The air in the basement was thick with despair, a palpable heaviness that seemed to seep into the very walls. Edward Cullens face was a mask of cold resolve, his eyes reflecting the torment that had hardened his heart into stone. His gaze fell upon Isabella "Bella" Swan, her form a testament to the sirens curse, her beauty marred by the brutality of his vengeance.
"I will never feel better in this life!" he roared, his voice echoing off the walls like a thunderclap in the confined space. "Why did you save me? Do you have any idea how much I wish we had all died, to be spared the endless nights of unrest that followed?"
The memory of the corpses, over five hundred souls of Lakeview Village, scattered and mutilated, haunted him like a specter that would not be exorcised. He was the sole survivor, the bearer of a grief that was as vast as it was consuming, and it fueled his unquenchable thirst for retribution against the siren race.
With a flick of his hand, the chains that bound Bella were unlocked, and she collapsed to the ground, her strength sapped by the relentless extractions of her heartblood and the emotional turmoil that left her spirit in tatters.
"Let me atone," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Do with me as you will, I..."
But her words were cut short by the icy disdain in Edwards eyes. "Continue," he commanded with a sneer. "Such a monster can regenerate, its scales are endless."
The pain was not numbed by the repeated tearing of her scales; if anything, it seemed to grow more sensitive with each session. Bellas screams echoed through the chamber, a haunting melody of agony that did not move Edward in the slightest.
As her scales were removed, they lost their luster, becoming lifeless remnants of what they once were. Alongside the scales, tears fell from her eyes, not as tears but as siren pearls that scattered around her bloodied tail, their brilliance a cruel contrast to her suffering.
In the end, Bellas cries were silenced not by an end to her pain but by the dryness of her eyes, devoid of the ability to weep any longer. The scales and siren pearls were taken from her, and the basement was plunged back into a deathly silence.
Her body, once vibrant and alive, was now a broken shell, her legs transformed back to human form, marred by the brutality she had endured. Bella lay in a pool of her own blood, her existence a testament to the unforgiving nature of Edwards hatred.
She had meant every word, wishing to alleviate his pain, even if just a little. But she had underestimated the depth of his resolve...
Edward had an arsenal of methods to plunge her into the abyss of despair.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Bella was brought to an exquisite courtyard, where the sound of a feminine voice broke the silence. "Edward, is this the monster? She doesnt look like one..."
"Monsters dont wear it on their faces," Edward replied, his voice as cold as the grave.
"Even though shes a monster, her siren tears are incredibly effective," Catherine Earnshaw said matter-of-factly. "I need more siren tears for beauty and skincare!"
Catherines skin had become translucent and delicate from the siren powder she had used, and she was already demanding more.
Bella looked up slowly to see Edward carefully holding a delicate and lovely woman, his gaze towards her still filled with disgust. But just for a moment, she had seen the softness in his eyes, so similar to the way he had looked at her...
Only one was genuine, and one was a facade.
Edward affectionately touched Catherines head and smiled. "So many siren tears, and youve used them all up already?"
"I shared them with my friends... Edward, make her cry out more!" Catherine was a spoiled lady, thinking that siren tears were easily obtained, just a matter of making Bella cry.
Edward finally looked at Bella directly, but his words chilled her heart. "Didnt you hear?"
"Im sorry, I cant cry," Bella said, lowering her head, her eyes still dry. "I dont have that many siren tears anymore."
So many siren tears, how could they come so easily?
Even if she were to have her scales torn out again, she wouldnt be able to cry.
"You sirens are all tough nuts to crack, unyielding until the coffin appears," Bella was stunned to see one of her kind being dragged in, bound and struggling.
Upon seeing her, his eyes lit up, "Sister Bella! Ive finally found you!"
"Peeta!" Bella was shocked and couldnt help but tremble with fear, "What do you want to do?"
Edward saw Bellas fear, and that was what he wanted to see. Her eyes should be filled with fear, not that damn tolerance and softness!
A strange smile appeared on his face as he spoke softly, saying something that made Bellas soul fly and her spirit scatter— "Isabella Swan, would you like to witness, boiling a siren alive?"
In the courtyard, a large, dark iron pot was set up, and the burning firewood made the iron pot smoke, and the yellow oil was poured in.
"Ill cry, Ill cry right now, you can have as many siren tears as you want, Ill give them to you!" Bellas teeth chattered, her body shaking as tears fell from her eyes like a broken string of beads, splashing onto the ground.
"Dont cry, Sister Bella!" He struggled and roared, "Let me go! Dont let you bully my Sister Bella!"
"Peeta, dont talk, Im fine..." Bella staggered to her knees, her hands shaking as she gathered the siren tears on the ground, her eyes still flowing with tears, turning into pearls when they hit the ground.
The people around were amazed at this strange scene, but Catherine said with disgust, "Its so small, and the color doesnt look very good. Edward, make that siren cry too!"
Catherine looked innocent and naive, but in Peetas eyes, she was extremely evil.
He roared, "You cant! You wicked woman!"
"Peeta, shut up!" Bella was afraid that Peeta would provoke Edward, and she shouted at him fiercely, then pleaded to Catherine, "Miss Catherine, give me some time, I can definitely give you a lot of siren tears!"
Even if it meant crying blind.
"Its not enough, far from enough," Edward was unmoved and said in a deep voice, "Isabella Swan, you know what Ive always wanted is not siren tears."
Buckets of seawater were splashed onto Peetas body, revealing his fish tail.
Peeta couldnt stand firm and fell to the ground.
Two servants untied his chains, picked him up, and looked at Edward.
"Peeta is just a child! Hes still young, he doesnt know anything!" Bella had never been so panicked, tears flowing more and more, "Let him go, let me do it!"
The habitat of the siren clan must not be said no matter what!
Catherine seemed to have found something incredible, pointing at Bella and shouting, "Edward, look, this time the siren tears are a bit bigger than just now!"
Edward was cold and cruel, and with a wave of his hand, Peeta was thrown into the hot oil pot!
The sound of skin and flesh contacting the hot oil, instantly burst open!
At the same time, Peetas howl pierced the sky above the courtyard, and the severe pain made him keep flopping, and large beads of siren tears fell from his eyes.
Bellas liver and gallbladder were broken, and she screamed and rushed over.
At this time, Peeta also rolled down and fell to the ground, panting and moaning.
Bella didnt dare to touch him, Peetas body was covered with open wounds, there was no place to start.
"Im sorry, Peeta, its me who harmed you..."
Peeta grinned, struggling to hold Bellas hand.
"Peeta, right? If you take me to the siren clan, I will let you go, and Isabella Swan too," not far away, Edwards voice sounded lightly.
Bella couldnt say a word to stop it.
If Peeta couldnt stand it and said it, it wouldnt be strange.
Its all her fault! It was she who couldnt resist Edwards temptation and dragged Peeta and the whole clan into this!
Peeta was very tough and firmly spat out two words: "No way!"
Immediately, someone came forward to lift Peeta, Bella tightly hugged his body, and cried out in agony: "Let me do it, let me do it! Edward, kill me!"
She cant call out "Edward" anymore, there has never been an Edward, there has only been a cold-hearted Edward.
Edward was unmoved, and even felt that Bella hugging Peetas scene was particularly dazzling.
He didnt shout to stop, and the servants increased their strength.
When Peeta was forcibly pulled away and left his own arms, Bella felt that this was a thousand times more painful than the scales leaving his body!
"Sister Bella, Im not afraid! I would rather die than betray the clan!"
Peeta was thrown into the oil pot again, and a group of servants surrounded the pot with spears, swords, and halberds. Once he rolled to the edge and tried to come out, they would poke and force him back!
Bella was firmly controlled and could only watch Peeta fry and suffer to death!
A strong smell of meat filled the air, and Edward seemed to sigh: "Siren tears are treasures, and this siren meat is also a delicacy."
Pain! Pain! Pain!
How could there be such pain in the world?
Bella couldnt describe it, she just wished she had never come to this world!
A burst of blood surged in her body, hitting her bones all over, making her unable to help but howl.
"Look at her siren tears!" Catherine exclaimed.