Chapter 4

Sienna kicked me away, "You're disgusting, Aurora!"

"Stay away from Brandon. Your fishy smell is making me sick."

Brandon stepped on my shoulder, "Aurora, you can't even beg properly, can you?"

His friends chimed in, eager to provoke.

"Brandon, they say mermaid tears are priceless. Is Aurora going to cry tonight or not?"

"She doesn't seem that upset. Maybe you're holding back too much, Brandon."

"Yeah, Brandon, you're not getting all soft and gentle, are you? Your methods are way too mild this time."

Brandon, being short-tempered, couldn't stand such provocation.

He leaned down, grabbed my jaw, and slammed my head against the side of the tank. "Aurora, you said you loved me most, didn't you? Now shed a few mermaid tears for me. Let me see just how much you love me!"

"Cry!"

Blood stained the glass. Brandon, like a madman, continued to brutalize me.

His eyes were completely red. I desperately bit my lip, suppressing the pain.

Everyone around fell silent. Marcus stepped forward, stopping Brandon.

"I already paid a high price for this fish. What if you break her?"

Brandon waved him off, panting furiously, "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Marcus sneered, "I'm your father, Brandon. Don't forget your true identity."

Brandon's face turned ashen at his words, and much of his rage subsided.

He looked at my blood-stained face with disgust, meticulously checking if any mermaid tears had fallen.

The answer, predictably, was none.

Mermaids have a high pain tolerance. Even with immense physical and psychological torment, I hadn't shed a single tear.

"You've got guts, Aurora! I want to see how tough you really are!"

Brandon pulled out his phone and made a call. Moments later, he dragged me by my hair to a monitor.

My heart sank instantly. It showed the sea where the merfolk lived.

Brandon sneered.

"What if I capture all your family and bring them before you? Would you cry then?"

On the monitor, several large ships surrounded the merfolk's waters.

I trembled all over, grabbing Brandon's clothes, pleading.

"Please, whatever you want, do it to me."

"Brandon, please, let my family go, okay?"

Brandon pushed my hand away. He was about to say something, but then he looked down and froze.

Several luminous pearls lay gleaming before me.

A collective gasp swept through the crowd.

"My god... Those are the legendary mermaid tears! How much are they worth?"

"Just one would make a man rich for life!"

Marcus quickly walked over and picked up a few. The crowd immediately swarmed forward.

Brandon grabbed me, "Aurora, are you really so concerned about your pathetic life?"

"You're so selfish. I should have choked you to death the moment you came ashore!"

I looked at him in despair, my eyes devoid of any emotion.

This man had rotted to the core in my eyes.

Sienna came over, linking her arm through Brandon's, "Since we're on a cruise, just throw her overboard."

"We've already gotten everything we wanted."

Brandon's eyes glinted with cold fury, "Aurora, even if I got the mermaid tears, I won't let you go."

Brandon shoved the monitor before me. The sea had churned into a bloody stain.

My voice died in my throat. In chasing a fairytale, I might have sacrificed my own family.

He dragged me across the deck, pinning me against the railing as the bitter wind clawed at my skin.

My breath came in shallow gasps, my gaze burning with pure hatred.

"My only regret is saving you that day," I whispered. "It should have been you who died."

His pupils sharpened to points.

Just then, the ocean surged. Through the spray, a tall, familiar figure walked across the raging waves and reached for me.

"Aurora, I've come for you."

Tendrils of dark vine erupted from the water, coiling around the cruise ship with a crushing grip. In a heartbeat, the sea turned ink-black.

Through the rising mist, hundreds of mermaid tails broke the surface. Pale faces emerged, their eyes fixed hungrily on the ship's passengers.

Sienna screamed, "Brandon, what's happening?"

But Brandon acted as though he hadn't heard. His gaze remained locked on me, cold and accusing.