Chapter 254 Becoming a Slave to Work
"Loan company?" Jaxon repeated, his head spinning. The phone call, the threats, his cocky attitude – it all hit him like a ton of bricks. He never thought they'd actually go through the hassle of grabbing him over a measly hundred grand! Panic bubbled up inside him, ready to burst.
"Let me go! This is illegal!" Jaxon yelled, his voice cracking. "I won't press charges, just let me go!"
Maddox chuckled, a chilling sound that echoed through the warehouse. "You borrowed the money, didn't you? Why should we let you go?"
Jaxon was at a loss for words. His usual swagger had vanished, leaving him a shaking mess. He grasped at straws. "But...how can I pay you back if you don't let me go?"
"We never expected you to repay," Maddox said flatly. "You have a reputation for that, you know."
"No, no! I swear, I'll pay you back! Just give me a chance!" Jaxon pleaded, desperation dripping from his words.
Maddox just shook his head. "We don't trust you."
Jaxon's mind raced. "Then what do you want?" he cried out, his voice hoarse with fear.
"When I called to collect, you were quite the tough guy, weren't you?" Maddox said with a cruel smile. "I want to see if you're still so arrogant after teaching you a lesson."
Jaxon's blood ran cold. He saw someone approach Maddox with a whip, its leather glinting under the dim lights.
Maddox took the whip, weighing it in his hand. "It's not much," he said, his voice deceptively calm, "but it'll have to do. This is gonna hurt."
"No! Please, don't hit me!" Jaxon begged, his voice cracking. "I'll pay you back, I promise!"
"Too late," Maddox said, his voice devoid of emotion. With a swift motion, he brought the whip down on Jaxon's bare skin.
The pain was explosive. Jaxon screamed, his body twisting involuntarily with each lash. The whip wasn't leaving deep wounds, but the pain was excruciating, searing through his flesh.
"Stop! Please, stop!" Jaxon shrieked, his pleas for mercy drowned out by the sound of the whip and his own cries. He begged, he pleaded, he offered anything, everything to make it stop.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the whipping ceased. Jaxon hung limply, his breath ragged, his body a canvas of burning welts. He looked at Maddox with a mix of terror and hatred. This man, this monster, had shown him the true meaning of fear.
"Already giving up?" Maddox asked, his voice a mocking whisper.
"Yes, yes! I give up!" Jaxon sobbed, his face a mess of tears and snot.
Jaxon, the so-called master manipulator, had finally met his match. He realized, with a gut-wrenching certainty, that the world wasn't his personal playground. There were consequences to his actions, and sometimes those consequences were way harsher than he ever imagined.
"You see," Maddox said, circling Jaxon slowly, "offending the wrong people can lead to more than just a beating. It can get you killed. And considering your family's background...well, let's just say I have every reason to be worried about retaliation."
"No! Please, I won't say anything! Just let me go!" Jaxon pleaded, his voice barely a whisper.
Maddox stopped in front of him. "Tell me, Jaxon," he said, his voice deceptively soft, "do you believe debts should be repaid?"
"Yes! Yes, of course!" Jaxon cried, clinging to any shred of hope.
"And do you intend to repay your debt?"
"I'll do anything! I'll sell my organs if I have to! Just please, let me go!"
Maddox studied him for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Do you truly understand the gravity of your actions?"
"Yes! I do! I really do!" Jaxon insisted, his voice thick with fear.
For all his online bravado, Jaxon was, at his core, a coward. The beating had stripped away his arrogance, leaving him raw and vulnerable.
"Very well," Maddox said finally. "I'm feeling generous today. You won't have to pay the interest or late fees. Just the original twenty thousand."
"Thank you, thank you!" Jaxon cried, relief flooding through him. "I have money in my account, I can pay you right now!"
"No," Maddox interrupted, a chilling smile returning to his lips. "I don't want your money."
Confusion washed over Jaxon. "Then what do you want?"
Maddox gestured towards the warehouse, his smile widening. "This factory belongs to a friend. The work is hard, the pay is low. Twelve-hour shifts, one day off a month, three thousand dollars. You'll work here. For seven months. Then, and only then, will you be free to go."
"No! Not that! Anything but that!" Jaxon screamed, his blood turning to ice. The thought of enduring such back-breaking labor, for a pittance, was worse than any beating.
Maddox's voice was cold, devoid of any emotion. "It's either that, or you die here."
Jaxon slumped, utterly defeated. "Fine," he choked out, tears streaming down his face. "I'll work." It might be a living hell, but it was better than the alternative.
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