Chapter 18 The Brand Beneath Her Skin
Jean was a very timid girl. She looked at me with a face full of fear, backing away step by step.
After a few steps, her back hit a tree.
I stared into her eyes. “Tell me–what are you hiding?”
Trembling, Jean opened her palms. Lying in her hand was a mushroom.
I picked it up and examined it. It was the same type of poisonous mushroom that Lily had tested earlier.
Crying, Jean said, “Elsa told me to put this mushroom in the food. If I didn’t agree, she would…”
She trailed off, blushing.
I couldn’t help but ask, “She would what?”
Jean whispered shyly, “If I didn’t listen, she would hit me.”
I frowned. “Hit you?”
Jean nodded.
Her behavior didn’t make any sense to me.
Jean was with the rest of us survivors every day. Even if Elsa wanted to beat her, she wouldn’t have the chance.
What exactly was Jean afraid of?
It felt like she was hiding something.
I told Jean to put her hands on the tree and stand still. I was going to search her.
Jean looked scared, but I kept a stern face. “Stand still. If you want us to take care of you, you need to clear your name. Understand this–we won’t keep around someone who might poison us at any time.”
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Terrified and on the verge of tears, Jean placed her small hands on the tree and obediently stood in place.
I reached out and touched her back, then slipped my hands around to feel her chest over her dress.
When my hand touched her chest, something felt off.
Her chest was unusually firm–nothing like the softness you’d expect from a girl.
The buttons on Jean’s dress were in the back. I undid them and saw that underneath, she was wearing an old, tight–fitting bra.
The bra was too small, pressing her breasts tightly together.
Once I unhooked it, a pair of massive breasts spilled out.
Reflexively, I reached out and grabbed them.
It was hard to believe a girl of eighteen could have breasts this big.
I had large hands, but even one hand wasn’t enough to hold them.
Her nipples were big and hard–about the size of a fingertip–with a beautiful pink hue.
Even though I wasn’t particularly aroused, I still found myself playing with them.
Maybe this was just some kind of male instinct.
Jean frowned and softly pleaded, “Ah… Mr. Leon, please don’t…”
I let go of her and took a few steps back.
I said to her, “If you don’t like being searched, then take off your clothes yourself.”
Jean blushed and lowered her head in embarrassment.
I pointed at her clothes. “Take them off yourself. Once I’ve checked, I won’t bother you anymore. But if I have to do it, your clothes might get torn. There aren’t many spares on this island. You don’t want to go around naked all day, do you?”
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Jean hesitated for a moment, then finally removed her dress.
She tossed the dress and bra onto the grass, left wearing only a pair of red panties.
Jean had beautiful red hair. She was young, but her figure was unbelievably developed.
Her breasts were large, her butt full and firm, her waist slender.
That voluptuous figure, combined with her pale white skin, was incredibly enticing.
But just below her navel was a line of shocking text.
It was a row of Latin letters that translated to something like “lowly slave” or “cheap whore.”
A beautiful girl, delicate and fair–skinned, yet branded with such humiliating words.
I crouched next to her to take a closer look.
It wasn’t a tattoo–it had been seared into her with a branding iron.
Someone had heated metal letters and burned them into her skin, leaving those shameful marks.
The letters were twisted and uneven, clearly not recent.
They had to have been burned into her when she was still very young.
Though many years had passed, the brands were still vivid. The skin around them was warped with scar tissue. One could imagine how young Jean must have been when she was burned.
No wonder Jean was so insecure and timid. She must have endured something horrifying in her childhood,
Even though she looked pitiful, I couldn’t let my guard down.
When you’re on a mission, one careless mistake can get you and your team killed.
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I pointed at her panties. “Take those off too. I need to check there.”
Jean blushed furiously. Under my unyielding stare, she had no choice but to take off her underwear.
She placed one foot on a rock, exposing her most private area.
At my command, Jean spread herself open so I could inspect her thoroughly.
There was nothing hidden between her legs. Her pink flesh quivered gently, like a delicate rose in bloom.
Once I confirmed she wasn’t hiding anything dangerous, I waved her off to return
to camp.
I sat on a rock in silence, feeling a surge of anger.
I hadn’t expected Elsa to still be trying to harm the other survivors.
This time it was poisonous mushrooms. Who knew what she’d try next?
I decided to strike first–Elsa had to be eliminated.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
