Chapter 347: No one is asking you to do anything
The slave that came on to the stage, though haggard and his appearance barely seen thanks to his overgrown hair, I could already feel the connection that disgusted me.
A connection that one could only feel through blood ties.
My soft red gaze hardened once again as I turned my head towards the stage.
They say, do to others what you want others to do to you. What goes around, comes around. Karma is a bitch... All of that... I finally see all of that on stage.
Ah, I knew I didn't have a proper revenge by just hitting that son of a bitch... But it seems my masters did it for me.
"Now, shall we start the starting bid with a billion?" The host asked, but no one raised their paddle, looking up at the booth to see if we were going to take this rare product.
But I had no interest in buying back that bastard. Ah, this was his fate. He has to go through this as well.
You could say I had a black heart for turning a blind eye to my own brother being sold when I could just buy him and keep him safe but anyone who knows my story would understand my actions.
I... I don't plan to live like I have a relative somewhere in this world.
I'm an orphan. I'm someone with no siblings. And the only family I have is my masters.
"Is there no one taking the bid?"
Seeing as I did not respond, they began to bid. To be honest, while I wished I had fun watching my brother getting auctioned off, just as the fate he put me into, it disgusts me.
I did not like the feeling at all.
I hated the memory phasing through my mind and I hated the thought of the wretched life hr was about to live.
I wouldn't wish for such a life for anyone but... I don't... I don't want to help him.
This was karma so please turn a blind eye. Turn a blind eye you fool.
I gripped the arm of my chair hard, gritting my teeth and shutting my eyes, hoping it would be over right away since I felt that if it went on any longer, I just might do something stupid.
My heart... Wasn't ready for this.
"Ah, and there's the final bid, I assume. A whopping sum of three billion from master Shin's booth." The host announced and I opened my eyes, startled.
Did I raise my baton without knowing?
I looked at my hand but it wasn't me. Then, if it wasn't me, who...?
I looked at Jin-Yeok, looking at me with worry and concern in his eyes, while his assistant, whom I didn't even know was standing there the whole time, had his paddle raised.
"You..."
His concern turned to pity as he leaned and said,
"Don't be too hard on yourself," he caressed the corner of my face and then slipped his hand towards my ear, comforting me with subtle movements. "No one is asking you to do anything."
"I know but then why?" I asked, my curious eyes shaking with vulnerability. "Why did you bid for him?"
"That was the plan the whole time." He said. "Jo-Pil, I took you here to show you the pathetic state the one who made you a slave had finally gotten. He has been living a rather hard life and tossed from one parlour to another and he's completely lost his will to struggle. I know all of that, but I know it's not enough to make up for the anger burning in your heart, so I thought of something else."
"Do you think buying him will make me feel any less angry?"
"I don't know but... I thought maybe seeing his pathetic life for yourself will help." He said but I squinted my eyes.
Would it?
I rolled my eyes towards the stage.
It's not like I have a black heart that enjoys seeing people suffer. In fact, I feel disgusted and would rather not be near that suffering since it leaves a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.
So, if he's saying this, it's probably because he doesn't know I've put all that behind me.
He doesn't know I would rather live forgetting all of that, moving on from all of that trouble than actually living in it and reminding myself of all that I've gone through.
"If I live my life seeing my brother in his lost state, I don't think I'll ever be able to digest my meals," I said to him. "And..." I looked at the stage once again.
He looked just like me after I lost most of my sanity during my third child's birth. I gave up my emotions because I didn't want to feel anything anymore.
Not the torture, not the taunts, not the acclaimed love and care they had for me. None of it.
He looked like he had been through a lot but was that enough compared to what I had gone through?
Revenge was sweet and exciting while chasing it, but once the chase was over, once it was all done and dusted, then... The only thing left would be the hollow emptiness in one's heart.
After revenge, what comes next?
It's not as sweet as one imagined it to be. It's bitter and leaves you empty.
I don't want to pursue revenge for the rest of my life. I don't want to live for anyone other than myself. I want to love, be loved, have kids, love them, and receive their love.
I... I want to have a family, one I can always and will always rely on.
"What did you plan to do with my brother after buying him?"
"I wanted to make him your slave." He said and my heart felt a heavy thud.
It didn't sound pleasant at all.
"You don't want that?" He asked and I shook my head.
"No, I don't," I said, gripping his hand on my face. "Hyung, just... Let him go."