Chapter 5 How dare you raise your voice

Ariel woke up and found herself in the hospital.

"Why am I...?" She immediately recalled the previous night's event and gagged. She felt so much like throwing up that she actually ran to the bathroom and threw up.

All the disgust, pain and anger she felt flowed out in liquids from her mouth.

"Marco." She groaned angrily. Never in her life had she felt this vengeful and filled with hatred. Not even her family was able to build her anger to this amount.

Her lips were torn, inside her mouth was also torn and bloody. Her body ached but it was not to the point that she couldn't walk or stand straight. She didn't know how she got to the hospital but she had no plan of staying any longer.

First, she had to confront Marco, get him to admit to his deeds in recording and hand it to the police. That was the only way she knew how to get him to jail.

"A video recording should do." She said to herself but she knew she wouldn't have time to set up a video recording.

Still, evidence by sound of him using violence on her to the point of almost killing her should get him a few years sentence.

"I can sacrifice this much."

Going against the nurses advising her to stay in bed for a few more hours, she checked out of the hospital. Thankfully, the bills had already been paid so she didn't have to worry about the payment.

Whoever they were, she was grateful but she did not have the mind to find them out.

She took a cab and went straight to the little apartment which now felt like a nightmare to her. Sweet and blissful memories were all clouded with the bitter reality of their relationship.

Though they started out fine, that could no longer be said of their present situation.

Raymond looked through the file that had all of Ariel's information. From her background, to her birth circumstances, to her family's mistreatment and to her scum of a boyfriend.

"It seems you too were a victim to those men's inability to hold their libido in one place." He said, referring to both their father's affair. "It's not our fault that we were born from an affair. I'm sure you asked yourself this same question countless times. 'Why do I have to suffer for a sin I did not commit?'"

He played with his pen as he wondered about this. For the first time, actually, he was feeling sympathy for a person he knew not. Just because she saved him that one time, it seemed like he felt connected to her in some way.

"Hm, this boyfriend... " He looked at the picture but just then, White knocked on the door. "Come in."

"About the girl from last night." He began and Raymond gave him a 'go ahead and speak' look. "The hospital called and said she left without full treatment."

"Hm, maybe she felt fine already."

"Yes but they said she looked like she was in a hurry. She also didn't finish taking the IV drip." He reported but Raymond did not respond. "Boss, by any chance, do you know who that girl is?"

"No, is there a reason why I have to?"

"Well, since the girl from last night and the girl you asked me to look into are actually the same person." He said and Raymond's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I assumed you were aware. If not, why would you ask me to take her to the hospital?"

"You don't say." Raymond was surprised. He looked at the picture of Ariel and then it struck him. They were really the same person.

Was that why he felt the urge to help her even if he didn't care about her situation? He had no sympathy while looking at her bruised body but his spirit wanted to help her. Was it because she was his savior?

Well, if that was the case, he had already cleared his debt. There was no need to get caught up in her business.

Then, his eyes fell on Marco's picture.

"Hm, you don't think she went after that guy, do you?"

"I don't think she has any other reason to hurry." White responded.

Raymond wanted to ignore it but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't help but feel bothered. She wasn't strong enough to take on more blows from a guy.

If she was sensible enough, she'd know that going back there would only get her killed. Or... Was that her intention?

Bothered by this fact, he took her address, picked up his coat and headed out.

"Come with me."

Ariel arrived at the apartment. Her heart pounding at the fact of facing Marco after his awful betrayal. She was going to get back at him for sure.

As she approached the door, she summoned courage.

"A few hits won't kill me." She said to herself and opened the door.

As soon as she walked in, she found Marco rummaging through some documents. As soon as he saw her, his face lit up with a broad and dirty smirk.

"You're back." He said. "I knew you'd come back. You don't have anyone who cares about you like I do. Come here."

Ariel looked at his outstretched hand in disgust. He had no shame and this made her feel bitter. How did she live with this man for two years and not come to her senses?

"You're crazy." She spat out. "You're a complete lunatic. How can you act like nothing happened after you did that to me?"

Marco's smirk fell and he looked at her disgruntled.

"What are you talking about? Nothing happened, right?"

"You took me there to get raped by a stranger and you have the guts to say that?" She yelled.

"Quit making a big deal out of this." He said, still holding up that disgruntled expression. "If you had just gone with him without resistance, it couldn't have count as rape, you know?"

The words he uttered from his mouth were completely shameless and disgusting. Ariel found herself wondering how she had ever come to love such a man.

"You're crazy." She yelled at him. He marched towards her and before she knew it, threw a tight slap across her face.

"How dare you raise your voice at me?" He glared at her. "I took you in, fed you and gave you the love you so desperately wanted. Don't act like I used you as a tool."

The conversation was going in the right direction.

"Isn't that what you've done so far? You used me to steal. You made me take loans from loan sharks and got in trouble each time I missed the deadline. I worked my butt off for the last two years just to be with you. But everytime, you never fail to hit me. And yet you say something like that? You stuck a knife in my back so shamelessly." Once again, he slapped her and this time, she fell to the ground.

"So what if I made you do all that? You're mine and I can use you as much as I want. Stealing isn't a big deal and you weren't even good at it. So what if I hit you? A dog needs to be beaten in order to be taught properly." He said and grabbed her neck. "And a dog always knows how to run back to its owner." He smirked.

Ariel subconsciously had delight in her expression. This was it. He had admitted everything.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked.

"Do you know something? A dog also knows how to bite its shitty owner." She said and bit hard on his hand.

"Argh." He hit her down. "You really are a dog." He said, holding on to his beaten hand.

Then, he spotted the recording device on the floor right next to her.

"What's that?"