nforgiving floor of th

was a sickening drumbeat. Her

otection" of Chloe had led to her pain

aller torment, a pr

s wee

r locket of Ava's mother. It wasn't valu

en "accidentally" broken t

take it back, Chloe had cried, claiming

ad been

d on Ava then. His p

spare bedroom for hours. "To reflec

feigned, concerned calls through the door. "Ava, are you alri

ad re

d unlocked the door,

d said. "You need to be

ed of claustrophobia, a fear o

age felt like that small room

ilence broken only by her own ragged

he word was a

ways been wrapped up in his

'd drifted further away,

er to Ava's mother during her illness

d Chloe were

ically poisoned A

difficult

lous of Ch

mperament, it ma

rked in investment bank

ose. Shared secret

ections, whispered promises of in

en about Ava's "mood

en had pu

less frequent.

fter a particularly cutting remark from Ethan about her "

with Chloe and Linda. Dad's

re twisting thi

eace, Ava. Chloe looks up to him. M

ing. The wor

There was no one to call,

of Chloe's practiced victimhoo

Her captors, Ethan's men

m had said, his voice devoid of

pill. The man who orche

one. Its screen was

ould beg. She could p

g inside her

of her, replaced by a

? To be taken back to the cage, to endure more of Ch

as broken. Her ability to stan

er art. They had

them the satisfa

od left hand, she r

rs closed

desperate energy, she smashed

astic casing cracked and the screen sh

e. D

he cold seeping

quiet

osed h

would welcome it. I

f consciousness. Thirst gnawed at

ove. She did

wa