Chapter 14

SARAH

I woke up from a nap, my head pounding and my body aching. I had no idea how long I’d been asleep. The room was dark, and it took me a few moments to reorient myself. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was already evening. The realization hit me hard; it had been a full day since Marco had locked me up in that small, suffocating room.

I had spent most of the day holed up in my room, refusing to talk to anyone, including the maids. The memory of Marco’s cruel smirk as he threw me into the basement replayed in my mind, fueling my hatred for him and his absurd rules.

Who does he think he is? I thought bitterly. Treating me like some kind of possession, dictating every aspect of my life. I despised the way he seemed to enjoy punishing me, the satisfaction he got from my suffering. It made my skin crawl.

I stared at the ceiling, trying to push the memories away, but they kept flooding back. The feeling of being trapped, of having no control over my own life, was overwhelming. I h