Exposing the Charade of Deep Affection - Season 2 Episode 28

“SM? Is it… X abuse?” I spoke, feeling a bit indescribable for a

moment.

He nodded, his face still very calm, “Rich people not only enjoy tormenting women, but also men, especially young men like me. They pay a lot of money, two million for a single voyage. I came for the money.”

I froze on the spot, unable to utter a single word for quite a while.

He seemed not to care, just giving a faint smile before looking at me and asking, “What about you? Why does that leading man hate you so much? Hate you to the point of wishing you were dead?”

The man he referred to was naturally Ezra.

“Why did Ezra hate me so much?” I chuckled, took a slight breath, and said lightly, “Perhaps it’s because someone as arrogant and ruthless as him couldn’t bear the fact that he almost died at the hands of a woman like me.”

This statement left Sebastian slightly surprised. He glanced at me, “That man almost died at your hands?”

I nodded, the events of five years ago were something I had always been reluctant to mention. Now, as I was nearing death, it seemed there was nothing I couldn’t talk about. I sighed slightly, looking up at the dark ship cabin, my voice somewhat drifting, “Five years ago, I was about your age. I had just started college. Because I trusted others too much, I was sold to the border. At that time, I actually felt that once I was in such a desperate place, I probably would never be able to return in this lifetime. But unexpectedly, my life took an unexpected turn.”

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Sebastian was a great listener. He quietly and attentively watched me, listening to my words. When he saw me stop and look at him, he couldn’t help but ask, “What happened next?”

“Later?” I took a breath and continued, “Life on the border was no different from prison, even more terrifying. Those buyers treated us, the people they bought, like livestock, like objects, abusing and beating us at will. I suppose I was lucky. I was sold to a wealthy merchant and caught the eye of Ezra. He kept me by his side, had me follow him. In order to escape the border as quickly as possible, I worked for Ezra. Because I was familiar with the inland, he would take me with him every time he went there. After several trips back and forth, I secretly contacted the inland police. Because of the information I provided, the inland police located Ezra’s hideout and surrounded him. I thought for sure he would be brought to justice that time, but to my surprise, he managed to escape from the police’s tight encirclement and took me with him.”

Perhaps out of excessive curiosity, Sebastian couldn’t help but look at me and ask, “He took you away, how did you manage to return to the mainland afterwards?”

I gave a slight smile and said, “When he was taking me away, I left a clue for the police. When the police caught up with us, Ezra was about to take me to another base. However, he discovered the clue I left for the police. The situation was urgent at that time, and in order to bring him to justice, I dragged him to jump off the cliff with me. We were supposed to die together, but unexpectedly, we both survived, and…” I paused, not wanting to continue, and gave another slight smile, “Anyway, we both wish the other was dead now!””

Sebastian pursed his lips, looking at me and said, “Now that you’re in his hands, perhaps…”

“Better dead than alive,” I interrupted him, adding

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The air suddenly fell silent, and no one spoke another word.

I didn’t know what to say, so I remained silent.

After a long while, I was the first to break the silence, “Sebastian, if you can make it back alive, could you do me a favor?”

“Hmm!” He responded, his voice very soft.

I took a breath and said, “If I die here, or am imprisoned forever, go to River City for me, help me…”

“Wait until you’re about to die, then talk to me,” he suddenly interrupted me.

I paused for a moment, gave a small smile, and looked at the nearly burnt-out candle. In fact, I wasn’t afraid of death, but I just couldn’t let go of my mother. My father had already passed away, and Ashley probably wouldn’t feel any gratitude for being raised by my mother

anymore.

If I had disappeared or died again, she probably wouldn’t have been able to survive.

“Bang…” I was lost in thought when a loud noise suddenly came from outside. Both Sebastian and I were taken aback, we looked at each

other and became cautious.

The room was dim, and by my direct judgment, it should be a storage room at the bottom of the ship. The echo of the sound just now hadn’t fallen yet, and several more sounds followed in succession.

“It’s a gunshot!” I blurted out abruptly. I was all too familiar with this sound, having heard it countless times five years ago.

Sebastian looked at me, hesitated for a few seconds, and said,

“Gunshot?”

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I nodded, my brows furrowed tightly. I had seen Ezra’s cruise route. According to the time we boarded, the cruise should still be in the South Sea, which is still within our territory. How could anyone dare to start a gunfight so blatantly?

Could it be…