Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**1**

In that moment, I even wondered if Denise would beat me to death and use my blood to water the tea plants.

Suddenly, a hand wrapped around my waist, and Kellan's voice whispered in my ear, "Denise, I invited Melany over to hang out. Is that okay?"

Denise's cold gaze softened when she saw Kellan. "It's fine. You two have fun. I'm going home to rest."

As she walked past me, she shot me a sidelong glance. "Don't come here unless you have to." With that, she walked away.

I only relaxed after she was out of sight. I hadn't expected Kellan to cover for me.

Wiping the cold sweat from my forehead, I thanked him and prepared to leave for the tea room.

But the hand around my waist tightened instead of letting go.

Kellan's lips curled into a smile as he leaned closer to my ear. "Is a verbal thank you all I get for helping you?"

He looked me up and down, nodding in satisfaction. "Melany, you should know by now that I've liked you for a long time."

I remained silent.

He seemed displeased with my reaction. "If I tell Denise about you stealing tea..."

I would be in serious trouble, I thought.

Kellan moved even closer. "So, how will you repay me? How about being my girlfriend?"

I clenched my fists. If I didn't agree, Denise would surely punish me. And who knows, the blood used to water the craving tea might actually be human blood.

In a few days, the blood in that kettle could very well be mine...

"Okay," I agreed. After all, staying alive was more important than anything else.

Kellan's eyes lit up. "Since we're boyfriend and girlfriend now, we should do what couples do, right?"

I closed my eyes and nodded.

...

After he forced himself on me, Kellan held me contentedly while I fought back my nausea and hugged him in return.

Since things had come to this, I might as well use Kellan to earn more money.

I thought for a moment and said, "Kellan, we need to earn more money."

Kellan frowned. "Why? Denise gives me plenty of money every month."

I bit my lip and spoke gently, "Don't you want to marry me? Weddings are expensive. We should start saving."

Seeing his puzzled expression, I straddled his waist. "All you need to do is harvest more tea like you did today, and we'll have the money."

"Alright, I'll do as you say," Kellan agreed, flipping me over and resuming his movements.

**2**

Before asking Kellan for help, I had already guessed things would turn out like this.

He had always desired me physically, though he might have thought I didn't know.

But I remembered clearly what happened that night.

When I had just started high school, Denise called me to the cottage for dinner one evening, and I ended up sleeping there.

In the middle of the night, half-awake, I felt someone climb into my bed.

I was terrified and didn't dare make a sound, pretending to be asleep while that person groped me.

The next morning, I found Kellan's jacket left behind in my room.

I knew then that the person who had violated me the night before was Kellan.

I tearfully told Denise about it, afraid she wouldn't believe me, and even brought the jacket as evidence.

But Denise didn't listen to a word I said, nor did she call Kellan to question him.

She simply beat me with a whip without a second thought.

That was the first time she beat me with a whip.

But it was also then that I realized Denise was just Denise. She was Kellan's mother, not mine.

The next day, I went to work as usual, but Denise suddenly came to the shop.

I was worried Kellan had betrayed me and sold me out.

Denise walked straight to the sofa and sat down, ordering me to close the door.

I pretended nothing had happened, obediently closing the door and making her a cup of tea.

Denise took a sip from the cup. "You went to the tea garden to steal my tea yesterday, didn't you?"

Her words struck me like a complete shock. Had I been exposed after all?