Chapter 23

Kamila was in the basement. Both hands and feet were tied to a chair. She was not given food or water. The basement was very humid, stuffy, and had no air ventilation at all. Kamila was really going to die slowly, according to Gerald. Kamila chuckled at the state of her life. When will she ever feel happy? Kamila wanted to live in peace. However, fate made it this way. 

Kamila turned her head when she heard the door open. Gerald came in, his gaze cold. Kamila was already scared. What else would that handsome-faced demon do? After a while, Kamila couldn't bear the pain. It was better to die right away. 

Since then, Gerald has not said anything. He squatted down and lifted Kamila's chin. He stroked her cheek gently and then kissed her lips briefly. 

"Does your body hurt?" 

Kamila was surprised. Why was Gerald so gentle? Different from last night. 

"Yes," Kamila replied. 

Gerald looked at the wounds all over Kamila's body. "I know how to heal your wounds." 

Kamila blinked. Gerald's behavior was really confusing. Kamila watched as Gerald picked up his cell phone. Can a cell phone heal? What did Gerald really mean? Kamila thought. 

"Have you arrived?" 
Kamila heard Gerald calling someone. 
"Good. Do as I say!"

Gerald is on a video call with his five men somewhere. The camera is pointed at Kamila. Kamila was shocked to see Reynaldi, her brother, being beaten by five men in a field. 

"No!" She doesn't know where she got the strength to scream. 
Kamila was crying. It broke her heart to see Reynaldi's terrible condition. 
"Please stop. Don't you hurt him!" 
"Please. That's enough!" 

Gerald laughed at Kamila's expression. Kamila mistakenly thought that Gerald was worried about her. As it turned out, Gerald had come to surprise her. 

"Gerald, please. Stop all this!" Kamila looked at Gerald pleadingly. 
Gerald was annoyed. "Isn't this so much fun?" 
"Poor thing. You'd rather torture me than torture him!" Kamila gave herself up. A sentence that made Gerald immediately angry. 

Kamila got slapped and hit on the head many times. 
"You're defending him, huh? You'd rather sacrifice yourself for your couple!" Gerald yelled right in Kamila's face. 

Of course, Kamila defended her brother. "Yes. Torture me all you want, and never disturb his life." 

Kamila's vision began to fade. She was holding back the pain in her body. The chair was kicked by Gerald until Kamila fell down, while Kamila's hands and feet were still bound. Kamila's body was trampled by Gerald. Gerald also spat on Kamila many times. After torturing Kamila, Gerald raised the chair again.

"Look, you're both tormented. What a lovely couple. Hahahaha." Gerald showed the video call that was still connected. 

Kamila couldn't bear to look at it. Gerald turned off the call. Kamila wondered how Reynaldi was doing. 
"I have to know how he's doing. He's been badly hurt by your actions," Kamila said. 

"That's payback for taking my wife! It's good that he's dead. You'll catch up with him, but not so fast, darling. It's good to die slowly." Gerald explained with his laughter. 

Kamila could not communicate with her family at all. Kamila could only hope that Reynaldi was okay and that her father and mother would not become Gerald's next victims. Kamila prayed that God would protect them. 

"I was so jealous when you chose your couple over me!" After saying that, Gerald left immediately. Not forgetting to lock the door again. 

Kamila looked down. Imagining Miranda and Vira living happily there, Kamila couldn't accept it. While she had to endure all this. 

"I thought you were a good woman, but it turns out you have a couple too. Cheapskate! Bitch!" 
Kamila turned her head after hearing someone insulting her. Sean, the man, stood outside the bars. He folded his arms in front of his chest, smiling dismissively.

"Now you know how Gerald really is. He can be even more terrifying than this. We're a mafia family. Don't try to cause trouble or make us angry. You already know, don't you, the consequences?" 
Sean had been following Gerald and hiding from the beginning. He heard and saw how Gerald tortured Kamila. After saying that, Sean left Kamila. 

"You don't know anything about me, Sean." Kamila spoke very quietly. 

***
Gerald was already in the room. Suddenly, there was Griselda waiting, making Gerald surprised. Griselda got up and hugged her eldest son. 

"What happened? Speak up!" Griselda knew that her son's household was not well. 
"My wife cheated on me and asked for a divorce." 

Hearing Gerald's answer, Griselda immediately released his embrace. "Really? I don't believe it. Did you hear the explanation?" 

Gerald nodded. "I did, and she admitted it." 

Griselda closed her mouth. It still felt impossible. Griselda thought there might be something to hide. 

"Why didn't you divorce her?" 
"I love her. I won't just let her go. She has to feel the pain of this heartache." Gerald explained. 

Griselda was concerned about Gerald's condition. "Think about your health too. Don't be too stressed and torture your wife too much. That will waste your energy. You'll get sick because you're tired."

"No, Mama. Every time I torture her, I feel good and stronger." Gerald lied. He was even more sick, sad, and weak. 

Griselda told Gerald to rest. Griselda left the room and asked the maid to prepare Gerald's food. Griselda thought she wouldn't talk to Max because he would be very angry. Griselda didn't fully believe until she got the facts. 

***
Kamila was a little annoyed to be woken up, even though she had just fallen asleep. Kamila blinked. I clearly saw the two women dressed all in white. One of them was carrying a wheelchair. 

"Madam. We were ordered by Mr. Gerald to clean Madam's body." 
Kamila nodded. This time, there was no telling what else Gerald wanted. Kamila had no energy because she had not eaten or drunk. It had been two days. Kamila's body was getting thinner, with a pale and limp face. 

Kamila was untied and sat in a wheelchair. Kamila was taken to the bathroom. 

"I can clean myself. You don't need to come in." Although a fellow woman, Kamila was embarrassed. 

The two servants waited outside. After finishing cleaning herself, Kamila came out wearing a bathrobe. Taken to another room. Kamila put on the clothes chosen by the maid, and then her face was given a light makeup. Kamila stood, looking at her appearance in the mirror. Her soft pink dress was beautiful on her slim and petite body. Pale white skin. Her hair was flowing beautifully. Kamila looked very beautiful. 
"Come, ma'am."

Kamila complied. It turned out that they took her to Gerald's room. 

Gerald was stunned to see Kamila. A smile was etched on his face. Gerald approached Kamila and picked her up from the wheelchair. Gerald asked the two servants to leave. 

"You are very beautiful." Gerald complimented. 

Gerald gently placed Kamila on the bed. He stroked her hair and face and kissed her neck. Kamila already understood what Gerald wanted. 

"Why are you silent?" Gerald asked; usually Kamila would rebel. 
"It's useless for me to fight; I can't. Talking will waste energy." 

Gerald laughed at Kamila's answer. "You're giving up; remember, I won't divorce you ever. I will make you pregnant with my child so fast that you can't get away from me." 

Gerald kissed Kamila on the lips. Even the good clothes were pulled by Gerald roughly until they were torn. Gerald removed everything that was attached to Kamila. Putting red marks on each of his wife's bodies. 

"I'm crazy because of you, Vira." Gerald whispered. He wanted Kamila to scream that she was Kamila, not Vira! 

Gerald finished his lust. Gerald smiled as he heard Kamila's seductive sighs. The passion grew wilder until the lovemaking continued tirelessly until morning. 

"I'm going to take a shower. Hurry up and put on your clothes! Soon the waiter will come and bring food." 

"Why are you doing that? Don't you want me to be tormented?" Kamila asked.

"I don't want you to die quickly from hunger and thirst. So, I realized that eating and drinking were important for you so that I could torture you longer." 

Kamila exhaled. What a painful answer. Gerald had gone into the bathroom. Kamila had already put on her clothes and had a bowl of porridge and a glass of water in her hand. 

Kamila looked out the window and thought of an idea. She hurriedly finished her food. After that, Kamila looked for clothes in the cupboard. There were five cloths tied together so that they were elongated.

Kamila used it to escape from the window. Kamila did it quickly before Gerald finished bathing. Kamila opened the window. I tied the cloth to one of the balcony railing posts and then went down while holding on to the cloth. 

Kamila survived, then ran to find a way out without being caught. Unfortunately, Gerald's house was surrounded by a high fence, and there were guards everywhere. Kamila didn't know how to escape. Kamila just wanted to meet her family. To make sure Reynaldi was okay. 

"Stop right there, ma'am!"