the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart
Chapter 155: Not Dead but Half a Life Gone

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Not Dead but Half a Life Gone

Delphine gazed at his cold and strikingly handsome face, mere inches away. His thin lips moved slightly, and he murmured lowly, "Let me think about how to say it."

She closed her eyes wearily, and the memory of her eighteen-year-old self, buried for years, rushed forward like a cornered, desperate animal.

"Search everywhere. That girl must be nearby."

"This whole area’s deep forest; she’s just a little girl—she won’t have gotten far. Once we catch her, I’ll break her legs and see if she dares to run again."

She held her breath, hiding in the dense, dark underbrush. The coarse, hoarse voices of the men carried faintly on the wind, distant yet chilling.

The world was silent. It seemed as though she was the only one left alive. Sweat blurred her vision, and she didn’t dare move. The way the mountain men looked at her—it was as if they wanted to devour her. She had to run.

"Haha, found her—here she is!" Harsh light pierced through, and a man smashed a metal rod against her back. Agonizing pain erupted in her head, and before losing consciousness, she caught the sight of excited, savage, unfamiliar faces.

"Brother, this one’s a rebellious little bitch. She’ll just run again if we get the chance. Why don’t we have some fun with her first? All this pent-up frustration’s driving us mad."

"If you mess with such a delicate girl, she’ll either die or be half-dead. General’s territory is just ahead. Let’s deliver the goods first and sell her off too. Once we’ve got the money, you’ll have plenty for your fun for the next half a year."

When she came to, she was in a cramped, suffocating darkness. Her back burned like fire, and nearby, the faint, hopeless cries of women reached her ears. Several girls, all abducted like her, huddled together—shivering in fear.

The truck drove for five days. They were locked beneath the modified flooring of a truck, crossing a border and entering the darkest, most chaotic no-man’s-land.

To prevent any more escapes, the trafficking gang gave them only the barest minimum of water and pitiful scraps of food each day. The hunger, the cold, the claustrophobic space, and the looming terror of the unknown tortured them all.

She saw it with her own eyes—those men dragging out a girl every two or three days, leering savagely as they left. The girls never returned.

Those animals.

She thought she would die inside that filthy, stinking truck. Just when her will was slipping away, gunshots rang out. Someone tore open the flooring, and light flooded in.

"Boss, there’s a group of women here."

"Hmph, take them back as spoils of war—to reward the brothers." A man stood lazily beside the truck, a wicked grin spread across his face.

She opened her eyes and saw that cruel, demonic smile.

Someone let out a low "Hmm," and rough, powerful fingers gripped her chin. Mocking laughter accompanied the voice, "Send this one to me."

"Mr. Leclair, we’ve arrived." The car came to a steady stop.

Delphine jolted awake, her eyes unfocused as she stared blankly ahead.

"Delphine, breathe." The man seized her arm roughly, his commanding voice sharp and unyielding.

She sucked in deep breaths, coughing painfully as her vision slowly cleared, focusing on the man’s deep, sharp, penetrating gaze.

Ignatius Leclair. Her dry, strained eyes wouldn’t let her speak his name.

Scenes from her past roared violently before her, threatening to drag her back into that bottomless abyss.

Ignatius cupped her face, his voice low and steady: "Don’t be afraid, Delphine, I’m here."

She shook her head, her eyes reddened and damp. Eventually, he would leave her, just as he had all those years ago.

Ignatius’s face darkened, his knife-edged features carrying an intense and dangerous fury. He pulled her trembling body tightly into his arms. For the first time in his life, he felt the overwhelming impulse to kill. Whatever horrors Delphine had endured—every grievance, every pain—he would make sure those responsible paid dearly for them.