Midnight had come. Exactly at twelve, the moonlight pierced through the large window of a dimly lit room.
"I suggest you don't scream or speak rudely, because the Young Master is someone who greatly values proper manners," said one of the bodyguards as he stood, staring at Jessica who was tied to the torture chair.
The iron frame gripped her wrists and ankles tightly, forcing her to remain still.
"Arrgghhh, damn it! Let me go!" Jessica shouted, thrashing against the restraints. Her voice was hoarse, her breath ragged—she struggled to escape the embrace of cold steel.
Through his surveillance earpiece, the guard heard a voice: "The Young Master has arrived. He's walking toward the execution room."
Immediately, the guard left, leaving Jessica alone in the thickening silence.
Tak... Tak... Tak...
Footsteps echoed into the room—steady, deliberate, rhythmic. Each step sounded like a countdown.
"Hey, Jessica. Have you been waiting long?"
A calm, soft voice.
Jessica instantly looked up. In her blurred vision, she saw a young man with glowing blue eyes. His dark brown hair fell perfectly in a middle-parted curtain cut.
Tall, well-built, wearing a formal suit and tie, and a black coat that draped gracefully down to his calves.
It was him—the man who had occupied her mind and heart for so long—now standing right in front of her.
Jessica widened her eyes. "Ignarius Valtor! I'll report you to the police!" she shouted firmly.
"Go ahead," Igna replied casually.
"Let me go! You heartless bastard!" she screamed again.
"Oh, you really love to shout, don't you? My ears are starting to itch," Igna said, frowning slightly.
"Why did you kidnap me?! Are you hurt by what I said? Hahaha! I should be the one who's hurt after being rejected!"
Jessica's face flushed red with anger.
"How many times has this happened already?" Igna tilted his head, pretending to think. "Ah, right. You're the twenty-fourth. You're the twenty-fourth person whose life I've ended—after giving them three chances."
He raised his right index finger. "Let me remind you. The first chance was when I forgave you for constantly disturbing me—bringing me food and love letters every single day."
Then he raised his middle finger. "The second was when I forgave you for stalking me, even trying to break into my house."
Finally, he raised his ring finger. "The third… when you came to my family, begging and claiming that I got you pregnant? Hahaha! When I heard that ridiculous lie, I couldn't stop laughing. Yet again, another insane woman stooping to such a pathetic act."
Igna smirked. "And the funniest part? After forgiving you three times, you went even further. You left two babies at my doorstep—and one at my parents' house. And after all that, you had the nerve to confess your love to me again in front of the university building this afternoon."
He grabbed Jessica's chin tightly.
"Listen carefully, Jessica. My family and I are used to dealing with desperate tactics from women—or men—who are obsessed with me."
"So instead of handing you over to the police… I'd rather kill you with my own hands," Igna said with a calm smile.
Jessica's love for Igna had blinded her—overwhelming every bit of reason she had left.
"Then why won't you return my love?!" she demanded, voice trembling.
"Hahahaha!" Igna burst into laughter, letting go of her chin.
"You're unbelievable. Even now, you still expect me to love you. There's no reason for me to love a woman like you. Just looking at your face…" he chuckled darkly. "Ah, never mind. I don't want to hurt your feelings even more."
"I'll give you anything, Igna! Anything you want, I'll give it to you!" Jessica cried, desperation filling her voice.
"Really?" Igna smirked.
"Yes! I'll give you everything!"
"Hahaha, and what exactly do you have to offer me?" he teased.
"Everything! Anything you desire!"
"Well then…" Igna said softly.
"Yes! Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you!" Jessica pleaded, her eyes glimmering with hope.
"What I want… is your death. So? Will you give that to me?" Igna asked coldly.
"Why is it so hard for you to love me, Igna?!" Jessica screamed. "I just want to be with you! Ignarius, I truly love you! I'd die for you!" she sobbed uncontrollably.
Sometimes, obsession hides behind the word love.
Without realizing it, it becomes a burning hunger—corroding the heart, driving the body to act, doing anything to satisfy an endless thirst.
Thirst. Thirst, and more thirst.
That's what an obsessed person feels—caring for nothing, not themselves, not the world, not even the object of their obsession.
'Sometimes I wonder… why am I this handsome? Why does my aura captivate everyone? Why does my life seem so perfect? Rather than live like this, I'd rather be an ordinary man, busy with work instead of busy killing lunatics.'
Igna thought coldly as he looked down at the weeping Jessica.
"Well then, since you said you'd die for me… let's begin your death," he said, lips curling into a wicked smile.
He pulled out a small remote from his black coat and pressed a button.
Slowly, both sides of the torture chair began to move inward, pressing against Jessica's body.
Jessica gasped, her chest tightening. "What are you doing?!"
"Oh, come now. Didn't I say we'd begin your death?" Igna replied calmly.
Her breathing quickened. Sweat dripped down her face.
"Arrghhh!" she screamed as pain spread through her body, her bones straining under the pressure.
"Stop it!" she gasped.
"Oh, sure," Igna replied casually, pressing the stop button.
Jessica stared at him in disbelief. "Igna, please… give me a chance to prove my love. I'll give you everything—myself, even the world if you ask for it."
"Ahem… better catch your breath first," Igna said as he placed a noise-cancelling device in his ear.
"Igna, please…" Jessica begged, trembling.
"They all say that," Igna replied smoothly. "Everyone before you begged too. But after a while, their vocal cords tore apart. That's why I'm asking you to save your voice. I'd rather hear your screams clearly later."
Jessica took a deep breath, finding a strange calm in her despair. "I mean it. I'll dedicate my life only to you."
Igna smiled, then pressed another button on the remote.
The device attached to Jessica's ears began to emit a sound—a frequency sharp enough to disturb anyone who heard it.
The air shifted. A faint vibration filled the silence, creeping into Jessica's ears.
At first, it sounded like a distant electrical hum. But soon it grew louder, crawling into her skull, piercing her bones.
It felt like thousands of needles dancing beneath her eardrums, stabbing every nerve that had ever existed.
Jessica's body jolted violently. "Aaarrgghhh!" she screamed—but the scream echoed back into her head, sharper, louder, crueler.
She tried to cover her ears, but the iron restraints held her tight.
The frequency surged, oscillating wildly—buzzing, shrieking, echoing—until her mind began to blur.
Her world shrank into a single, deafening note—an unending scream from the universe itself.
"Arrrghhhh!" Jessica screamed with everything she had left as blood burst from her ears.
Igna's eyes widened, then curved into a delighted smile. He laughed—softly, almost playfully—as if savoring her agony.
"Arghhh! Stop it!" Jessica howled.
The sound continued until blood drenched her shoulders. She cried, screamed, and convulsed, her veins bulging beneath her pale skin.
Igna could still hear her, though muffled by his noise-cancelling device. The filtered screams made the moment more… pleasant.
Jessica's body trembled. Blood streamed from her ears. Her lips foamed, her face pale—her life slipping away.
Igna pressed the stop button again. The sound vanished.
But the damage was done—her ears were ruined beyond repair.
With a soft smile, Igna said, "Test… test…"
Jessica didn't react.
"Hello, Jessica." Igna waved his hand in front of her face. No response.
He gripped her head, tilting it upward. "Oh, already fainted?"
Praaakk!
Igna slapped her hard across the face. Her nose cracked with a sickening snap.
Jessica screamed in agony. "Arrgghhh! Arghhh! Arrrgghhh!"
Her face was bruised, blood pouring from both her nose and ears.
"Good. Don't pass out yet. We're not done," Igna said with a warm smile.
Jessica slumped weakly, unable to speak.
Suddenly, a bodyguard entered, placing a small metal table and chair behind Igna. Then, with a bow, he handed him a small black case.