Trouble in Paradise

The auction hall's large screen flickered, casting an unsettling light and filling the room with a sense of dread. The once-curious crowd now stared wide-eyed, frightened by Claudia's eerie smile and the sinister laughter echoing from the speakers. Nicholas spread his coat wide and wrapped me tightly in his arms. I could hear him repeating softly, "It's okay. Everything will be fine..."

But my entire body trembled uncontrollably in his embrace. Fine? How could anything be fine?

"Nicholas, why did you come here?" I mumbled the question to myself.

If he hadn't come, there would've been no one to shield me. I might have had to face everything alone, forcing myself to be strong.

I might have been compelled to confront the "so-called disgrace" head-on, instead of having my most unspeakable vulnerabilities laid bare before him.

The flickering light painted jagged shadows on his face. His eyes, looking at me, reflected worry and pain.

My face looked pale and hollow in his gaze, and for a moment, I felt lost. As long as he was here, all I wanted was to rely on him.

So much for not wanting to involve him or thinking I could handle things on my own. The moment I saw him, all those resolutions were swept aside.

I shook my head, closed my eyes tightly, and stumbled backward.

"Ari, it's okay. I'll never let anything happen to you!"

Nicholas's voice was filled with anguish. He couldn't bear to watch me endure so much pain. He blamed himself for noticing too late, for failing to protect me, for making me feel so insecure.

Realizing something, I abruptly pulled out my phone and pointed it at the screen. "Nicholas, you've already seen the photos. Looking at them again doesn't matter. This time, even if Claudia had nine lives, I'm sending her to prison!" Nicholas froze briefly before lifting his hand to block my camera lens.

"Ari, there won't be any-"

Before he could finish, the screen suddenly jumped, and images began pouring out one after another. But...

"Why aren't these my photos?"

I wasn't the only one confused.

Gasps erupted throughout the room. "Why are all these photos of Mr. Fisher?"

Photo after photo appeared-Nelson with different women, many of whom looked incredibly young. The stream of images continued until photos of Nelson entangled with Claudia also surfaced. noveldrama

The majority of these images had been taken at The Secret.

The screen wasn't just showing images-it included text descriptions detailing the horrifying experiences of minors at The Secret as well.

The narratives exposed how

underage boys and girls were

coerced into submission. If they resisted, they were beaten or drugged. There was no escape, no turning back.

To these people, humans were nothing but tools to satisfy desires, each with a clear price tag.

The screen flickered again, now playing a video. In the footage, Nelson grabbed a young girl's hair and smashed her head against the corner of a table repeatedly.

"Isn't there someone waiting for a kidney transplant? If she doesn't behave, there's no point in keeping her alive. We may as well make some money off her!" Finally, he let go, and the girl slumped over, her head drenched in blood. Unconscious, she was dragged away by another person who gripped her legs.

No one knew where they were taking her. A trail of blood stained the pristine white carpet behind her.

The entire hall fell silent. Some women, overwhelmed with fear and disgust, covered their mouths, sobbing.

Everyone turned to Nelson, who was sprawled over the stage, their gazes filled with revulsion-as if staring at a demon. The girl in the video looked no older than ten.

Nicholas' voice broke the silence, gentle but firm. "I had someone swap out the contents of Claudia's USB drive.

"She no longer has your photos. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore-there won't be a single picture of you out there anymore."