ia's

y ached, and my heart thudded with a constant rhythm of fear. The events of last night played on rep

he wouldn't stop there. He would destroy me-and the baby. My hand ins

t that happen

tions felt like a cruel joke.

ughts. Before I could res

aw me sitting up. For a brief second, I thought maybe-just maybe-she had come

as she approached, he

er voice cutting through the room. "What on earth are y

I stared at her, stunned,

e..." My voice faltered as the memories fl

hy I desperately needed. Instead, a chilling ind

to make him hit y

if she had str

without a reason. Instead of sitting here sulking, you shoul

ther to be cold and calculating, but this? This fel

w streaming freely. "How can you sa

entarily. "No," she admitted, her voice tight, "but not all men are the

r it?" I echoed, disbelief

tale. You do what you must to keep your husband h

ars. She didn't care. About me. About

s al

he sheets off me. "Get up. You've embarr

felt like a d

house felt heavier, as though I were walking toward my execution. My stomach ch

n the living room, drink in hand, his feet propped up as if nothing had happened. The man

nudge forward. "Go," sh

alyzed by fe

manded, her nails d

g further with every second. "I'm so

d me harder. "Not like that!

her, horrifi

orced me down. The pain from my injuries flared, and I bit ba

h deliberate ease. He leaned back, his lips curling into a

g with disdain. "Without me, you'd be nothing

ike a blade carv

e almost pleading. "She's learned her le

r what? Surviv

palms. Anger and shame boiled inside me, warring with t

hand. "Fine. But don't think I'll forget this,

ck

alpable. "See?" she said, tur

d man. Just behave yourself and do wh

ood

t both of them. But I stayed sile

hard rose from his chair and loomed over me. H

ok bad," he hissed, his gri

backward, my hands instinctively protect

sat on the floor, my body shakin

Not my mothe

had th

do anything

lay awake, my hand resting over my abdomen. I

. I held my breath, expecting Richard. But the ste

r mingled as I cr

s. Her face was stern, her gestures animated. She handed him someth

p to? What did

ying thought crossed my mind:

. I had to act fast. Whatever she was planning, whatev

ecame clear. My time in this house was

my freedom had