Chapter no.30: A Monster in Human Skin

Rei sat in the back of his car, her heart pounding in her chest, staring at the back of her so-called "uncle's" head. The word uncle felt foreign on her tongue. Her trauma forced her to look at everything, analyze everything, and expect the worst.

Her eyes flicked around the car, taking in every detail. The seats were leather—real leather, soft and expensive. The dashboard gleamed, too polished, too perfect. The car was spotless, sleek, and way too high-end for a high school teacher's salary. How could he afford this?

"Uncle Shido," she muttered, testing out the words, still unsure if she believed them.

"Hmm?" he replied, adjusting the rearview mirror. Rei instinctively scooted to the side, away from its view. The reflection of herself reminded her too much of that disgusting livestream—being watched, exposed. She felt sick just thinking about it.

"Why didn't we ever meet before today?" she asked, trying to sound casual, even though her mind was spinning with questions. She kept glancing at him from the corner of her eye, trying to read him, trying to figure out if this man could be trusted.

Shido chuckled, but there was something off about the way he gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white, his voice light like he was making a joke. "Well, your grandfather is quite the bastard."

The way he said it—without malice, almost like it was a fact—sent a chill down her spine. Was he joking?

"You could say that again," she replied with a forced giggle, even though all she wanted to do was get out of this car. Her body was tense, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.

"Your grandfather cheated on his wife," he said casually, as if it was no big deal.

Her jaw dropped. What the hell? How do you even respond to that? "Uh… sorry," she muttered awkwardly. What do you even say to something like that?

"You don't have to apologize. Your grandfather was just a scumbag," Shido continued, his voice still calm. "After his wife died, he left to go live with his mistress and raise his other son."

Rei blinked, trying to process what he just said. He never called the woman his mother. That felt strange. Like he had some kind of disconnect with her, even after all that.

She glanced out the window and noticed they were heading toward the rich part of the city—the area where private villas and mansions dotted the landscape. Her unease only grew. Something wasn't right. Why were they going here?

"Do you blame my dad?" she asked cautiously, her fingers brushing against the handle of the door. Her heart pounded in her chest. She was ready to run. Based on his answer, she was going to throw the door open and sprint, no matter where they were.

Shido's grip on the wheel loosened. "Not really. I hate my father for the scum he is, but blaming someone innocent just isn't my thing."

His answer caught her off guard. She felt a tiny bit of tension leave her body, but only for a second. She still didn't trust him. Not fully. She glanced out the window again and saw the moonlight reflecting off a lakeside. The water shimmered, but instead of calming her, it just reminded her how isolated they were out here.

"Thanks for being cool, uncle," she forced a smile as they pulled up in front of a house—a mansion, really.

It was huge, towering over them with its grand facade. But it didn't feel welcoming. It felt wrong. No servants, no lights in the windows, just silence. How the hell could a teacher afford a place like this? Her eyes flicked back to Shido as he parked the car. This doesn't make sense.

"Uncle," she said carefully, her fingers creeping toward her pocket, feeling for the pepper spray. Where's the damn pepper spray? "Did you… did you do something before you started teaching?"

He smiled, that same too-perfect smile that made her skin crawl. "Oh, I used to be an engineer. Sold my patent to a company."

She blinked, surprised. "Wow… and you downgraded to being a teacher?"

"What can I say?" he replied with a laugh. "I just love kids."

Rei couldn't even force a smile at that. 

Her skin prickled, her instincts screaming at her again. She followed him inside the mansion, the interior just as cold and unwelcoming as the outside. Everything was modern—sleek furniture, glass, steel—but it was lifeless. Sterile, almost. Like no one really lived there.

It didn't feel like a home. It felt like a place you'd pass through, not a place you'd want to stay. The emptiness gnawed at her, making her stomach twist. It was depressing in a way she couldn't explain.

"So," Shido said, his voice breaking the uncomfortable silence, "do you want something to eat, or…?"

Rei forced another smile, shaking her head. "No, thank you. I just want to get some rest." I just need to put my mind to rest. Please let me just rest.

"Of course," Shido said as I headed to the room, "and if you can't sleep, I've written down the Wi-Fi password in your room."

My room? The words sent a chill through me. Why the hell did I have a room here? Was it just a guest room he was calling my room, or something more sinister?

"Can I go to the restroom to wash up?" I asked, trying to sound casual as panic tightened in my chest.

Shido pointed down the hall to the left. "It's just there."

I nodded and walked slowly, my heart hammering with each step. I glanced around as I moved, taking in the surroundings. Despite the mansion's sleek, modern design, everything felt bare, like it was freshly bought—like someone had put it together in a hurry. It didn't feel lived in, just… sterile.

The second I reached the bathroom, I locked the door and yanked out my phone, hands shaking. Barely one bar of signal. Shit. But it was enough. I quickly checked my location, praying for something—anything—that would make me feel less trapped. But what I saw sent an icy shiver down my spine.

The nearest house was a mile away. The nearest police station was over an hour away. I'm alone. Alone in an unknown place with Shido.

My eyes flicked to the small window. All I could see outside was thick, dense woods. This is not a good place to be. Fuck.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Rei," Shido's voice called through the door, too calm, too casual. "You shouldn't use your mobile data."

My heart stopped. How the hell did he know that?

"I—come on, Uncle, no one uses their phone in the bathroom," I forced out, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Of course," he replied smoothly, but I could hear the edge in his voice. "I just wanted you to use the Wi-Fi. It's faster."

"Okay," I answered, even though my mind was racing. Why does he want me to use the Wi-Fi so badly?

My hands trembled as I quickly Googled it. The answer hit me like a punch to the gut: A phone can be breached via a Wi-Fi router.

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. 

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A few minutes later, I left the bathroom, wiping my still-wet hands on my pants, pretending like nothing was wrong. Shido was waiting for me with a glass of milk and a small bottle of pills in his hand.

"To help you sleep better," he said, holding them out to me. "It's better not to have nightmares."

Nightmares? I forced a smile and took the pills, pretending to go along with it. "Thanks," I muttered, swallowing one of the pills with a sip of the milk before heading to my room.

The second I stepped inside, I froze. The room… it was horrifying in its precision. The walls were painted in a color I liked, the bed was covered with a giant duvet—just like the one I had back home—and the desk was arranged in a way that felt too familiar. Everything about this room felt designed for me. But it couldn't have been done in a day. It was clear now… this room was prepared for me.

I slipped into the bed, pulling the duvet over me, but my mind was spinning. Like hell I'm trusting you. I spat the pill out the second I was under the covers, wiping my mouth in disgust. My fingers scrambled for my phone, and I quickly checked if my message had gone through. The only person who was close enough to help me… was Kozen.

Please, I need you right now, I thought desperately as I hit send.

Fifteen minutes later, I heard it. The sound of footsteps outside my door. My heart stopped. Even through the thick duvet, I knew exactly who it was.

Koichi Shido.

I held my breath, every muscle tense, as I heard his voice. "Hmm, looks like the Zolpidem worked. Don't worry, my beautiful goose, you still have more golden eggs to lay for me."

He laughed—a dark, chilling sound that made my blood run cold. He was happy. Happy that he had destroyed me. I clenched my fists under the covers, my nails digging into my palms as I fought the urge to scream. My brain was analyzing every word, every disgusting syllable. 

Zolpidem… I knew that word. 

I'd read about it online. 

It's a date rape drug.

And then it hit me like a truck. Shido—my supposed "uncle"—he was GM. The man who had ruined my life, the monster who had stalked and humiliated me, who had sold my privacy on the dark web. All the wealth, all the luxury—it made sense now. He wasn't just a teacher. He had made his fortune by selling me.

I wanted to cry, to scream, to do something—anything—but I had to stay still. I had to think. I couldn't let him know I was awake. I couldn't let him know that I knew.

My entire body trembled beneath the duvet as the weight of it all crashed down on me. I was trapped. Trapped with the man who had destroyed everything. And now, more than ever, I knew I wasn't safe.

What do I do? What the hell do I do?

Author Note: More chapters on P@treon.com/LordCampione.