*****
Next morning, Beauty opened her eyes slowly, she turned her head from side to side and her back hurt the more as she did that.
She tried sitting up but couldn’t because of the pain.
“Ash…” She groaned and tears brimmed in her eyes.
“My back”
Ruben, who had slept off on the chair, woke up.
“Beauty” He muttered and rushed to help her, he put pillows behind her and helped her sit up.
“How do you feel?” He asked cupping her cheeks.
“Ru…by”
Beauty is surprised to see him, she took a good look around and realised that she’s in his room.
” The wounds still hurt right?” He inquires caressing her crimson cheeks.
“Ruby, I…didn’t poison her ” Beauty stuttered, tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I believe you, I know you would never do that” He smiled and wiped her tears away.
“You lost blood and you should get some rest” He urged and kissed her forehead.
“You aren’t…angry with me”
“No,I’m not”
“You are a strong baby, I didn’t even expect you to say a word,” Ruben said with a smile.
“I’m… a… strong baby” She nodded and he giggled.
“Water” Beauty muttered, her little strength already failing her.
“Alright, I will get some water” Ruben said, he looked around but there was no water in the suite.
He smiled and left the suite. He returned few minutes later and Beauty was not in the room.
The glass slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.
“Beauty” He called and ran to the bathroom but she wasn’t there..
“No, it can’t be”Ruben gasped
****
Lord Stone’s Study ***
Ruben barged into the study room and like he predicted, Beauty was held by two guards.
“Father let go of her,” Ruben yelled.
“Ruby… help” Beauty muttered feeling faint..
Betsy walked into the room too..
“What’s going on here?” Betsy asked in confusion she came to talk to him about Fernando.
“You”
“Father, don’t touch her,” Ruben warned seriously.
“Choose one either I behead her or you take her punishment” Lord Stone asked, smoking from a pipe.
“Father!” Betsy yelled in disbelief.
“I will take her punishment,” Ruben said out of desperation.
“Ruben, don’t do it,” Betsy said fearfully.
The remaining guards held Betsy, realising she could become a threat to them.
“Let go of me!”
” Ruby, don’t do it “Beauty muttered, it’s impossible struggling from their grip.
” I’m using the poisoned whip”Lord Stone uttered wickedly.
“No, don’t do it, father you are going to kill him” Betsy yelled close to tears.
Ruben took off his shirt and knelt down.he’s going to do anything for her life to be spared.
“Bring the whip” Lord Stone ordered and dropped the pipe he was smoking.
He stood up and wore his gloves, he walked out of his table and the guard brought the whip, it was wrapped up because it’s dangerous for the substance to penetrate into the skin.
“Father don’t do this please” Betsy yelled.
“You are going to kill him” She yelled but Lord Stone didn’t care about anything she was saying.
Lord Stone collected it and unwrapped it, to worsen things, they were sharply edges attached to the whips. He raised it up and just one lash, Ruben’s skin peeled off and blood splashed on the floor.
“Ruby!!!” Beauty screamed, tears dropped out of her eyes.
“Father, stop!” Betsy cried.
Ruben didn’t show any pain, he landed harshly five lashes of the whip, blood was gushing out of Ruben’s back.
“Ah,” Ruben groaned.
At the seventh time, a handful of blood came out of his mouth, the poison was taking its effect, Ruben’s veins started having black lines on it, from his forehead to his neck.
“Please stop,I will take his place” Beauty sobbed, it’s a terrible sight to watch.
Lord Stone started whipping him terribly, Ruben was groaning and spitting out more blood, the black lines had spread to his muscles, Ruben could feel his heart beat slowly stopping by the second that passed.
Lord Stone’s clothes and face were stained with blood but he didn’t stop whipping him.
“Father please” Betsy cried and closed her eyes she couldn’t watch it anymore.
Ruben couldn’t take the pain again he collapsed to the floor and started gasping, he couldn’t breathe.
“Let go of me” Beauty cried, she couldn’t keep watching the man she loves die.
“Father help him” Betsy screamed,it was impossible to get away from the grip of these hefty men that held her.
“Ruby, stand up please” Beauty cried helplessly, she’s too weak to even do anything .
Lord Stone threw the whip on the floor and clenched his fists.
“In your next life, you won’t dare me Ruben” Lord Stone barked.
Ruben gasps suddenly seized and in a split second his heartbeat stopped..
TBC…
