Stab! Stab!

Nerissa turned her gaze to the side but forced herself to watch after Malacai made a silent gesture. 

He poked at her shoulder, then pointed at Sabrina, his eyes stern.

Stab! Stab! Stab!

Once, twice, thrice. The man lay on the ground, but Sabrina continued stabbing him relentlessly. Chest, stomach, leg - none were spared. 

Blood splattered, painting her beautiful face and body red and creating a thick pool on the ground.

Malacai silently cheered her on to keep going. 

With every stab, Sabrina screamed, releasing all her frustration and bottled-up emotions. She was barely aware of her actions. 

Today's events had numbed her to everything; the boy she thought was harmless suddenly possessed a supernatural ability, allowing him to control her body at will.

She was violated, her virginity lost to a finger, while many men fawned over her. Being called lower than a tool, and she couldn't even retort.

Malacai stopped the recording, then started laughing. 

"Being killed by the woman he likes, as she straddles him naked, isn't he living the dream!? Hahahaha."

Nerissa sighed. She wanted to disagree but didn't want to argue with Malacai. 

She knew her place. She then looked at Sabrina, who continued stabbing the dead body and screaming hysterically. 'I guess you get what you deserve.'

She then remembered her past, her eyes turning cold.

After a few more minutes, Malacai grew bored with the scene. 

He telepathically tells Mara to take care of Sabrina later. 

He planned to use Sabrina to work under Emma, but even with the video he had, he still didn't trust her.

Malacai also thought that having someone under Emma to command as she pleased would motivate her more to work as his tool.

"Let's go, Nerissa. Mara will take care of the rest." Malacai then stood up and left with Nerissa. 

At this point, Sabrina had almost gone crazy, not even aware that Malacai had left until Mara arrived fifteen minutes later.

On the road back home, Nerissa asked, "If you never got your power, what would you have done?"

"My power just made things easier. I never planned to bow down to them nor to Darius and their gang." 

His lips curved upwards into a grin. "I had some plans for our graduation, you know, but well, it doesn't matter now. Things have changed."

Hearing what Malacai said, Nerissa started to draw parallels with herself, "I guess we're not that much different. I'm just lucky to have my mom." 

She thought if she hadn't had her mom throughout all her nightmares, she might have ended up like him.

As Nerissa focused on the road, she didn't notice the small change in Malacai's expression. 

"Mom… huh…" Malacai mumbled under his breath.

The remainder of the trip was spent in silence. 

Upon reaching the house, Eleanor greeted them warmly. 

She scrutinized both of them, making sure they had no wounds, then asked if they had any trouble with Malacai's step-parents. 

Malacai fabricated a story, saying they got lucky as his step-parents were out when they arrived.

In reality, Malacai hadn't taken anything from his home except the bloodied SD card. 

The luggage he brought is all new clothes they had just purchased, and even the bag was new.

During dinner, Eleanor kept asking Malacai questions, making Nerissa interject and answer for him each time.

Her reasoning is still the same, afraid that Malacai would find it annoying.

"Malacai, you can use the guest room; I've already prepared it for you. Don't forget to take a bath before sleeping."

Malacai nodded as he excused himself. "Okay, Mom. I'll see you tomorrow morning, and you too, Nerissa." 

After he left, Nerissa looked at her mom with serious eyes. "Mom, don't keep asking Malacai questions like that."

Eleanor chuckled, "Why are you so protective? I don't think Malacai minds my questions."

Her tone changed to a more solemn one, "Riri, how did you guys honestly meet? I hope you're not just sympathizing with him." 

"If you're serious about him, you should have noticed the look in his eyes." 

"It's similar to yours in the past, but worse. He probably doesn't even realize the scars festering in his heart."

Hearing her mother's words, Nerissa fell silent for a moment before answering. 

"I'm serious, of course. Honestly, Mom, he will probably stay in our lives forever..." she continued in her mind, 'he will never let us get away.'

Hearing her daughter's words, Elara raised an eyebrow and then laughed, "If you are that serious, Mom will support you." 

"But you'll need to give him a lot of attention, Riri. Healing a scar like that will take time." 

"Mom didn't graduate from psychology major for nothing, you know. I recognized it from the moment I first saw him."

"I know he's just acting and hiding something deep. But what about this stepfamily? Should I try to contact them?"

'He did act, Mom, but what he's hiding isn't what you think,' Nerissa thought to herself.

"No, Mom, we'll take care of it. Just trust me. As for them, just forget it, never mention 'them' again. They give me bad vibes," Nerissa replied.

Eleanor chuckled. "They're not that bad, you know." 

"Well, Mom will clean this up. You must be tired too." 

"Anyway, I heard about what happened at the school. Thank God both of you were outside at that moment." 

"Why didn't you tell me anything?"

"Well, I'm fine. I didn't want to worry you. It was just an accident, anyway."

Nerissa had also checked the news; it reported the incident happened because of the Gas explosion, with only a few survivors.

After helping her mother with the dishes, she left for her own room.

Malacai was now lying in bed after taking a bath and changing into more comfortable clothes.

He talks with Mara telepathically, asking about the progress from her side. Emma already returned home, as she is staying at Sabrina's place.

Mara told him when she first arrived, Sabrina seemed to have lost it; she needed to knock her out a few times before she calmed down.

His discussion is interrupted when someone knocks on the door. "Malacai, can I come in."