Chapter 2

After enduring two weeks of confinement, Na-ri's resolve hardened. She avoided Jin-woo with steely determination, refusing to succumb to his desires. She vowed never to share his bed and maintained a facade of indifference whenever they crossed paths. This strategy seemed to work at first. Jin-woo, frustrated by her aloofness, sought comfort in the arms of other women, often flaunting his dalliances in front of Na-ri.

Strangely, Na-ri found solace in his infidelity. It meant Jin-woo would leave her alone, consumed with his own indulgences and distracted from imposing his will upon her. Their interactions devolved into bitter fights and cutting remarks, but Na-ri welcomed these verbal battles as a means to deflect Jin-woo's advances. It was a childish and senseless game, but it preserved her dignity amidst the turmoil of their marriage.

Meanwhile, Sun-hee, Na-ri's mother, remained in a coma, casting a shadow over Na-ri's life. The Lee family's animosity towards her deepened, exacerbated by Jin-woo's neglect and his mother's increasing hostility.On their first wedding anniversary, Jin-woo surprised Na-ri with extravagant plans—a romantic dinner reservation, a luxurious spa day, and tickets to movies she once enjoyed. Despite his efforts, none of it resonated with Na-ri. It was during an aimless visit to an amusement park that she encountered Eun-seo. He was unremarkable in appearance but exuded kindness and genuine interest in her well-being. Eun-seo transformed her anniversary outing from a hollow gesture into a day of genuine connection and laughter.Na-ri and Eun-seo stayed in touch, their friendship blossoming into a bond that provided Na-ri with a rare source of comfort and understanding. However, when Jin-woo learned of their growing closeness, his jealousy flared, and he asserted his control by ordering Na-ri under house arrest.

For Na-ri, the confinement was both a punishment and a reprieve. It shielded her from Jin-woo's presence while allowing her moments of quiet reflection away from his oppressive influence. Yet, in the eyes of others, it became an opportunity.One fateful night, Do-hyun, Jin-woo's younger brother known for his ruthless demeanor, visited the mansion. Jin-woo was away, leaving Na-ri alone in the basement with one wrist bound to a pillar. Do-hyun, driven by his own agenda, approached Na-ri with callous disregard for her plight. His actions were brutal and unforgiving, leaving Na-ri shattered and violated.

" What are you doing here? I don't think that scumbag would invite anyone during my punishment", Na-ri asked glaring at him.

Her hands were already tied to the pole and no one guards the basement because they don't see the use.

" I don't know why my brother will waste such a beautiful lady to hang out outside, let me satisfy you as your huband decided to be worthless", Do-hyun said. This scared the life out of Na-ri.

From that night onward, Na-ri descended into a pit of despair. Her depression deepened as she grappled with the trauma inflicted upon her. Adding to her anguish, Jin-woo's mother reveled in Na-ri's suffering, taking pleasure in exacerbating her pain. Even the mansion's maids, once sympathetic, now looked upon Na-ri with indifference or scorn, further isolating her in her misery.

" I swear I didn't do it, he raped me", she tried to convince countless times but no one was ready to listen. Since then the blood thirsty, dark humor Na-ri had died leaving it's body as an empty shell.

In the suffocating atmosphere of the Lee mansion, Na-ri clung to memories of Eun-seo and the brief moments of happiness he brought into her life. Yet, as the days stretched into weeks and months, hope began to fade, replaced by a grim acceptance of her fate.

As she stood on the precipice of despair, unaware of the tragedy that awaited her, Na-ri's thoughts turned to Eun-seo—the one person who had shown her kindness amidst the darkness.

******

As five years crawled by, Na-ri's existence in the mansion became a haunting cycle of torment and isolation. Jin-woo's sudden death, orchestrated by his vengeful mother's greed for his wealth, shattered the fragile stability Na-ri had reluctantly settled into. To her surprise, Jin-woo's will declared all his possessions solely hers, a final act of defiance that enraged the Lee family.

Driven by their insatiable desire for control and wealth, the Lee's conspired against Na-ri. They concocted a diabolical plan to eliminate her—burning her alive under the guise of property transfer. Cornered and exhausted from years of emotional and physical abuse, Na-ri found herself at the precipice of surrender.

Her health had deteriorated over the years; constant blood donations for Soo-ah's treatments had drained her strength. The weight of despair bore down heavily on her fragile frame, numbing her resolve to fight any longer. In a moment of profound resignation, Na-ri made the fateful decision to comply with the Lee's demands, seeing it as the only path left to end her suffering.

As she stood amidst the flickering flames, the heat licking at her skin, Na-ri's thoughts drifted to Eun-seo—the one bright spark in her dark existence. He had been her lifeline, a reminder of kindness and compassion amidst the cruelty she endured. In her heart, she hoped Eun-seo would remember her, even in death.

But fate had a different plan. In the chaos of the raging fire and collapsing mansion, Eun-seo appeared like a guardian angel. With fearless determination, he defied the danger and rushed into the inferno, driven by an instinct to save Na-ri from her tragic fate. Their reunion in the midst of chaos was fleeting yet profound, a testament to the bond they had forged in adversity.

" Na-ri ", he called out countless times before finally spotting her.

" Don't worry I'll save you", he assured her. But even his word became dreams the moment the building started collapsing on them.

Together, they faced the final moments of their lives as the structure around them crumbled. The flames roared with merciless intensity, consuming everything in their path. In that fiery embrace, Na-ri found a brief moment of peace—a release from the torment that had plagued her for so long.

As the flames subsided and the smoke cleared, the Lee mansion stood as a charred monument to greed.