Painful Love

Chapter Five (Part I)

The guy close to Alexei, who seemed to be the leader, walked up to where she was kneeling down. "If I let you go, how do I know that you are really going to give me the money?" he asked with a low voice, but before Zarah could open her mouth to answer, she felt warm liquid splatter all over her face and at the corner of her eye, she saw the other man fall down on the ground. She looked at the man kneeling before her and as if in slow motion, watched as he fell to his side. Looking down at him, he had a hole on the side of his head. He had been shot! She looked at the other two men, and they all appeared to be shot. They were all lying down with their eyes open. Hearing the door open, she realized that they were dead. She looked up at the person who came through the door to find My Precious running toward Alexei with a long gun behind his back. She had almost forgotten that that was what he did for a living. He killed people. He was a well-trained snipper. At least that was what she heard about him. Her mouth was open, and her eyes could only look at what was before her while her mind went blank. She looked down at the guy, looking at his face, neck, nose, chest just to see if he was breathing, but he was still as a statue. She had seen a dead body before, but she had never seen someone get killed right in front of her. She thought she was okay, that she was moving on, but honestly, she was just running away from the pain, and unless she conquered it, it always came back tenfold. She looked up and met Alexei's eyes, his mouth was moving, but she couldn't hear anything. It was as if the time had stopped. She watched as the two men left the room, and then moments later, she felt herself being carried away. On the moving car, she watched as they drove away from the abandoned building and her heart shuttered as she watched the building explode, and there was fire everywhere. She let her gaze wander around the car. She looked at My Precious, and he was on his phone as he eyed Alexei, and when she followed his gaze, Alexei was already looking at her; she eyed him up and down. He only had boxers on and studied every wound. She noticed the tattoos that covered his body. She smiled and looked back at his face, and he had a frown on his face. She figured maybe because he was in pain. Getting at the house where she was once kidnapped and locked in, she had a deja vu. She watched as My Precious helped Alexei inside and looked at the two of them walking up the double doors of the huge house. She knew that he was going to be okay because if a man could kill for you, then that meant he could take a bullet for you. She got on the driver's side and turned the keys to ignition before pressing on the gas. She drove herself home, and on the way there, that was when it dawned on her that she watched three people being shot and died on the spot. She laughed because just when she thought she had seen everything, life came up with a new f****d up way to make her realize that she had yet to see the world. By the time she got to her apartment, she was literally shaking. It took her back to when she was young. She had never seen someone get killed right before her eyes, but she did hold a dead body, her mother's. Opening the door with the keys, she was shaking and trembling. She managed to get in her room, but she felt so weak to even take a shower, so she did the only thing that she knew what to do when she was feeling down, and that was music, but this time, she turned it up so loud that she could feel the floor trembling. After listening for a minute, she gathered herself and went to the bathroom. Took a shower and wore something comfortable. When she came out of the toilet, Ha-Neul was walking in behind Marce. They were at the door, but since the music was

so loud, she couldn't hear the door knock, and so she got scared. Marce walked up to the speaker and stopped the music.

"If you want to listen to thunderous music, let's go to the club," he said, and he expected her to say no, but instead, she put on her converse and walked out of the door. The two men were so confused because although she didn't mind going to crowded places, she was never one to go out on a weekday. They drove there, and when they got to the club, she turned into a different person. She was dancing, actual dancing. She allowed herself to be lost in the music, and as the two men watched the men around her eye her, Marce decided they needed to shelter her, so they joined her on the dance floor. Ha-Neul got behind her, and on cue, she pressed her body against his. Zarah reached for his hands and placed them on her waist and torso; she was actually grinding against him. He found it very hot but also so confusing seeing that all the flirting they had exchanged since he came back to America never went past hands touching one body part, and so when body against body was in the picture, Ha-Neul knew that there was something wrong.

A woman doesn't just change the way she treats a man suddenly. They usually tend to pull away very slowly. Marce brought her a drink, and in one gulp, she finished it. She then proceeded to walk to the bar, and there was nothing that the two men could do because she made sure to let them know about the consequences. None of them liked a mean Zarah. She was scary. After six shots, she was absolutely wasted. She could barely stand up. Ha-Neul helped her get outside while Marce went to bring the car around. Ha-Neul had never seen a drunk Zarah, and he liked her. She didn't say much. Getting back to her apartment, Ha-Neul carried her up the stairs and to her bed. They both sat with her, wondering what the hell might have happened for her to be this way. Neither of them had ever seen this side of her. Obviously, she was trying to hide something, but she was definitely doing an awful job at it. Marce has known her for the longest he might argue he knew her pretty well, yet he had never seen her like this. She was good at hiding her feelings. He knew that, and so for her to not be able to, then that meant that something horrible happened, and that's when it dawned on him. "Popov!" he almost screamed. Ha-Neul stretched his hand and smacked the back of his head. "What....." Marce went to say, but Ha-Neul put his hand on his mouth to stop him and watched as Zarah stirred in her sleep. He let out a short breath when she stayed still. He grabbed Marce by the shirt and pulled him out of the room before closing the door behind them. "What?! What!" He let out. Marce pulled his phone out and dialed Alexei, but there was no answer. He tried again and again, but there was no answer. Ha-Neul was leaning against a wall watching him as he paced back and forth. Marce eventually turned to him and spoke, "she asked about Alexei this morning." He didn't say anything else, and Ha-Neul knew what he was implying, but for now, he couldn't be the one reacting because Marce seemed to already be doing that for the both of them, and thinking of Zarah, that was not what she needed right now.

"Do you know where he lives?" He asked, and Marce shook his head no. 'It was probably a good thing,' he thought to himself.

A month had passed, and Zarah hadn't said anything about what happened that day, while Alexei was nowhere to be found. The project was going very well, and it kept her busy. Ha-Neul got summoned by his father back in Korea, and so he had left a week before. He seemed to have the worst timing ever when it came for the two of them. It looked like the world didn't want them to be together, but that would be foolish of him to believe. His entire life, he had always done what was asked of him. He never did anything for himself. Having a wealthy family meant that you always have to obey, considering that eyes tend to be on you. He was not close to his father, but at the same time, he was always by his side, doing whatever it took and whatever it was to please him. It only started to change when he met Zarah. He always thought he would marry someone wealthy, link two prominent families, and make it bigger and perhaps better, but that wasn't the case. Not at all because he couldn't imagine living his entire life without her. Not wanting to get married wasn't a choice he had. He never planned to fall in love; arranged marriage was what he expected to eventually happen to him but knowing that loving someone can bring you so much joy and the best version of yourself, having that taste, he never wanted to let it go. He was currently sitting in a meeting with both of his parents and two elder brothers. As he sat there listening to all the reasons why he should marry Suzy and how much it would benefit the family and the company, he found himself getting upset more and more. "나는 항상 나에게 요구된 것을 해왔습니다. 여러분과 회사의 이익을 위해 앉아서 내가 원하는 것을 물어 본 적이 있습니까? [I have always done what was asked of me. For the benefit of all of you and the company, but have you ever sat down and asked what I wanted?]." He shouted, took a deep breath and continued, "내가 사랑하는 일을 할 때가 라고, 그렇게 아버지가 생각하지 않나요? [I think it's time I do what I love, don't you think so father?] He finished and left the room, leaving everyone shocked. He was always the quiet one in the family. So obedient and never spoke up to anyone unless he was requested to do so. His father was very shocked, seeing how much his son had changed. The other two sons had already found something they wanted to do. One was a painter, and the other one, their dad, had no idea what he did for a living. He dabbed between music and acting, and he really wasn't happy with the choice that he made, but despite his protests against the two of them, they still managed to do what they wanted because they always rebelled, he blamed himself for spoiling them, and so he made sure that Ha-Neul wouldn't turn out like them. "그렇다면 무엇을 하고 싶은가? [What is it that you want to do then?]." He asked before Ha-Neul could completely leave the room.

"섹스 장난감을 판매, [Sell s*x toys]" came Suzy's voice.

"뭐!!!! [What]" Everyone replied at the same time. Ha-Neul made eye contact with Suzy, and she was smiling. She looked delighted. Ha-Neul put his hand in his pocket, threw his head back, and then looked down at Suzy. He bent his knees, so he was the same level as her and went to open his mouth as if he would say something but decided against it. He stood up straight and c****d his head to the side before smiling. It was no use to say anything because, as far as he was concerned, he had no reason to talk to her anymore. Looking back at his family, he had to hold himself from laughing from the shocked expressions they had on their faces. He took his hands off his pockets and bowed. He turned around and left the room. He felt exhilarated. It was as if a burden was lifted off of him. He liked what the company did, but it was never something he was interested in. He always wanted to try new things, experience something out of the ordinary, and watching Zarah gave him more of a desire to do so. She seemed so carefree even when she was not trying. Going to a country that she knew very little about and having everything go against her the moment she stepped foot and still stuck to her plan, he watched how she stood up against people who dared to treat her any differently, and she spoke her mind. She did what she wanted, and she didn't care about what other people thought of her. She was even friends with two guys that any sane person wouldn't want in their lives, one who she got shot for and the other that kidnapped her, and yet she talked and laughed with them as if nothing happened between them. He didn't know if that was what forgiveness was supposed to look like. He wondered what he would do that would make Zarah absolute mad and never want to speak with him again because, given the people in her life, she seemed like a type of person that let go of things very quickly, but then again, he saw the demons she was trying to fight. Every time she walked was as if she had armor on. She built her walls up so high that she forgets that she meant something to the people around her. She was a beautifully broken soul, and although he didn't know what happened to her, he cursed whoever did her wrong because she didn't deserve it, that much he knew. Going up to his room, he packed up his bag and booked a ticket to America. This time he had a goal in mind, and he would make sure that he saw to it even if it were the last thing he did before he died. The flight to American was pretty smooth. Stepping out of the airport, Marce was waiting for him in a car on the sidelines of the road. He wanted to surprise Zarah, but they saw police cars in front of the building when they got to the site.

When they got off the vehicle, they watched as Zarah had both of her hands behind her back in cuffs while being put in the back of the car. Ha-Neul went running for her, but from the far corner, he saw Alexei watching her. He ran up to him, and he delivered a punch after a punch, and before he could go for the third one, someone stopped him. It was the bald guy, My precious. Marce joined in and punched Alexei one more time. "I will f*****g shot you both if you put your hands on him again!" My precious said but growled. Everyone stood alert. He helped Alexei up, and the two men watched as they left.

Being put in a room that she only saw on tv, she wondered why they arrested her. In walked a giant bearded man in a black suit. She really hated black suits. While she studied the man very closely, he had a tattoo that stuck out of his neck, it was the rear end of a spider, and it was the same tattoo that the three men had when she went to get Alexei. When the realization dawned on her, she couldn't decide whether to be scared or pissed. She saw what they did to Alexei, she knew what they were capable of, but if she saw one of them, that meant that they wanted something from her. The man twisted his head from left to right and pulled out a chair.

"I think you know why you are here," the man began with a rough voice. It was clear that he was smoking his lungs away.

"No, not really. Please enlighten me."

"We need you to tell us where we can find the kidnapper."

"You don't know who the kidnapper is?" She asked, shocked, and it dawned on her that they wanted information from Alexei, which meant that they were looking for the kidnapper but little did they know that they had him. They tortured him to reveal himself. She couldn't help but smile. 'He was good. Terrific liar, very' she thought to herself. Everyone knew him, but no one knew his face, and that was why he had kept her close because she was the only one that knew who she was, at least that's what she thought. She felt a little betrayed, but she couldn't blame him, the guy's life was always on the line, and she was put in a position where she might just lose her life again! "Under what evidence are you keeping me here?" she asked with a frown this time. The man leaned back and looked at her. He tried to hide it, but it was an expression that Zarah came to know very well. He was shocked. Her guess was that he probably didn't expect her to be so straightforward. She has been told that she looked innocent.

"We found this," he said, sliding her phone across the table, "on the crime scene."

"What was a girl like me," she pointed to herself, and the cuffs made noises, "doing at a place like that with three gang members?" she asked, holding his gaze. She would be damned if she was going to be intimidated.

"Then you are fully aware of what we are capable of." She licked her lips and smirked. 'Is this s**t supposed to scare me' she thought. She was more pissed, if anything. That Zarah was long gone, and every time she tried to come back up, events like this happened to keep her in a straight line, and for that, she was grateful for every misfortune in her life. It made her the woman she was right then.

"You know what I'm thinking?" she asked as she leaned forward. The man mimicked her almost involuntarily. "I think you know exactly what he is capable of, and you, my friend, are a f*****g cunt for using the police to get to him, but then again, I really can't blame you. He is a f*****g monster," she whispered as if telling a secret. She watched as the man tried to come up with something to say, but he looked dumbfounded. It was a funny expression to see on someone that was supposed to be a bad guy. She leaned back and continued, "the first time you tried to use me as a bate, it cost y'all three hundred thousand. I really don't think if it was a good idea to use the police because if anything goes south, who do you think is going to take the blame? Digging your own grave," she made a tsk sound as she shook her head, "not a very smart move if you ask me." The guy was clearly lost for words, and she saw as the wheels were spinning in his head. He was actually thinking about it. Her heart was pounding so fast, and her hands were sweating, but the guy was too busy listening to what she was saying to actually notice that she was nervous. He left the room, and minutes later, another person came into the room, but he had his uniform on this time. It was an officer. "You are free to go," he said as he unlocked the cuffs around her hands. She couldn't believe that it actually worked. When she stepped out of the station, she saw Marce and Ha-Neul getting off a car. Marce was the first one to notice her, and that's when he knew that she might just be as dangerous if not more than Alexei or even his father if she really put her mind to it. It didn't take them long to figure out that the only reason she got arrested was because of Alexei, and knowing Alexei, Marce really didn't think that he was going to see her for the next month, if not months. He knew that Alexei was not going to let her be sent to prison. As tough as he seemed and sounded, he actually cared about her, but at the same time, he couldn't show his face at the police station.

"How the fuck..." Marce spoke, and he looked at Ha-Neul, who didn't seem surprised at all. "How are you not shocked?" He asked him.

"Then you haven't met Zarah," Ha-Neul answered. She didn't know what she was expecting, but that wasn't what she expected, and the look on his face, he look of proud, and for the first time in her life, she felt seen. 'What have I done to deserve him' she thought, and Ha-Neul took a step closer to her and touched her cheek. "For someone so bold, you sure do loads of overthinking." He whispered.

"I know that we haven't known each other for that long, and I know very little about you, about what makes Zarah, Zarah and I'd like to spend a lifetime learning about the person that you are, the things that you like, what makes you go crazy and what makes your heart melts. I would ask you to marry me," he stopped when he saw her shaking her head, "but I knew you would say no. You barely trust Marce! Who had been by your side for the longest, let alone some Korean guy that is madly in love with you. So I decided to do one less dramatic," he smiled when he saw her lips curve into a smile with a confused look on her face. He got down on one knee. He pulled out a long box, opening it he said, "would you be my girlfriend?" Looking at Marce, it looked like he was frozen in place. Zarah chuckled and looked back at Ha-Neul, whose hands were shaking.

"It's a bad idea," she said to Ha-Neul and shook his head to agree. "I'll drive you nuts," she went on, and he nodded his head. "Your father won't approve," he nodded, and she knew that he had really thought this through. Given his relationship with his father, she was probably going to get her heartbroken, but she endured thus far, and there was only one last thing left to do on the list, fall madly in love and with that in mind, she nodded her head yes. It was a smile she would remember for years to come, it was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen on him, he always smiled when he was around her, but this one was different. He looked happy and grateful at the same time. He took her left leg, took the long chain out of the box, and wrapped it around her ankle. Her heart melted when she realized that he remembered. When she went to Korea and stayed together, she had an anklet that eventually got broken, and she lost it. She was pretty upset about it, and he wanted to know why she replied with, "I got ugly feet; at least the anklet makes them look sexy from afar." He thought it was the funniest thing ever. She never bought another one after that because she only had the one that she wore everywhere. It had been 4 years, and he still remembered. He stood up and went for a kiss, but she pulled away. He looked at her confused, and she clarified, "you didn't propose. There's nothing for you to seal." And as if remembering that another person was standing right next to them, they turned to Marce, who was laughing so hard. "You got played, my boy!" he said. They got in the car, intending to go to her apartment, but she saw one of her favorite restaurants on the way, and she asked Marce if they could stop to have a bite. Getting their table, Zarah seemed awfully quiet, like she had been for the past month. The two men wondered whether things were just going to get worse. They couldn't talk to Alexei because of the bald-headed guy that took him away. They wanted nothing more than to figure out what was wrong with her and what had actually happened. Although they are officially a couple now, Ha-Neul had no expectations of her telling him anything. He would love to but knowing the person she was, the only best thing he could do for her was to be patient. A couple was sitting at a table next to them. When they were done eating, Zarah put her fork down and walked up to their table, and with the look on her face, Marce went to stand up. Still, he was too late because she grabbed the back of the man's hair and pulled his head back, and said, "I bet this is what you did to her. I'll give you just a little taste," and she slammed his head as hard as she could on the table. Everyone turned to look at her. "Zarah! You literally just came from the police station, man!" Marce shouted at her. When the man lifted his head up, he had blood coming out of his nose. "Bitch..." He went to say, but she slammed his head back again on the table. The woman was shaking, and she scotched her chair back a bit. He lifted his head back again, but before he could open his mouth, Zarah once again slammed his head on the table. When he lifted his head, this time, it was already changing color. She grabbed the hair on the back of his head again and yanked his head backward, "I'm sure she's supposed to be a very important person in your life, but from outside looking in, she's just an object to you. You wanna know how I know that?" she asked and paused. When she didn't get an answer, she slammed his head on the table again and yanked his head back. By now, there was blood on the table. "I asked you a f*****g question." The man nodded his head, yes, and she smiled, "because no woman, no matter how much they love you, would willingly give their body to you after experiencing the pain of your touch." She let him go and then took a step back and motioned for him to leave, which he did in a hurry, and when the woman got to her feet to follow him, she said behind her, "You follow him, you are back at being a prisoner. You let me help and find out what it feels like to have freedom." The woman turned around with tears in her eyes and said, "I have heard that before, and he still found me."

"I promise," Zarah said, praying that she would listen to her. While watching them, she noticed that she touched her stomach when the man used a harsh low voice. The woman had on a beautiful makeup. She seemed talented at it. One wouldn't guess that she was covering bruises and perhaps scars under all that makeup, but what spook Zarah was the ugly purple and black bruise she noticed when the woman went to pick up her fork after dropping it. The scarf around her neck moved just enough to see.

"You can't promise that," she replied. It was clear that she wanted to believe her, but she was too scared.

"What's scarier than a woman abuser?" Zarah asked and watched her think. For a second, the tears stopped.