Scars of Time

Chapter 7: "Mistake"

Jo's POV

I knew my intuition was not wrong about this man. I was so uncomfortable around him and here is the outcome. Perhaps it's about time I learned to trust my instincts just a little more.

Without hesitation, he reached into his pocket and extracted a set of handcuffs, promptly binding my hands to the handle above. Despite my best efforts to resist, he proved to be stronger and more powerful than me.

"Why me? With a face like yours, you could have any girl you desire. I'm pretty sure they'd be more than willing to be with you!" I attempted to reason with him, hoping he would let me go.

"You know, that's what makes it so exciting," he exclaimed. "I thrive on challenges. The more someone dares to challenge me, the more I find myself drawn to them."

He boldly steered his vehicle down an empty road, devoid of any signs of life.

My heart pounded in my ears as unease settled over me. For a split second, I couldn’t shake the thought that I was about to find myself in the middle of a real life murder mystery. the kind I’d only ever watched in documentaries.

Panic engulfed me, sending shivers down my spine!

I have to do something.

And the road. I must make sure I remember it!

Oh no! We took a turn to the right from the hotel, and then another right from the gas station. But then, we made a left turn and now I'm completely lost!

It was pitch black, and the eerie woods were closing in on us. I have no idea where we are!

Without warning, the car screeched to a stop, throwing me forward as panic surged through me. My eyes locked onto a lonely wooden house standing in the middle of nowhere.

Yep. That's exactly what they looked like in those documentaries.

He hastily stepped out of the car and headed straight towards my side!

"Don't you dare touch me!" I shrieked, but he didn’t so much as glance at me. Ignoring my panic, he calmly continued unlocking my handcuffs, before grabbing my arm and yanking me out of the car

"What are you planning to do with me? Are you going to kill me?"

"Kill you? Who said anything about killing? We are just going to have a little fun." he replied, filling me with even greater dread.

"I'd rather be dead."

"In a minute, you'll have a different perspective on that."

Well, This is the inevitable outcome of my pride.

Right now, I should be on my knees, begging him for mercy instead of provoking him any further. But, I'm fully aware that even if I were to plead, he is not going to just let me go so easily.

No matter how hard I fought, he effortlessly threw me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing. He carried me inside, laid me down on the bed, and cuffed one of my wrists to the metal frame.

The room was unsettlingly bare. A single bed sat in the center, with nothing else around it. Not a chair, not a dresser, not even a nightstand. It didn’t look like a bedroom. It looked like the bed was the room’s entire purpose

His eyes lingered on my legs, and in that moment, I became acutely aware of how revealing my dress was. Swiftly, I adjusted it and grabbed a nearby pillow to shield myself. Luckily, the pillow was generously sized, providing me with the perfect cover.

I couldn't help but notice the hint of sarcasm in his smile as he positioned himself on the bed, swiping the pillow from my grasp. My heart raced and my palms grew sweaty as his eyes bore into me, leaving me feeling completely exposed and unprotected, despite the fact that I was dressed. In a desperate attempt to free myself, I tried to push him away, but he was lightning-fast, overpowering me and pinning me down with his entire body.

"Jo, you're making me lose my mind!" that sounded more like a seductive moan than a simple sentence.

Despite my relentless pushing and kicking, he effortlessly subdued me, leaving me at his mercy.

"Now, be a smart girl and listen to me if you want this to end well."

"I'd be stupid if I believed you."

"Let me tell you something! If you persist in your stubbornness and provoke me further, my excitement will only intensify. And I'm not sure you'd like the version of me that shows up when I stop holding back. So maybe don't push me to that point. Stay still and I promise that I won't do anything to you."

The way he presented himself was convincing, and I found myself with little alternative. I'll entertain the idea of trusting him, even if just for a second.

He made it clear that he wasn’t going to hurt me. But as his face moved closer to mine, it became obvious that his intentions were far from harmless. Whatever he planned to do, it certainly wasn’t what I would call 'doing nothing.'

With a tender touch, his lips brushed against mine, and I found myself frozen in place, not daring to resist his slow exploration. With deliberate movements, he traced a path across my face, leaving a sensation of swelling in his wake.

I recognize this type of kiss all too well. It was the same way Alex used to kiss me whenever he struggled to maintain composure, putting in a passionate attempt to win me over.

Well, if I didn't give in to Alex, the person I envision spending the rest of my life with, why does he think I would easily give in to him?

With a swift and forceful strike of my knee, I sent him reeling in pain.

Out of nowhere, his gaze underwent a startling transformation, overflowing with a newfound hunger and longing. He forcefully pressed me against the surface once more, and despite my futile attempts to resist, he planted kisses all over my face, his touch growing more sensual as he moved towards my neck.

When I said I knew about kisses, I definitely wouldn't be referring to this particular one. Because, no one has ever kissed me with such intensity and passion like this before! This is absolutely not convincing or romantic! This was a blatant declaration: I desire you intensely. And you belong to me right now.

"Fine. Time fine. I give up. I'm not going to move."

"Good girl."

His kisses grew more gentle again. I don't know if I was doing the right thing at the moment, but I knew he would do what he wished anyway, and I was at a disadvantage. At least I could negotiate.

Once he had covered my neck with a trail of hickeys, he softly pressed his lips against my cheek, then arranged the pillow beneath his head, simply closing his eyes.

The negotiation really worked. He actually seemed to have fallen asleep after a while.

Well, with these marks as solid proof, I have more than enough reason to send you straight to jaiil.

.................

Alex's POV

With a pounding headache, I reluctantly opened my eyes and glanced around, trying to piece together my current location. To my surprise, this unfamiliar room was definitely not mine.

My head was spinning so fast that it took me a while to regain my senses, but all I knew was that there was a person lying next to me, and I was completely unclothed.

I can vividly recall the moment when I pleaded with Jo to stay by my side, and then, in a whirlwind of emotions, I found myself locking lips with her. And the rest is history.

Did we actually do it this time?!

Our first time shouldn't have been like this. I don't even remember much.

But, wait a minute...I just had a flashback of the phone call. Could it have been a figment of my imagination? Or did she actually come to me after being with that guy?!

"Jo! Wake up! Jo..."

"Just a bit longer, please! I didn't get to sleep all night."

Hold on a second... This doesn't sound like Jo's voice at all!

In a state of confusion, I held my throbbing head with my hands, desperately attempting to remember. I have a vivid recollection of being with Hope last. So if this person laying beside me isn't Jo, then...

"Hope?" I shouted and hurriedly got out of bed, completely oblivious to the fact that I was standing there in all my glory. My face turned red with embarrassment as she glanced at me, and I panicked, frantically trying to cover my private areas with my hands.

"Why are you up so early, babe?"

Babe?! Oh, No! What on earth have I done?! I can't believe I was so out of it last night that I actually entertained the idea that Jo could do something like that. I didn't even hear her voice. What if she was simply watching a movie? Or perhaps she misplaced her phone or, worst of all, it was stolen! Regret floods my thoughts as I question my actions.

I snatched my clothes and hastily made my way out of the hotel room.

I must find Jo immediately! I need to talk to her. Wherever she may have been last night, I am absolutely certain that this is just a massive misunderstanding. We can sort this out.

I will take full responsibility. Both of us made a mistake. I am willing to forgive her, and I am confident that she will forgive me as well. We were simply confused and nothing more.

There is no way I will let her walk out of my life just like that.

I returned to her apartment with a renewed clarity of mind, yet my repeated knocking went unanswered. Just as I was about to head to the police station to file a missing person report, I received a message from her.

The message explicitly stated: "Don't talk to me ever again." It was accompanied by a photo of me and Hope lying in bed together.

I tried to call her, but she did not answer the phone.

I messaged her, pleading, "Please don't do this to me, babe. I can't handle being left alone again. I have a valid explanation for everything."

She chose not to reply, and I fully acknowledge that I am at fault here. I must be a complete i***t.

But what about her? Is she completely innocent?

If she's currently sending me a message, it implies that her phone is in perfect working condition. Where is her explanation then?

As I sought refuge against her door, a wave of devastation washed over me, leaving me paralyzed. In that fateful moment, a harsh reality descended upon my soul, crushing it mercilessly. Tears streamed down my face, an unstoppable torrent of pain and despair, as I grappled with the overwhelming weight of my emotions.

What do I do now? She is not going to forgive me.

She discovered it in the worst possible way.

Cheating has always been one of the worst things someone could do, at least in my eyes. I could never understand how people could betray someone they cared about like that. And yet, somehow, here I am, admitting that I’ve become the kind of person I always looked down on.

I still can’t believe I let myself make such a terrible mistake. Being drunk isn’t an excuse for mistaking another girl for my girlfriend. This was the same woman I told I loved more than anything, the same person I promised I’d do everything I could to make happy.

Had I been in my right mind last night, I would have definitely gone to see her. Even if I saw her cheating with my own eyes, I would choose to lend an ear to her perspective before jumping to conclusions.

What could have possibly happened in between our phone call and the time I made my way to see her?!

I’m sure she was waiting for me outside her workplace. Looking back, it’s hard to believe I convinced myself she’d sleep with someone else just because she was bored while waiting for me. I should’ve known better than to believe something so ridiculous.

However, I am yet to receive an explanation.

It looks like she doesn’t want to talk to me anymore. She won’t even acknowledge that I’m here.

Still, I'm not going to back down so quickly.