Chapter 133 - End Of The Hunt

Winter ran and ran.

As soon as she burst out of the room, with her wrists still tied together with a rope, she picked up her pace and made a dash for it, never looking back. Moments later, even when she's already running out of breath, her legs nearly giving out, she still keeps on running as if her whole life depends on it -

Because, in some ways, it does depend on it.

Going by the grandiose decorum and sumptuous ornaments in that place, Winter realizes that wherever she is now is apparently a mansion. Every hall and corridor seems to stretch on everlastingly, giving the whole setting a maze-like feel to it. Even then, she believes that it's not that difficult to escape from here as long as things like locks and barricades aren't in the equation.

Fortunately, Winter can see windows and terraces, which allow her to take a look outside. She learned that it's still nighttime, yet judging by how long she's trapped inside Neil's office, morning must be coming soon.

That aside, it has also come to her knowledge that she's still in the city.

Though the streets outside are unfamiliar, she can make out the shapes and silhouettes of the same commercial buildings that she used to see every day in a distance. This has given her a bit of hope. She isn't actually as far from her home as she initially expected.

'For now, let's make it to the ground floor, but if I happen to find a balcony or window on the second floor, I'll take a look and see if I can jump from there. I have to consider that the main entrance must be locked or guarded.'

Then, seconds turn into minutes, and minutes turn into what seems like a long time.

Winter still didn't see any sign that Neil was coming after her. 

Even though that appears to be a good thing at first glance, she can sense that it's just a calm before the storm. Him not chasing after her makes her feel like he has something up his sleeves. For all she knows, she might be dancing on the palm of his hand this whole time.

"There it is! A window!" she exclaimed, surprised and relieved, the moment she spotted a way out.

She had reached the second floor at this point. Not even a minute after she descended the stairs, she caught sight of a window at the first hall she passed through. 

Winter hurried over there, taking this opportunity.

'It's highly possible that the doors downstairs are locked or guarded. I should grab this chance while I still can,' she thought as she slid the window open and bent over to see how high it was.

"T-This is... manageable, I guess."

It turned out that she's still a few feet high after all. Even then, her survival instincts must do the talking here. She needs to see this through so she can get out of there already.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Then, she froze.

Just when Winter was about to climb up the window, Neil suddenly appeared behind her.

He roughly grasps her by the shoulders before forcefully turning her around and slamming her on the wall beside the window. She hisses in pain as her back hits hard solid. It also didn't help that she's so shocked she couldn't bolt straight into action before she got completely cornered. 

"Who would've thought that you could be quite the lioness? Biting back at the last minute, huh...?" Neil muttered with a peeved smirk and a spine-chilling glare.

"I've been watching over you through the surveillance cameras, you know. So, don't come thinking that you can ever escape from me, darling."

"N-No…!" Winter cried out, petrified.

"No! S-Stop!"

With a wry look on his face, he finally went ahead and did what she'd been fearing the most. Pinning her wrists on the wall, he started kissing her neck like a hungry beast. He savored and devoured her skin, pressing his lips on every soft spot that he came across. It became much too much when he began trailing more kisses all the way down to her collarbone.

Shutting her eyes closed, she cried in desperation. She can't believe what's happening right now. She doesn't want to believe it. She feels so helpless again - hopeless.

"Stop it, please!" she kept begging, but all her pleas only fell on deaf ears. 

That's until things took an unprecedented turn.

Out of nowhere, Winter heard the sound of crushing bones at the same time Neil abruptly loosened his grip on her.

Her eyes flew wide open then, completely taken aback. She gasps at the sight that greets her.

"Sir Lexington!"

Marcellus appeared all of the sudden, looking greatly enraged and downright malevolent.

He came rushing in and started punching Neil in the face as soon he had his hands on him. From there, a merciless onslaught of fierce blows broke out. His target did not even have enough time to react. Before he knew it, he already felt his back hitting the floor and found himself being towered over by his ferocious attacker.

"You goddamn bastard!"

Blow after blow, Marcellus did not falter.

He carried on with a relentless pace, ruthlessly breaking the bones in Neil's face. With a deep scowl and a bloodshot glare, he glowers down at the man who kidnapped and harassed his beloved. He would've been a little more merciful had he not seen him doing 'things' to her. Yet now -

Marcellus feels like killing Neil at that very moment.

He doesn't mind the blood that starts streaming down his mouth as he continues knocking the life out of him. Even if he bleeds, it isn't enough at all – only a painful death can be enough for someone who touched Winter like that. His blood is boiling with rage and repugnance as the scene from earlier keeps playing in his head. He can't help but burn with the desire to end him right then and there.

But Winter didn't let Marcellus.

"Sir Lexington...!" she suddenly shouted, voice filled with fear and concern.

"D-Don't... Don't kill him."

Hearing her cry and beg for him to stop, he finds himself coming to a halt.

Only then did he realize that Neil's face was already covered with blood. He has lost consciousness from the aggressive assault as well. Blood is also dripping down the fist that Marcellus used to beat him into a pulp. Had he continued any further, he'd really end up killing him in only a matter of seconds.

"P-Please, don't dirty your hands because of me. This is not you," Winter went on to say, making Marcellus flinch a little. 

She reaches out to him and embraces him from behind. Feeling her small, delicate arms tremble uncontrollably, he finally snapped out of his fit of fury.

Marcellus turns around to look at her and gather her in his arms. He holds Winter tightly, protectively - fearing that if he loosens his grip, she will get taken away from him again. 

"Winter..." he said breathlessly, feeling like breaking down at that moment.

"I'm so sorry I'm late."

With a look of deep rue and regret, Marcellus buries his nose in her hair before pressing a firm, warm kiss on her head. For a moment, his lips simply stay there, desperate to feel her – to see if she's really there. He nearly lost it when he heard her let out a breath of relief, immensely relieved himself that she's finally back in his arms again. 

Touched by his caring affection, Winter can't help but sigh in bliss. Her cries are starting to die down slowly. She revels in his gentle and soothing warmth, wishing that she can stay that way forever. His presence alone solaces her - it always makes her feel safe and sound.

"Thank you for coming for me," she managed to say despite how weak and vulnerable she still felt.

Marcellus responded by tightening his embrace, not trusting his voice at that moment.

Winter feels like melting then.

Overflowing joy swells within her. She feels greatly loved and deeply cared for. Being with him right now is everything she can ever ask for. When she cries again, he softly strokes her hair to calm her down. The gesture seems to have only made her cry harder, though. Hearing her wails get louder and louder, he feels his heart breaking into a million pieces.

Now, he badly wants Neil to suffer more and more. Making his beloved shed tears like this is already a huge abomination – he'll definitely pay twofold. 

With their emotions all over the place, Winter and Marcellus silently remained in each other's embrace until the police finally arrived at the scene.

---

Marcellus made sure that explaining everything to the police won't take too long.

That is so that he can be at Winter's side again. He had carried her out of Neil's mansion and brought her straight to his car. Claude looks after her while he gets interrogated. That's about enough time for things to settle down a little.

Yet what Marcellus ends up finding the moment he goes back to Winter isn't something he expected. 

"Winter?"