Hands rip Lucas from my arms.

No—

"NO!"

"NO—"

"PLEASE— LUCAS! LUCAS!" I lunge forward but someone catches me from behind, one arm locks across my chest.

—"LUCAS— BABY!"

I collapse on the pavement in darkness.

—————————————————

Silence.

I can't move—can't see—

"Aghhhh—"

My head spinning—everything dark—my limbs tied— eyes blind-folded.Tight, hard rope bites into my skin.

"So it's her huh?"

"Yes. Dan. It is her."

Pause.

"She’s his wife—or whatever they’re calling her now."

Smoke curls near my face.

Then footsteps.

Closer.

"Didn’t think she’d make it this far," —"He lets her out? After months? Or is this part of some sick game?"

A snort.

"Doesn’t matter if it's real or fake—he’ll come for her either way. You know how he operates."

"Yeah… definitely"

Silence.

Then Footsteps circle around—one stops close.

"She looks nothing like the photos," one mutters—

"Photos lie" —‐ "Especially when they're taken from security feeds at 3 a.m."

pause.

Footsteps circle me like wolves.

I gulp-

"Mrs.Jeon—" whisper in my ear—voice low, almost sorry— "Mrs. Jeon… we’re not gonna hurt you or the boy."

I freeze— my Lucas— he—

"She brought his kids with her?"

"Hm...One in arms—And the other?"

"Still unborn."

My breath hitches—I try to speak—but the gag cuts my mouth tight.I thrash once—rope bites into wrists.

Loud laughs.Then a sharp tug—the blindfold rips off.

Bright, flickering light stabs eyes—i close them—white halos burst in vision.

Then the gag—yanked down.

I gasp, choke on dry air—mouth raw, throat burning. My eyes blur, then slowly adjust— i look up.

Broken brick walls.Peeling posters covered in strange symbols.A single yellow bulb swings above—a sickly glow humming like a dying insect.Men in black uniforms stand like statues. Tactical gear. Guns strapped across chests. Knives on hips.My heart sinks—Eyes locked on me—cold. Calculating.I glance at each face—all the same—expressionless—staring...

Again?

Again, I’m here?

—It can’t be—

Why?!Why does this keep happe—But then—

Something catches my eye.

A logo.

Scratched into the wall beside me—a jagged mark burned deep into brick.Also on their sleeves—the same emblem stitched in black thread over blood-dark fabric:

A brunette steps closer—boots scraping on concrete—not with a weapon raised—but slow… deliberate—and crouches before me.

"So… you’re her?"His voice drips like oil— "The one Jeon locked the world away for?"

Another chuckles from the shadows, wiping a long knife with a rag.

"Damn. After all this year— Monster finally gets married?"

A third snort, flipping the blade in his hand—"Not only married…" he leers, eyes raking over my bump "but knocked up again, and already dragging another brat around like it’s nothing." He shakes his head. I gulp-

"Man’s got a magic dick or what? Two kids in one year—while running an empire and burning cities for fun?"Laughter bounces off cracked walls.

I pull against the ropes—but they hold tight...

Lucas?—I try to speak—but my voice cracks. "Wh-where… is my son?"

The brunette tilting his head. Smirk still there—but something shifts behind his eyes. "You mean the boy?" He nods toward a back room—a dim outline of someone small wrapped in a coat on an old cot. I sigh.My child—my baby—alive, silent—he’s here—he’s ok…

They laugh raw , sharp—some loading bullets into guns with slow, exaggerated clicks.Others sprawled on broken crates, tossing cards across a makeshift table.One in corner snorts white powder off a rusted blade, other tags the wall—spray paint hissing symbols on walls.

I try to look closer—A scorpi—My breath stops—

Scorpions.

Not just one… everywhere. On sleeves. Boots. Walls. Graffiti bleeding over old propaganda posters—new scorpions taking shape among dozens of others.

Time still—

Slowly, I look up…

All dark eyes unrelenting on me—

"W-Why im—"

"Why are you here?" one sneers—tossing a bullet up, down in palm—

I slowly nod.

He wipes the blade clean—

"Well, let's just say to kill you."

Loud laughter erupts—one slaps the table, another kicks over cards—

I gulp, heart slamming against ribs—

The brunette smirks at me. "What? You think we won’t do it?" He tilts his head.

A beat.

"But killing you… right now—Too easy." He leans in slightly—

"Jeon would burn every city to ash for your corpse."

Pause.

"And that means you're worth more alive."

He stands back—to full height.

Silence falls again.

My heart races—frantic—

Me and Layla… sent texts. To them. To this group. Over that encrypted site she found the one that said—“Signal received.” “Stand by.” “We see you.”

Silence.

I look up.

My voice cracking— "Why—Why didn’t you reply?!"

The room stills.

Then slowly—the men turns—Brows furrowed."What reply?"

"The...the text!" — "messages! To your website! Through the web links"

A beat.

They all look at each other.

The red-haired snorts first."Our website? What are we a makeup brand?" He barks laughter—then others join in—

I gulp "But Layla showed me replie—"

"To which websites?" He snorts "SaveMeDaddy.com?"

A pause.

"Maybe your daddy Jeon forgot to check his inbox, princess" another sneers, tossing a bullet like a coin—"Or maybe he blocked it before it even lit up."They shake their heads. Work their things. Ignoring me on this wooden chair.

What? But we both saw it! The messages went through, we got replies!

Silence falls.

I swallow hard— "but..we– the text messages! The Scorpion Network site" I press fast "I found it through a backlink on a dark post about me—I sent two messages: 'Help us escape.' And then one more, three days later... Layla showed me—the replies said you'd send extraction… that someone would come..."

A beat.

Then— Laughter explodes—but this time? It’s different.

No cruelty.Almost... horrified.

"Wait—wait wait WAIT," the red-haired drops his cards, eyes wide—"She thinks we have a website?"

Another slams his gun on table—"We don’t even have internet last six months!"

"The Scorpion Network?" The brunette stares at me like I’ve grown horns—

He grabs my chin "Lady… we're not some underground rescue squad."Then forces me to look at the graffiti behind him:

Not just scorpions.

Now I see it clearly—

Underneath layers of paint—a larger image emerges:A black scorpion with seven broken stings, each representing a city they burned down.

Below it? Faded spray-painted words: "We Will Burn."

"This symbol?" he whispers. "It's not an SOS beacon."

A beat.

"It’s a warning."

My blood runs cold—

What—what are they talking about?

—we literally talked, we exchanged texts over a backlink on the dark web—My chin pulled higher—The red hair guy smirks— leaning in, breath hot with smoke and iron.

"Now, Jeon's little slut—which part do we cut first?"

Laughter rips through the room again—harsh, hungry.

"Or…We skip you. And start with that tiny shit there."

My breath stops.

His finger points past me—to the back room—

There is Lucas. Still asleep on a ragged coat over a wooden cot.

Unprotected.

"NO!" I thrash against the ropes—wood creaks under chair legs "You don’t touch him!— He’s just a baby!—He doesn’t know anything!"

His smirks widens. "Yeah—a baby. But not for long."

Another snorts.

"Bet he'd cry if he knew we were talking about him—"

Loud laughs—

I shiver—eyes fixed on the door to the dark room. Where Lucas sleeps—soft breaths, tiny hands curled on a makeshift pillow.

"Leave him alone—" My voice shakes— "You leave him alone!"

"Why?" Someone chuckles— “Jeon’s blood in him. That’s reason enough.”

Other snorts  "He looks like his daddy, though" one hums."Yeah—same pretty boy face"

My head forcing up—A blade presses against my throat—cold “So, wife of a king… how does it feel to know he’ll burn the world for your corpse—” the red haired grips my hair hard.

A pause.

“But not before we send him pieces of you first.”

Laughter.

My chest tightens, eyes prick with tears—

"L-Lucas—!"

"Tsk- tsk" the blade press harder  "Shhh, darling—not a sound. Or your precious baby won’t see your face again."

"NO—!"

He grins dark, amused— "Ohhh, look at you—Jeon really make you feisty, huh?" Thumb drags down my cheekbone— "So good for us to ruin."

"Don’t. Touch. Him."

Another man steps forward, towering— "Really, princess? What’re you gonna do, huh?" He leans—breath hot with cheap liquor—  "Call your fucking husband—?"

"HE’S NOT MY HUSBAND!" —

Silence.

Then—Eyebrows raise.

"Ohhhh?" He leans mock-thoughtful "Then who is he, huh? Just your baby daddy?"

Laughter erupts—cruel, howling—

"JUST THE BABY DADDY!"

Loud Laughter—some slapping knees, others jeering.

The red-haired chuckles, twirling the knife again—eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.

"Even better" he purrs. "That means Jeon didn’t even claim you properly." He smirks. "Just used you like a cheap who—""SHUT UP!" I jerk forward—chair legs screeching—

The knife flashes—A thin line of burn splits across my collarbone, I wince—Blood beads—

"Bet Jeon never told you what we do to his bloodline, did he?"

I gulp—

"Or Maybe he did. Maybe that’s why he locked you up so tight."He crouches eyelevel— "Because he knew… the second you stepped out?"A smile.

"We’d be waiting."

Laughter.

Eyes crawl over me—lingering, leering—I shudder under gazes—

"Look at her. Just a pretty doll for him."

"Yeah all big with that bastard."

My gut twists—He reaches out, presses a palm against my stomach—I flinch—jerking out of reach—but fail

"How does it feel—to carry his seed?"the words are thick cruel—

I gulp—eyes stinging.

The red one snorts, shaking his head and turns away—

"Kill Jeon."

The words slip out.Instantly—he stops.

Everyone. Frozen.

No breath.Silence.

Air cold.

Silence.

Then, slowly, he turns around at me--

"What? Did. You.. Just. Say?"

My lips tremble—but I force the words out again— "K-Kill Jeon."

Silence thickens.

Not a breath. Or whisper.

The red-haired stares—eyes narrowing—slowly steps closer.

I glance at Lucas—who helplessly asleep in a makeshift crib—bound, vulnerable.

"K-kill Jeon."

A beat.

Long one.

Then loud laughter echoes—harsh, mocking. "Look, I told you, Dan. Jeon trained her too well." The redhead shakes his head, rubbing his temple. "So well that while she’s swollen with his second brat and still spinning pretty lies for his rivals."

"Yeah," the brunette snorts, tossing a bullet casing at my feet. "So fucking desirable"

A tear rolls down my cheek. "I’m—I’m not lying—" The redhead lunges, gripping my chin hard—

"Listen close, slut—We’ve wanted Jeon dead for thirteen years. Thirteen. Fucking. Years—And in that time? So many fuckers came to us with this same deal—this same bullshit plea—but only to turn out as Jeon’s rats. His spies."

I gulp-

He fumes, hot breath against my face. "They all were his knife in our backs." Fingers dig deeper. "And you—his wife, his property, carrying his seed—you expect us to believe that you want him gone?" He jerks my face to aside "Try again."

Silence.

I slowly look up. "But..I...I want him dead."

One snorts "How? By your, freaking pussy—"

I gulp.

"We don't trust you or that bastard." He growls "you're nothing but a weapon to bait him, trap him, drag him down—"

"Then kill me"

Room falls still.

Frozen.

He frowns at me  "...Kill you?" 

I nod-  "Yes. If you don't believe me... if you think I'm lying then kill me now" throat tightens "I want him dead or either myself."

Silence.

The ropes biting my wrists.

"Oh really-" he leans closer, I can smell the gunpowder on his breath— "Do you know who we are? What we can do to you—"

"I know," 

"Still reach to us- his rivals? You think we're some kind of salvation?" He scoffs "Do you have any idea what we'd do to you if—"

"I know." My voice cracks "And I still tried to reach you for months." The ropes dig deeper into wrists "The encrypted channels, the dead drops—"

Someone barks a laugh. "She thinks we run a fucking help line!"

"Why?" The brunette interrupts. "Why us?"

I swallow-

Room holds breath.

"Because.... I want to end Jeon."

Silence chraged.Weapons shift. Eyes darken.

Then— The redhead laughs "And how exactly do we believe you?— You're literally his wife. His cocksleeve. You breathe for him."

I grit my teeth, eyes sting—"You don't have to believe me, But I want him gone."

He exhales smoke through nose. "And how, we know this isn't another one of Jeon's games? That you're not his favorite little—"    "You don't." I jerk forward, chair legs screech  "Ask yourself—would Jeon really send his pregnant wife and infant son as bait?— Or is this exactly what it looks like?" I breath  "A woman who finally got out... and wants to make sure he can never drag her back?"

The knife stills. For the first time, something flickers behind his eyes—not pity, but calculation.

Someone cracks knuckles.

"John... she's got a point." The brunette murmurs, 

The redhead—doesn't move. Just studies me with new intensity. "Say we believe you, then What exactly are you offering?"

The room still.Eyes sharp, mocking.

I take a deep breath."If you kill Jeon— I'll help you get everything he owns." my voice cracks "Including the underworld."

Silence.

Their eyes frozen.Jaw on floor.

"Do... do you know what you're saying?"

I glance down and nod—"But one thing—You have to promise me one thing."

"What?"

I look up. Their face hard.

"You won't harm my kid..." i swallow "and you'll help us escape after all of this."

The room goes dead silent. Even the flickering bulb seems to hold its light.

"Let me get this straight" His voice dangerously calm "you're offering... Jeon's entire empire?"

I nod.

His eyes darken. "His networks. His vaults. His fucking kingdom?"

I gulp- "Everything."

The brunette spits his cigarette. "Bullshit. How would a caged bird know where he keeps—"

"I know everything" i meet his eyes "After...after he's done with me. When he thinks I'm unconscious, i heard everything."

His lips parted.

"I know where he keeps the biometric keys. The account ledgers. The names of every mayor, judge, and cops on his payroll."

A gun clatters to the floor.

The readhead leans close the scar on his eyebrow splitting white.

"Do you have any idea what you're playing with, little queen?"

My eyes sting "I'm not playing." I glance at Lucas—who still miraculously asleep. "You'd get everything after he disappear. No loose ends."

A beat.

He barks a laugh. "Fuck me. She's serious."

A knife slamming on table "Somebody get the brat an apple juice. We've got a war to plan."

They move to untie me, the brunette mutters, "God help us—Jeon's own woman just signed his death warrant."

I don't blink. Don't weaver.

Silence stretches.

They look between eachother.Outside, a car backfires. Lucas whimpers in his sleep.

The red-haired grip my face up. "But if we smell even a hint of betrayal..." His eyes flick at Lucas "We'll end that little shit first. Then you."

I swallow—throat tighten "D-done."

His grip loosen.

I glance at Lucas—his chest rising gently, lashes fluttering in sleep.Please—God— please.. keep him safe.... don't let anything happen to him.

Tears stream down my face.

Suddenly a cold object presses against my ear—and a white paper dangles before me with words scrawled on it."Now, say this words to that bastard"

I skim the script—

"Jeon. It’s me—please come...save me..."

The phone rings—Once. Twice.

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