ra

elocity of the turn, and the resulting splash of wate

racturing as I asked him what hi

st the doorframe, a cruel, unfamiliar smi

that our entire marri

wl that a civilian with no mafia bloodlin

pretty distraction, a creature kept

ius added his voice to the chorus, hi

e was the true, rightful futur

l marriage would seal an ironclad alliance between

ent quiet

ed every resource, every hidden connection, and every ounce of my

if he had used my devotion only to secure his seat as the heir,

me as if I were a

remorse in his expr

red my

s faces distorted in the steam, becoming grotesque caricatures from a si

e water where the leering men could not see. My wet thumb hovered over the glass as I prepared

fted, it revealed the motion of

inting with venom as she branded me a pathetic mistress

reening in her pe

generously offered to let me remain in

woman of my low station was meant to be

if it had been c

tly manicured finger at the bathwater and announcing with

e, two more large cockroaches dropped

, obscene splash in the

e itself fro

y spine struck the cold porc

urning with unshed te

al, desperate

st hand me a robe so I could leave wi

tantly ignore

ld consider it an honor to breathe the sa

med to flip a switch in th

associates gr

pen threats of physical violence, and they began to pres