Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Torin raced from the building , the lives stream’s haunting images driving him forward .

At home , he bolted upstairs , his usual composure shattered .

The sight of his agitation brought their elderly butler Julian Palmer hurrying after him

“ Have you lost something valuable .

Torin ? ” Jullan asked with growing concern .

“ I can have the staff search .

”

Torin , deaf to Julian’s question , yanked open each door without looking back .

“ Empry , ” he whispered .

“ All empty .

”

Memory mocked him – he’d only noticed Elysia when she picked on Rowena .

Otherwise , it was as if she’d never existed .

The realization struck like a physical blow ,

“ Torin , what happened ?” Julian asked , his aged ears struggling to catch the words .

Torin spun around , desperate hope lighting his eyes .

“ Where’s my sister’s room ? Where does she sleep ! ”

Julian’s furrowed brow spoke volumes .

“ Your sister ? ”

Five seconds of stunned silence preceded Torin’s outburst Elysia Drayton ! Dad’s eldest daughter – my real sister ! ”

“ Oh Julian’s face cleared .

“ But didn’t you always say Rowena was your only sister ? ”

That’s impossible .

” Torin’s voice cracked .

“ Show me Elysia room .

Now ”

He couldn’t wait to get to know the sister he’d always overlooked .

He wanted to learn about her favorite colors and her preferred styles , planning to surprise her with his newfound knowledge when the returned

His heart plummeted as the butler led him downstairs to the servants ‘ quarters .

Why would her room be placed among the servants ? The dread warged with each step until he reached the hidden room at the corridors deepest end .

The door opened to musty darkness that bit them like a wave .

After the light switch failed them completely , Julian had someone bring the flashlights

When their beams finally pierced the gloom , they revealed a tiny cell – like space , so cramped there wasn’t even room for a wardrobe .

A worn single bed and narrow desk with missing legs crammed the space nearly full .

Damp walls shed peeling paper like dead skin

There must be a mistake .

I’m looking for my sister’s room ” Torinoid with disbelief

The contrail to Rowena’s sprawling pink paradise twisted in his gut .

This windowless box with its sagging mattress and peeling paint held only stark white sheets bearing ghostly traces of necupuncy .

The oppressive stillness pressed down , suffocating in its emptiness .

“ This is Elysia’s room .

Your father’s orders , nine years ago ,” Julian replied .

Those canal words stabbed deep .

Torin turned from the suffocating darkness .

I’m seeing Dad .

Clear this out .

Move her things to a proper room- like Bowena’s

On his way to the office , Tosin fitted his VR headset over his glasses .

This VR headset was designed to fit right over glasses , so even folks with nearsightedness could see crystal clear .

The memory projection resumed with a strangled whimper piercing the darkness , followed by an oily male voice that made his skin crawl .

“ Here comes your man , pretty thing , a man said .

The darkness persisted , broken only by muffled sound .

Then memory hit Torin – the trafficker’s earlier words .

The blindfold slipped away to reveal a nightmarish scene a skeletal man , nearly naked , lunging at young Elysia with predatory hunger .

She dodged , throwing herself at the door .

“ Lyra , please ! ” Her voice cracked with terror as she worked the lock , constantly glancing back .

The room’s garish red decor and rumpled bedding told its own horrible story

Jesus , she’s just a kid .

What kind of monster I

[ Must be under fourteen .

She’s still with the traffickers .

Elementary , my dear Watson .

]

[ I can’t bear to watch this anymore .

Had to take my glasses off .

This scene is making me physically sick .

]

The livestream’s display system seemed to sense the viewers ‘ distress , mercifully blurring the worst details of what followed .

Through the haze , they could still hear Elysia’s desperate pleas .

“ Please , Lyral ” Elysia sobbed .

7 swear I didn’t call the police .

I’ll keep gathering herbs , making money , just please ! ”

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10:48 AM

Chapter 12

Her pleas went unanswered .

The man’s calm suggested he’d expected this .

He sorted through items on a table , muttering , “ Stupid woman tied you too light .

Good thing she locked the door .

”

Elysia huddled against the wall , fresh rope marks crossing her old wounds .

The man’s grin widened .

“ Don’t cry , beautiful Village girls become women quite carly here .

Lyra was generous waiting till you hit thirteen .

Worth every penny I saved ”

The man’s scrawny frame trembled with exhilaration , his eyes gleaming with the greed that seemed ready to devour the beautiful young girl before

him .

Elysia retreated step by step until forced into a comer , her eyes desperately scanning for anything to fight back with .

“ Stay back .

”

“ Paid good money .

Trying to cheat me ? the man said .

“ I’ll pay doubler Terror made her voice shrill .

Just let me god

But reason had no place in his Just – addled mind .

The man reached for her face , drooling “ Still the delicate young lady from a rich family .

Good that your face still looks pretty , even after all Lyra’s work …

Just as his fingers nearly touched her face , Elysia’s kick caught him off guard .

She twisted away under his arm, darting to a table lined with tools .

Grabbing the only weapon she could – a whip – she screamed with raw desperation , “ Don’t touch me ! Get back

Her defiance inflamed him further .

“ That’s it , whip me ! Then my tum .

” He lunged

The viewers hearts leaped to their throats as they watched .

Against all expectations , the seemingly delicate Elysia boldly cracked the whip — thin as it was straight at his head with deadly precision .

Even a slender whip could deliver devastating force to the skull

“ Little bitch His next rush met the whip across his eyes , too fast to block .

The thin leather sliced through .

A deafening shriek of agony tone from

his throat

Outside , Lyra hustled her son away , disgust twisting her features .

“ Heard he was sick , but t

Only when Elysis knocked the man unconscious with a heavy object did the viewers exhale …

[ God , she’s she’s incredible I

[ Can we talk about how this was the moment Elysili started changing ? She developed those thoms as a defense mechanism, not to hurt others , Classic trauma response tbh .

The comments stirred something deep in Turin’s mind .

He sat lost in thought , imagining himself in Elysia’s position .

Enduring endless beatings , abuse , and humiliation , he wondered if he would have been able to cling to his moral compass .

The thought settled heavily in his mind : survival might have forced him to abandon kindness and embrace cruelty , just as his sister had done to

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