Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
The chief was silent for a moment and then sighed. “Never mind. You acted for the valley’s benefit. Since we took on this responsibility, ensure it’s completed. Let him stay.”
“Thank you for your mercy,” the witch clad in red said, bowing deeply.
After the chief departed, the witch clad in red approached Nicole, grasped her chin, forced a pill into her mouth, and then pressed on her stomach to ensure she swallowed it.
Nicole felt the pill travel down her throat, spreading a gentle warmth in her stomach.
Despite the slight relief, Nicole kept her eyes firmly closed, continuing to feign unconsciousness, worried that the witch might detect any sign of her awareness.
Luckily, after giving the pill, the witch clad in red exited without further delay.
Once Nicole was confident she was alone, she cautiously opened her eyes and looked around. To her astonishment, it appeared that the witch clad in red had not assigned anyone to watch her, presenting her with a chance to escape.
The room was a hut, damp and smelling of mildew. Nicole attempted to move, searching for anything that might help her sever the ropes that bound her.
Suddenly, she heard a soft hissing sound. Turning her head, her eyes widened with fear, and her heart pounded as terror took hold.
Nicole’s eyes widened in terror as she spotted a long, slender serpent of crimson hue. Its piercing stare, almost human in its intensity, bore down on Nicole with a sinister intelligence. Poised to strike, the serpent displayed its venomous fangs in a menacing gesture.
With swift reflexes, Nicole scrambled backward to her starting position. To her relief, the serpent then relaxed, lowering its head and shedding its aggressive stance.
It soon became clear that this remarkable serpent was more than just an animal. It acted as a guardian for its unseen master.
This realization explained why the witch clad in red had confidently left Nicole alone, knowing her sentinel was vigilantly on guard.
Lying motionless, Nicole focused on conserving her energy while her mind raced to devise a plan.
The mysterious pill given to Nicole by the witch had surprisingly invigorated her, especially in her abdomen. Having had significant surgery on her stomach, Nicole was usually sensitive to any sensations of cold or heat. Yet, this pill emanated a comforting warmth that soothed her internally.
While the true purpose of the pill remained a mystery, it seemed harmless for the moment. Nicole guessed it was likely meant to restore her health, as the witch had laid out.
But Nicole couldn’t help wondering about the witch’s ulterior motives. Once her body was fully restored, what did the witch plan to do?
Echoes of the witch’s earlier words haunted Nicole. The witch had spoken of bringing a man back, which left Nicole suspecting it was Roscoe she referred to. This troubling thought weighed on Nicole’s mind, casting a shadow over her other concerns and keeping her alert throughout the day.
As dawn broke the next morning, the witch clad in red returned to find Nicole already awake, looking visibly healthier. The pill had indeed been a potent elixir, capable of revitalizing even those close to death. Nicole’s cheeks were now flushed with a rosy vigor, a testament to the pill’s efficacy.
With practiced ease, the witch in red drew another pill, swiftly opened Nicole’s mouth, and placed it inside. She watched intently to ensure Nicole swallowed it before preparing to leave. However, Nicole quickly called out to her. “Who are you? What did you give me?”
The witch clad in red halted her steps, turned back toward Nicole, and smiled chillingly. “Have you not looked into me, Miss Curiosity? How have your investigations failed to uncover who I truly am?”
It was evident that the witch clad in red knew of Nicole’s covert investigations.
Realizing that denial or deceit would be pointless, Nicole opted for a direct approach. “I know you’re a witch, but I don’t understand your intentions.”
“We wield our power to maintain the balance of the universe, a concept far beyond the grasp of ordinary beings like you.” The witch clad in red’s voice dripped with disdain, as if she were an exalted entity and Nicole merely an insignificant bug.
“And yet, aren’t you in the service of the Watts family? Doesn’t that mean you clean up our mundane messes?” Nicole countered sharply.
A scornful laugh escaped the lips of the witch clad in red. “What are the Watts to me that I should bow to their will? My involvement with them was merely a facade, a strategy to advance my own goals.”
The witch had cleverly portrayed herself as vulnerable to gain the Watts’ protection, using it as cover to search the city for those her tribe sought, ultimately delivering them to her clan for dark purposes.
The Watts needed her services, creating a symbiotic relationship that benefited both sides. Why not engage in this mutually advantageous deception?
“And what exactly did you give me?” Nicole asked, posing her third question.
The witch clad in red chuckled lowly, amused. “That, my dear, was an elixir worthy of royalty. The wealthy would pay fortunes for just a taste. If you weren’t so crucial to my plans, do you think I would have graced you with such a valuable gift?”
The elixir, a culmination of a decade’s painstaking efforts, was a rare and sought-after concoction. It contained the distilled essence of venom extracted from numerous serpents. With just three doses, it had endowed Nicole with remarkable vitality, cleansing her body of any ailments.
Even with Nicole’s major surgery from the past in the picture, her recovery had proved to be extraordinarily swift after digesting the pills, far surpassing that of an ordinary person.
Nicole’s face grew serious, not joyous, at these revelations. “It seems I am of great value to you.”
“Indeed,” the witch clad in red responded, her smile enigmatic. “Otherwise, why would you deserve such treatment?”
Nicole’s mind raced, realizing this witch must have a hidden agenda, one that warranted such intricate measures. But what could that be?
Her thoughts momentarily returned to the elderly woman, likely the chief this witch had talked to when she feigned unconsciousness. Could there be a connection?
“You seem too young to be involved in anything sinister,” Nicole ventured to suggest to the witch clad in red.
The witch laughed mockingly. “That’s where you’re mistaken. I am older than your grandmother.”
Nicole was left speechless, doubting the truth of her words. The witch had a youthful appearance and a radiant complexion. How could she be so aged?
The witch clad in red did not linger on this point. Instead, she raised a finger and provocatively asked, “I’ve committed many wicked acts. To which one, in particular, are you referring?”
“Roscoe,” Nicole stated plainly. “What did you do to him?”
“Ah, Roscoe,” the witch clad in red responded with a flirtatious smile.
“I was merely a facilitator in that situation. It was Miguel who engineered his downfall, aiming to clear the path for his sons’ return from overseas. Roscoe was merely a pawn in the game, a scapegoat. He had a defiant streak, and it’s rumored he refused to marry Miss Schultz. At Miguel’s request, I supplied a parasite to ensure his compliance.”
Nicole’s expression hardened, struggling to comprehend how Miguel could treat Roscoe, his own flesh and blood, like this. And how could Miguel, at his advanced age, have fathered illegitimate sons overseas? Even so, Roscoe was still a descendant of the Watts family. Why would Miguel subject Roscoe to such cruelty?
Overwhelmed by questions, Nicole pressed further, “Did you bring him here?”
The witch clad in red turned away, her expression darkening. “You ask too many questions. If you wish to live longer, I advise you to keep quiet.”
With those ominous words, the witch vanished into the shadows, leaving Nicole alone as the door clicked shut behind her.
Frozen momentarily as she locked eyes with the tiny crimson serpent, Nicole knew immobility was her safest option against its piercing gaze.
From what she had observed the previous night, the serpent seemed to fall asleep as darkness settled. Testing this, Nicole cautiously moved her limbs at intervals to gauge the serpent’s reaction. It was only when the night deepened that the serpent lay still, revealing its vulnerability to sleep.
Resolute to verify her theory, Nicole decided to watch it closely that night, waiting for the right moment.
As darkness enveloped the room, Nicole carefully tested her hypothesis again. To her relief, the serpent did not stir at her gentle movements.
Recognizing her chance, Nicole prepared to make her move, seizing the window of opportunity the night’s quiet provided.
Nicole gingerly traced her fingers along the sharp edge of the bamboo she had discovered the night before, methodically cutting through the ropes that bound her wrists.
It took time and patience, but eventually, her efforts paid off, and she freed herself from captivity.
As she rose to her feet, she was surprised by how light she felt. Despite going without food or water for two days, she didn’t experience the expected hunger or weakness.
Instead, her body seemed to hum with warmth, as if her stomach was continually supplying energy to her vital organs, leaving her remarkably comfortable.
It appeared that the witch clad in red had been correct about the pill. It truly was a miraculous medicine, nourishing her body in ways she hadn’t thought possible. Could it be that the pill held the key to revitalizing her failing health?
Nicole found the notion difficult to comprehend. After all, the doctors had given her a bleak prognosis, suggesting she might have only fifteen to twenty years left post-surgery, just enough time to watch her son, Austin, grow up and perhaps even start a family of his own.
That was enough for her, she had thought, enough to face her mortality without regret.
But now, with the possibility of extended life, she couldn’t help but wonder. With so many bonds tying her to this world, who wouldn’t wish for more time to cherish their loved ones?
Putting aside her ponderings, Nicole cautiously approached the door. She tested the lock, finding it to be a simple latch rather than a secure padlock. While it wasn’t difficult to undo, she hesitated, wary of the potential noise that might disturb the sleeping serpent.
Every aspect of this place felt unnaturally peculiar, and the enigmatic witch clad in red only added to the sense of unease.
The witch’s claim to be senior to Nicole’s grandmother seemed genuine, casting a shadow of doubt on the true nature of their practices.
Reluctant to risk alerting anyone prematurely, Nicole painstakingly worked on the latch, taking a full thirty minutes to do so without making a sound. Glancing back at the still serpent, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Silently slipping outside, Nicole was met with an unexpected sight. The house was perched atop a colossal ancient tree. Descending would require sliding down the tree trunk, a far easier task than attempting to scale it upward.
Spotting a rope nearby, Nicole seized it and used it to lower herself down the tree. As she reached the ground, she realized she was standing within a vast natural pit, encircled by towering trees. Each tree bore peculiar, white, cocoon-like structures dangling from their branches, resembling oversized nests.
Nicole’s curiosity compelled her to approach one of the strange cocoons cautiously. However, what she discovered within caused her legs to tremble, and she stumbled back in horror.
Inside the cocoon, there was movement, something writhing and squirming in a manner that sent shivers down her spine. The sight was unsettling, to say the least.
Feeling overwhelmed by the bizarre and terrifying environment surrounding her, Nicole’s sole desire was to escape as swiftly as possible. Yet, with the dense forest obscuring her view, finding a way out seemed nearly impossible without guidance.
Remaining vigilant, Nicole silently navigated toward a conspicuous red house that stood amidst the dense foliage. Its stark contrast against the greenery only served to heighten its eerie allure.
As Nicole drew closer, she caught faint sounds emanating from within. The muted cries pierced through the silence, sending a chill coursing down her spine. The cries persisted, urgent and unsettling, urging Nicole forward despite her mounting fear.
Summoning her courage, she approached the red house and cautiously peered through the lone window, lifting her head slowly to catch a glimpse of the scene inside.
What met her eyes froze her in terror. An elderly woman, her long white hair flowing, was greedily sucking blood from another person’s neck, a look of pure satisfaction etched across her face. The eerie sobs emanated from the victim, the life force draining away with each gulp.
Nicole watched in horror as the elderly woman’s features seemed to undergo a grotesque transformation, her wrinkles smoothing out with each sip, leaving her looking slightly rejuvenated, yet still unnervingly aged.
The sight was beyond comprehension, leaving Nicole speechless as she covered her mouth in disbelief. As she witnessed the helpless victim inch closer to death’s embrace, Nicole’s heart pounded with desperation, but she knew any attempt to intervene would be futile.
Surrounding the elderly woman were countless crimson serpents, poised and vigilant, as if protecting their mistress. Nicole realized that any sudden movement would only invite their wrath, sealing her own fate in the process.