Tortured Brother: My Sister Calls It Discipline

My sister, Delilah Sorrell, and I are now in our third year of captivity after being trafficked into Northern Marovia. Her whereabouts are unknown—whether she is dead or alive, no one knows—while I am tortured until I am nothing but a living corpse. The rotting flesh on my body constantly gives off a stench, the old iron chains on my feet cut deep into my skin, and I even compete with pigs for food just to fill my stomach. I finally quit resisting after countless cries for help went unanswered. I become completely consumed by despair, with only one thought left in my mind—to die. Suddenly, I hear a fierce argument happening nearby, just as I swallow a handful of pills and wait for my life to fade away. "Bennett is your younger brother! You already ruined his bright future after the SAT just for the sake of an underprivileged student! Why are you still putting him through this torture?" Delilah, my missing sister, suddenly shows up, speaking in a rushed, irritated tone. "He knows perfectly well that I am always here to back him up and that his grades don't matter. He still deliberately went out of his way to beat Nathan's scores, triggering a relapse of Nathan's depression! "I'm merely punishing him to teach him some humility. I'll be bringing him home once Nathan graduates in a month, so this minor hardship means nothing." I finally realize the truth now. I have risked my life searching every inch of the compound and still can't find her. It turns out that from the very beginning, all of this is just her punishing me for the sake of Nathan Baker, that underprivileged student. I cough up a mouthful of blood as I laugh through my tears. "Your punishment for me is finally coming to an absolute end, Delilah. I won't be returning home with you ever again." Chapter 1 I regained consciousness to the overwhelming smell of disinfectants in the hospital room. I stared vacantly at the ceiling, feeling an uncomfortable churning in my stomach. Delilah Sorrell, my sister, suddenly walked into the room with a medical report in her hand. I could only stare as the person I had spent three years looking for without success walked toward me. My pupils dilated as a torrent of emotions instantly surged in my heart. I stiffened my neck, stubbornly fighting back the tears, while Delilah glared at me, struggling to keep the anger threatening to erupt under control. Delilah and I knew exactly what was going on, but we were locked in a silent standoff, neither wanting to speak first. It wasn't until I met her gaze that my resolve finally crumbled. I couldn't keep the tremor out of my voice as I stammered, "D-Delilah—" Delilah's fury exploded in an instant. She slapped the gastric lavage report against my face and bellowed, "Haven't you thrown enough tantrums, Bennett? Did you deliberately take those pills to lure me out because you knew this was a punishment? You're playing with your life just to get my sympathy, huh? "You were only suffering a little out there! I personally instructed those people to treat you well. They were never supposed to hurt you. No matter how realistic the wounds you painted on yourself look, it's useless. All you're doing is making me sick, Bennett!" I went completely numb with disbelief, the raw pain lodging tightly in my throat. For three years, I had dreamed of finding her, imagining our reunion countless times. I couldn't help but wonder if I would be thrilled or if I would break down sobbing from the injustice of it all. I never could have guessed that her very first words to me would be a casual dismissal of my punishment and her usual complete lack of trust. Nathan Baker suddenly walked into the room, following a few seconds of stalemate. He smiled and handed me a banquet invitation, saying, "I'll be graduating soon, Bennett. You should come to my graduation banquet. I won't blame you for what happened in the past." I stared intently at Delilah with bloodshot eyes, making no move to accept the invitation. Nathan instantly looked down, looking deeply hurt as tears welled in his eyes. "It seems like Bennett still blames me for what happened back then, Delilah. You shouldn't bother with me anymore. "I don't need the graduation banquet either. You should just bring Bennett home. I'll move out of the Sorrell residence right away." Delilah's heart immediately ached for Nathan. She glared at me, her fists tightening as she yelled, "How could you be so completely incapable of changing your ways and refusing to accept Nathan, Bennett? You know full well he has depression, yet you still go out of your way to upset him! "It seems that your punishment back then wasn't enough!" Delilah immediately ordered the bodyguards to throw me out of the hospital. "Go suffer for another month. We'll see if you finally remember your lesson this time!" I finally snapped out of my daze after Delilah and Nathan drove away, leaving the car exhaust blowing in my face. I stared dazedly at the busy street, where every banner hanging from the lampposts celebrated Nathan's graduation. I noticed that the giant screen on the exterior of the mall ahead was showcasing the graduation gifts Delilah had given him—boxes of luxury goods and two private island villas. I could even hear casual passersby expressing their envy and praise for how much Delilah spoiled Nathan. I let out a harsh, bitter laugh, tears streaming down my face. It turned out that during the three years I was living a fate worse than death—the three years I risked my life just trying to find Delilah and the three years I wanted to flee for my life every single day—she was out here spoiling Nathan, a poor scholarship student, turning him into a pampered heir. Chapter 2 I wandered aimlessly through the streets, with nowhere to go. My body was covered in gruesome scars, and my short-sleeved shirt was stained with dried blood, drawing strange looks from everyone around me in the cold winter. However, I paid them no attention. I only stared at the vast river in the distance and kept walking, feeling a vague sense of relief deep inside. In the very next instant, someone suddenly placed a hand on my shoulder. I reacted on instinct, dropping to the ground and shielding my head in fear. "P-Please don't hit me! I'll behave! I'll do as I'm told…" That person furrowed their brow, looking completely bewildered. "Bennett Sorell? Is that really you?" I cautiously took a peek as I heard that familiar voice and realized that it was Paul Guest, my former teacher. I had been on excellent terms with him back in my school days. Mr. Guest asked, "What on earth happened to you? Does Delilah know about this? I mean, she treasures you more than anything in the world." I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh after hearing that. I was no longer the younger brother Delilah valued over her own life ever since she brought Nathan, that poor scholarship student, into our home. Nathan had constantly framed me for bullying him back then. He would accuse me of punching him whenever he had a bruise on his face, blame me for tearing his clothes whenever his clothes had holes in them, and hold me accountable for orchestrating the school bullying. Delilah believed him without a second thought every single time, furiously screaming at me and punishing me. She grew even more infuriated by my explanation, believing that I was not only malicious but had also learned how to lie. She eventually slapped me hard across the face and bellowed, "I provided you with a great lifestyle to give you a solid foundation, not to have you viciously pick on the vulnerable! You have truly been spoiled rotten! You must be taught a lesson this time, Bennett!" She then locked me in the basement for a week, completely ignoring the fact that I was claustrophobic. I nursed my resentment and refused to speak to Delilah for six months from that point forward. It wasn't until I placed first in the county on the SAT that Delilah offered to take me on a graduation trip. I understood that this was her way of apologizing to me. I merely thought that since we were siblings, there was really no grudge between us that couldn't be resolved. Yet, on the day of the trip, someone threw sacks over our heads and abducted us to Northern Marovia, and by the following day, Delilah had disappeared. I was worried for her safety, so I kept looking for her throughout the compound, even though my body was repeatedly whipped raw, causing new wounds to be added before the old ones on my body could even heal. I never gave up searching for her, no matter how painful it was. I was covered in burns from branding irons and narrowly escaped being fed to the pigs after being caught sneaking around again. It was then that a kind man took pity on me and advised, "You should stop with all the searching, young man. Anyone who vanishes out of nowhere in this place is likely long dead." In that instant, something inside me seemed to die. I drowned in guilt every waking moment. If I hadn't stubbornly fought with Delilah, she wouldn't have taken me on that trip just to get me to forgive her. If it hadn't been for me, Delilah wouldn't have been dragged into this place, and she wouldn't have lost her life here. I stopped fighting back entirely. I numbly accepted the daily beatings as part of a routine and numbly accepted the scars covering my body. I was so dead inside that I just wanted to end my life. I had finally managed to get my hands on a bottle of sleeping pills, and just as freedom was within reach, I discovered a truth that hurt worse than death. It turned out that everything I had been put through was because my SAT scores had been higher than Nathan's. It had triggered his depression, and Delilah had subjected me to this hellish punishment simply because her heart ached for him. I suddenly let out a harsh, twisted laugh that sounded nothing like me before breaking down, the tears I had kept suppressed bursting forth like a broken dam. Mr. Guest's eyes were brimming with tears. He tried to speak several times, his lips trembling uncontrollably. But in the end, he was unable to form a single word. He finally pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly in distress. "If there is anything you need, I'll do everything in my power to help you, Bennett." I shook my head wryly and said, "I don't need anything anymore." I had technically died long ago, so I had long since stopped wanting this empty shell of a body. I would have already been at peace if Delilah hadn't suddenly shown up to rescue me. Chapter 3 In the end, despite my constant refusals, Mr. Guest dragged me to the shopping mall anyway to buy some clothes to keep me warm. He treated me to the most satisfying meal I had eaten in three years, and before we parted ways, he also stocked me up on plenty of filling snacks and told me to reach out to him whenever I needed anything. I felt an immense wave of bitterness washing over me as I watched his retreating figure. Delilah—the person closest to me—had punished me without any hesitation when Nathan had framed me back in school, yet Mr. Guest had chosen to believe me. Three years ago, he had been the only person to show me any warmth. Ironically, three years later, he was still the only one who did. I had fully intended to end my life, but a new thought suddenly struck me. I wanted to repay Mr. Guest's kindness just once before I passed away, to thank him for everything he had done. After weighing my options, I settled on buying a bouquet of flowers. I had no money, and because my battered body couldn't handle real work, I resorted to gathering aluminum cans wherever I could find them to sell. It was just that every single time I struggled and finally managed to gather half a bag, someone would ambush me, rip the bag away, and dump all the cans into the river. I would run after that person, shouting a few curses, before turning back to listlessly start scavenging from scratch. I had finally managed to scrape together enough aluminum cans after going through this cycle of being robbed multiple times. I went to cash them in immediately, terrified that something else would go wrong. I then used the money to buy a bouquet of flowers just as I had planned. I had just dialed Mr. Guest's number when someone suddenly snatched the flowers from my hands, threw them onto the ground, and stomped on them repeatedly. "What are you doing?" I roared, completely losing control as I lunged at him. That burly man kicked me aside and sneered disdainfully. "That's what happens when you offend Ms. Sorrell. She paid top dollar for me to keep an eye on you, specifically to make sure you don't even get a single can!" I froze as it suddenly hit me that Delilah had mentioned wanting to teach me another lesson. I still couldn't bring myself to believe that my own sister would do this to me. Did she truly intend to completely destroy me, all for Nathan's sake? I felt my mind go blank for a second. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed a bike from a bike-share app and rode straight to the Sorrell residence. When I arrived, a grand graduation banquet for Nathan was already in full swing. I ignored everything around me as I grabbed a glass of wine and threw it at Delilah. "Have I not been punished enough back in Northern Marovia?" I shouted. In that instant, a sudden silence washed over the entire crowd. "Is my death the only thing that will make you stop?" Delilah turned to face me with a frown and spoke in a cold, offhand manner. "What is all this talk about dying and letting you go? I just wanted to teach you a lesson so that you would learn some humility, Bennett. "It's Nathan's graduation celebration today, so I'll end your punishment tomorrow. I'll bring you home, then. I'll give you whatever you want after that, so there's no need to fuss over a few worthless cans, Bennett." I was taken aback when she said that those were merely worthless cans. I looked around at the lavish graduation banquet and suddenly let out a laugh. It seemed like any bottle of wine in this room could cost well over a thousand dollars, and putting together a single banquet like this could cost well over hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, all I had wanted was to collect enough cans to exchange for money and buy a bouquet of flowers worth a few dozen dollars. It turned out that something she completely wrote off as nothing was an impossible luxury for me. Just then, Nathan walked over, looking dazzling in his suit. He considerately patted Delilah on the back to help calm her down, scanned me from head to toe, and sighed gently. "Delilah did all of this for your own good, Bennett. How can you not appreciate her good intentions?" Chapter 4 Nathan walked over and took my hand as he spoke, looking completely innocent. "It's my graduation celebration today, and since you're here, you should celebrate with me, Bennett. I won't hold it against you that you bullied me back then. I hope we can get along well from now on, for Delilah's sake." I suddenly received a call from Mr. Guest just as he finished speaking. I stared at the lit screen and went to pick it up, but Nathan threw a fit, screaming as he swatted the phone away. "How could you still be in touch with Paul? You couldn't possibly be plotting with him on how to hurt me again, right?" He suddenly began bowing frantically before I could even react. "I'm so sorry, Bennett! I shouldn't have shown up at the Sorrell residence, and I shouldn't have been in your way! I know the only way you'll ever be truly happy is if I'm dead!" He turned on his heel, wiping away his tears as he sprinted toward the massive river opposite the estate. In that instant, the banquet instantly descended into chaos. Delilah, in particular, grew deathly pale with fear. Without a moment's hesitation, she kicked off her high heels and ran after Nathan. Just as Nathan scrambled up onto the guardrail by the river, Delilah lunged forward with sharp reflexes and pulled him down. Nathan wept bitterly in her arms, the tip of his nose turning bright red. "Why did you have to save me, Delilah? Why didn't you just let me die? I can't go through that nightmare again! The only way I can escape from it all is by dying!" Delilah's eyes were bloodshot, showing a mix of intense heartbreak for him and sheer fury. She choked up as she spoke softly to calm Nathan down. She then spun around and used every ounce of her strength to deliver a vicious slap to my face. "Wasn't what you and Paul did to Nathan back then enough? The two of you drove him into depression! "You've just returned, yet you're already plotting how to hurt Nathan again! You're beyond saving, Bennett!" I got slapped so hard that my head snapped sideways. I stood rooted to the spot, cradling my stinging cheek. I couldn't help but wonder why I had to take the blame every single time when I was completely innocent. I looked up at her, obstinately holding her gaze. "I never did anything to hurt him! What do I have to do to make you—" But then I caught the look of utter disappointment in her eyes, which instantly mirrored every single instance from years ago. I laughed bitterly at myself, unable to say another word. I thought there was no point in asking questions anymore. After all, when something was no longer wanted, it would naturally be thrown out like trash. I felt the very last bit of family affection I kept buried inside me completely vanish at this very moment. I stared at her vacantly and asked, "I'm almost done with my punishment, right? I'd like you to help me with a favor. Can you help me deliver a bouquet of flowers to Mr. Guest?" Delilah scoffed as she looked at me with utter disdain. "I'll give you whatever you want as long as you leave Nathan alone and stop plotting with Paul after your punishment ends." I simply thought to myself that she wouldn't have to worry about her precious Nathan being bullied anymore after today. I didn't want anything else from her—just the flowers for Mr. Guest. "You'd better keep your word, Delilah." I felt completely empty inside as I lowered my head, turned around, and headed toward the deserted stretch of the riverbank across the way. Delilah watched my retreating figure, which looked more like a walking corpse, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat as a wave of unprecedented anxiety surged through her. She was just about to step forward and chase after me when a faint, frail cough from Nathan pulled her back. She was overcome with worry, so she immediately took Nathan straight to the hospital. I waited by the riverbank until the dead of night, and only when the area was completely deserted did I climb up the guardrail step by step. I looked down at the river surface and closed my eyes, experiencing a sudden rush of liberation. … Delilah stayed by Nathan's side for an entire week, comforting him until his emotions finally stabilized. When she checked the date on her phone, she suddenly realized that my birthday was just around the corner. She resolved to bring me home and finally give me all the birthday presents she had withheld during the last three years. She was just about to make the call when a news notification popped up on her phone. "A decomposed male corpse was recovered from the Lureth River earlier today. An identification check has confirmed the body belongs to Bennett Sorrell, the top academic student who disappeared without a trace three years ago."