Chapter 4

Bruce locked Tobias in his room from that day on, even going as far as to forbid him from leaving.

I was soon diagnosed with severe depression. The doctor even made it known that I was a suicide risk.

My parents started to treat me like I was glass after that. It was as if they were afraid that one wrong word would cause me to shatter.

I was so weak that I didn't even have the strength to push myself upright. So, Dana had to bring me food and feed me herself. Unfortunately, the pain from my injuries prevented me from eating much.

She had no choice but to watch me growing thinner and thinner by the day, feeling as though the razors I'd swallowed were slicing her heart apart instead.

Only Tobias remained indifferent toward me.

"The whole household is revolving around you now. You've done it! Are you happy now?"

Bruce slapped him hard the second those words fell from his lips. "It seems you still haven't learned from your lesson. Keep this up, and you'll be confined for a month!"

Andrea hastily fell to Bruce's feet, pleading, "Tobias didn't mean it. He only said it because he's worried that you're being deceived. He only has your best interests at heart. The weather's really nice out today. So, how about I take Cassandra out for a walk? Maybe it'll help brighten her mood?"

Bruce hesitated for a whole of just two seconds before agreeing.

I remained sitting there in my wheelchair like a porcelain doll, utterly expressionless.

Andrea pushed me to an open area.

When she saw that we're well and truly alone, she finally removed her facade. Her lips tugged wide into a vicious snarl.

"I'm Bruce and Dana's only daughter. I'm the sister Tobias loves the most. Who do you think you are, trying to take my place? You got lucky that you didn't die in the Wastelands, but luck isn't going to save you this time!"

Then, she shoved me to a slope and released the handle.

My wheelchair zoomed forward.

Just then, a pack of rogues appeared out of nowhere and lunged at me.

Andrea only started screaming for help when she saw that I was completely surrounded.

Then, she forced down a shudder of disgust and stepped inside the ring of rogues.

When Tobias arrived, she began shrieking hysterically, "Help! Don't touch me! Help!"

A servant pointed in my direction, their face white. "Cassandra! Cassandra—"

"The guards will be here any moment!" Tobias cut them off, hesitating. However, his mind snapped when he saw Andrea being violated. So, he unsheathed his blade and chose to save her without a shred of hesitation.

He was so furious that he transformed and viciously beat the rogues back. It was only after he slaughtered every single rogue around her that he heard the servant scream, "Cassandra is about to die!"

Tobias snapped back to his senses and dragged me out of the rogues who'd gotten me in their clutches.

When he saw how much blood I'd lost, he growled angrily, "Why didn't you call for help? Are you seriously not going to call for me for help even if you're being violated?"

My eyes fluttered shut because I already knew that calling for help was just a futile effort. No one would save me.

I had screamed until my voice went hoarse in the early days of my hell. Alas, I learned the hard way that these foul folk wouldn't spare me out of pity. No, they would only consider my screams as a twisted melodious symphony for them to enjoy.

So, I said nothing.

Tobias' scowl deepened as his rage soared to greater heights. "None of this would've happened to Andrea if she hadn't offered to take you out for a stroll! How could you act like none of this was your fault? Hurry up and apologize to her!"

The incident had rendered me completely numb to everything. Now, I was nothing but a pretty marionette anyone could control. His voice sounded so far away.

Tobias exploded, so he tossed me aside. "Why are you so indifferent? Don't you even care about your own chastity?"

Just then, another servant crept up to him. They looked as pale as a sheet. Still, their words managed to freeze Tobias in his tirade. "An old rogue has come looking for Cassandra. He has two cubs with her. They look… They look just like her."