103 Twelve Strokes


    E stared at Jane with disgust. This disheveled-lookingdy was once a charmingdy she had praised and wanted to work with. She couldn’t believe her eyes that the lunatic was begging to be epted back into herpany.


    “Jane, if you don’t keep quiet right now,” E’s eyes were chilly “I will be forced to p out your insanity. Keep your treacherous mouth shut!”


    Jane instantly stopped talking and stared down at her feet. She resumed moving her lips but no sound came out.


    In E’s subconscious, she slightly felt sorry for Jane. She wanted to forgive her and let her go. However, she knew Jane was just saying all of this to save her skin. Jane was far from a changed person. Within one month of freedom, Jane would be back to her old self; deceiving and manipting any unfortunate victim that crossed her path.


    Nevertheless, Leon was unperturbed by Jane’s maniptive strategy. He had seen a lot of such poor and repulsive acting in his line of work.


    People like Jane were very cunning. Once they were pardoned and set free, they could turn around and mercilessly kill their captors. He didn’t want Jane to take advantage of E’s sweet forgiving nature. Hence, he encouraged her to wait outside the room, if she felt ufortable with punishing Jane.


    “Okay Leon,” E replied, I came here mostly for Frost. However, I want to watch what you or your men intend doing to Jane.” E went out of the room, with Leon behind her.


    “What kind of punishment would you subscribe for Jane?” Leon looked askance at E.


    “I want her to be flogged and then released,” E said in a calm voice. “I think her conscience will do the remaining work, as Frost had maliciously thrown her under a bus.”


    .....


    “What? Flogging is child’s y! Don’t you think she deserves more than that?”


    “Well, I can’t think of any other suitable punishment for her. She’s ady!” E replied with a pleading look.


    “Fine!” Leon said curtly. His tone conveyed his irritation. “Although I am not pleased with your suggestion, I will allow it just this once because of you. Even though Jane is ady and you’re feeling sorry for her, note that she won’t feel the same way for you if the tables were to turn around.” Leon’s stares were intense. “As I said earlier, Neither Jane nor Frost deserve your sympathy. If they had seeded in their evil n against you, you would have been hospitalized by now. Make sure you keep that in mind when we visit Frost. Don’t go soft on me because I don’t intend to show Frost any mercy.”


    Leon wanted to tell E that acquiring Frost and Jane from the courtroom had caused him the life of five of his loyal men. Maybe if she had that information, she would think otherwise.


    However, he had no intention of letting her have a glimpse of his underworld operation. He knew that she was far from ready to handle the knowledge of this aspect of his life.


    “Thanks, I won’t show Frost any mercy.” E’s expression was apologetic and determined. “When I’m done exerting my revenge on him, I will leave him to you to do whatever you like.”


    “Good!” Leon said curtly. He turned his attention to Sky. “Get the horsewhip and give her twelveshes. Then take her to her home in Amzone city.”


    “Yes, boss!” Sky smiled slyly as he perfectly understood Leon’s ns.


    Leon had no intentions of letting Jane go scot-free. He knew that Albert’s men would be on the lookout for either Jane or Frost. Hence he cunningly decided to gift Jane to the bloodthirsty Albert.


    Sky did as he was instructed. He mercilessly gave Jane twelve heart-wrenching strokes that struck different chords and nerves of pain in her body.


    For every stroke thatnded on her back, Jane’s squeal reverberated in the room. Each whip left horrible bloody marks on her back.


    At the sixth stroke, E’s soft heart couldn’t take Jane’s scream any longer.


    “Leon, let’s go! I think I’ve seen enough!” E’s eyes were clouded with tears.


    “Hmm...”Leon turned his head sideways and looked into her shimmering eyes. “She doesn’t deserve your sympathy or tears, my love.” He brought out his handkerchief and dabbed her eyes dry. “Remember, no crying!” He leaned closer and kissed her on the lips. Then they both left to visit Frost.


    Frost was pacing around his room cursing and spitting out bloody saliva. He had cut lips and an injured gum due to the earlier punch he got from one of Leon’s men: when he had made an unwise move to hit Mia.


    In his deranged mind, he thought of all the horrible punishment he would visit on Mia; for her insolence if he ever escaped Leon’s men. Mia had the nerves not only to p but insult him and threatened to take his two precious boys away.


    “I will deal with you, Mia!” Frost said between clenched jaw. “You are mine forever! There is no escaping my wrath. I will deal with you.”


    Before Leon and E entered Frost’s room, Leon insisted that E watched a recorded video of Frost and Mia’s interaction. He intentionally wanted E to see Frost for the monster that he was. He also wanted to fuel her rage against Frost. He feared that she might decide to show Frost mercy if he begged for it.


    “Who is thatdy?” E’s eyes shed with horror. She never knew Frost to be a woman beater. Invariably, Frost had so many monstrous traits that he had sessfully hidden for years.


    “That’s Frost’s wife, Mia,” Leon responded beside her. He was intrigued by the burning hatred in E’s eyes and he couldn’t wait for her to unleash terror on Frost. “Mia is a great and loyal wife, with two children. For twenty-five years, Frost had been ruling his family with an iron fist. Apparently, Frost got tired of the marriage and promised to divorce Mia for Jane.”


    “What! That’s cruel! Jane is really evil!” E widened eyes darkened with hatred. “Oh, the things I’m going to do to that monster.” E left Leon’s side and charged into Frost’s room with her golden gun in her hands.