Dogs

Julia slowly opened her eyes and squinted them when the dazzling light coming from the gap of the window shone directly in her eyes. 

She blocked the light with her hand and looked at her surroundings. She was still in that room which witnessed her atrocious experience last night. The only difference was everything was set into its proper places. There was no sign of last night's activities.

She propped herself into a sitting position, and groaned as she perceived a sharp pain on her stomach. It was unbearable, but she forced herself to sit. As she lazily looked down at her body, she found herself wearing a loose shirt and blue jeans.

A bitter smile creeped on her lips.

Julia neither screamed nor appeared surprised. She also didn't question herself of who might have put clothes on her. She didn't have the strength to do that. He already had seen everything about her, humiliated her, and tortured her, what was there left for her to be shocked about?

It was already strange that he didn't kill her, so dressing her up was the rarest miracle that happened on earth.

Staring at her legs, she couldn't help but recollect everything that happened last night. She instantly felt a prick in the heart remembering it. She was, somehow, heartbroken.

Julia felt like crying again. Why was she so weak? Other than crying, she knew nothing else, she didn't even know how to protect herself.

Julia has always been a kind and forgiving girl. That was both a good and bad attributes of her, her biggest disadvantage as well. A single apology could immediately make her forgive whoever had hurt her or offended her.

Julia wiped off the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes and softly told herself, "Okay Julia. Just forget about this. What is important… you're alive. You must go on."

Julia took a deep breath as she fluttered her eyelids to draw back her tears, saying, "I can do this. I still have a goal that I must achieve. I can't give up this time. Not after this."

She carefully got off the bed with a slightly trembling body. This was because of the trauma that she had suffered in a row after a series of misfortunes.

Hugging herself, she directly marched towards the door, thinking to look for him, but before she could step out of the room, a tray full of food blocked her.

She almost bumped into it. Thanks to the person who was carrying the tray, and moved it on the side on time. With that, they managed to avoid creating another mess.

Julia was so scared that she huddled on the door frame, trembling as she spared a glance at the big man in front of her with fear.

"Relax, I'm not going to eat you." He said in a neutral tone, not friendly, not stern, and immediately delivered the food inside. He simply put them on the table and walked towards her. "The food is edible, Miss. No need to worry about getting poisoned or something. When you're done, you should leave this place. That is Storm's order. Now, move and dig in."

Julia looked up at the man and sheepishly asked, "W-what if I won't eat?"

The man furrowed his brows. "If I were you, I'd eat them. I'm going to guard you outside."

Seriously? Even eating, that devil set someone to monitor her?

"Where is he? I want to see him.", Julia tried to inquire. She badly wanted to see him. If she needed to kneel in front of him just to get it back, she was willing.

"No more talks. Just eat. Then leave."

Julia bit her lower lip as she gave the man a cautious glance, then to the food, and subsequently cast a look on her belly. It was grumbling, indicating she was hungry.

'I must eat. I don't want to die hungry.' Julia thought.

Julia slowly went on her feet as she kept her eyes to the man, wary of him. The man understood her stare and walked outside the room.

Julia feebly dragged her feet towards the table. With delicious food in front of her, she forgot all the unhappy experiences in that room and ate heartily. She couldn't get herself to sulk in front of the food. She stuffed her mouth one after another, until her cheeks grew like a balloon.

Suddenly, a commotion happened outside her room, attracting her attention. She swallowed the mouthful of food, ran to the door and peeked. She recognized Diego on the end of the corridor, blocked by three men. They were Marcus and Reynald, and that man who guarded her.

"Let me through! I want to see that bitch!" Diego shouted. "It's her fault! I should have gotten him if not because of her stupid mistake!!"

"Diego, stop. Before Storm lost his patience to you." Reynald said. "You're only wasting your time here. Storm is not around. And that girl... she has left long ago."

"I don't believe you! Get lost!" Diego pushed Reynald on the side, but the other two held him up by both arms and pressed him on his back against the wall. "Let go of me, dogs! Don't forget! I am Diego Madrigal. I can kill you all in front of Storm!!"

"Shut up! Why are you noisy?" Marcus glared at Diego as he strangled the latter using his arm. "Who do you think you are to us, huh? If only Storm doesn't value your father, you're dead by now! Oh yeah, it's because your father is still useful. If he is no longer useful, guess what will happen to you? So if I were you, I'll leave right now and hide in your father's pants!"

When the group of three was dealing with Diego, a risky idea crossed Julia's mind the moment her sight lay in the opposite room. 

'My necklace.'

She remembered that, according to Storm, across her room was his. She could sneak inside and look for her stuff. Who knows? What if he hid it in his room? Why bother looking for him and asks for it if she could retrieve it by herself?

Julia's heart was thumping so loudly in nervousness, to the point that she could hear its beating. Even so, she tried to turn the knob and to her surprise, it was unlocked.

She gave the four in the corridor one more anxious glance and hurried herself inside. By the time that she took a step inside, Reynald turned to her direction and saw the door closing.

His brows knitted.