THE PUNISHMENT

8:30 AM. RETURN*

The taxi stopped at Hale Mansion gate.

Rain. Olivia was soaked. Bag pressed to her chest.

Inside: the pen-drive. Dr. Aryan’s report.

The servant opened the door. Face pale.

"Go inside. Ma’am is waiting for you."

Olivia’s heart sank.

*PART 2: 8:35 AM. LIVING ROOM - CAUGHT*

Victoria sat on the sofa. Table in front.

On it: CCTV printouts.

Olivia coming out of the clinic. Talking to Dr. Aryan.

Behind her, Amelia stood. Rolling pin in hand. Smiling.

Lucas in the corner. Playing game on his phone.

Victoria: "WHERE DID YOU GO?!"

Olivia lowered her head. "M... medicine..."

_SLAP_

Victoria stood. One hard slap.

"LIAR!!!"

Olivia fell. 5 finger marks on her cheek.

Victoria threw the printout. "WHAT IS THIS?!

WHY DID YOU GO TO DR. ARYAN?!"

Olivia: "Ma’am... I... I just..."

*PART 3: 8:40 AM. BEATING START - PART 1*

Victoria: "AMELIA!"

Amelia stepped forward. Raised the rolling pin.

"I’ll teach her. Acting like a big doctor."

_THWACK_

First hit on the back.

Olivia: "AHHH!!!"

_THWACK_

Second hit on the shoulder.

"Tell me! Who sent you?!"

Olivia: "No... one..."

_THWACK_

Third hit on the arm. Arm swelled.

Lucas was laughing. "Mom, harder. She’s a thief."

*PART 4: 8:45 AM. BEATING - PART 2*

Victoria grabbed Olivia’s hair. Pulled her up.

"What did you get from Dr. Aryan? TELL ME!"

Olivia was crying. "Nothing..."

Victoria shoved her to the floor.

Amelia kicked her stomach with her foot.

"AHHHH!!!"

Then her waist.

Then her legs.

Olivia was rolling on the floor like grass.

Victoria: "GIVE ME THE BAG!"

A servant snatched the bag. Took out bottles, chart, pen-drive.

Victoria looked at the pen-drive. "WHAT IS THIS?"

Olivia: "Th... that’s... the report..."

Victoria picked up the pen-drive. _CRASH_

Crushed it under her foot.

"NOW THERE’S NO PROOF!"

*PART 5: 9:00 AM. BEATING - PART 3. SEVERE*

Victoria’s anger was at the 7th sky.

"PICK HER UP!"

2 servants picked Olivia up. Against the wall.

Victoria rained slaps.

_SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP_

10 slaps. One after another.

Blood from Olivia’s mouth. Blood from her nose.

Eyes started closing.

Amelia grabbed her hair and threw her in the bathtub.

Cold water.

"TAKE A BATH. WAKE UP."

Kicks even in the water.

Olivia was about to pass out.

*PART 6: 9:15 AM. LUCAS'S "HELP"*

Lucas came forward. Held Victoria’s hand.

"Mom stop. She’ll die."

Victoria: "Let her die! She’s a thief!"

Lucas: "No. She needs to stay alive. To serve her punishment."

He pulled Olivia out of the water.

Squeezed water from her hair. Whispered in her ear:

"See? Should’ve listened to me. Now suffer."

Then yelled loudly: "MOM IS RIGHT!"

*PART 7: 9:30 AM. THE WORST CRUELTY*

Victoria: "LOCK HER IN THE STORAGE ROOM. 3 DAYS.

NO FOOD. NO WATER. NO MEDICINE."

Servants dragged her away.

Storage room. Dark. Filth. Rats.

They threw Olivia on the floor. Door closed. _CLICK_

Voice from inside: "Water..."

Answer was Amelia’s laughter: "Die of thirst."

*PART 8: 10:00 AM. UPSTAIRS WITH ETHAN*

Machine was beeping in Ethan’s room.

BP: 70/40

Nurse: "Ma’am, it’s time for the patient’s medicine."

Victoria: "GIVE IT. WHATEVER IT IS."

Nurse gave Medicine B. The same one.

Ethan’s face got even paler.

*PART 9: 12:00 AM. IN THE STORAGE ROOM*

Olivia’s body was burning with fever.

Beating marks: Back bruised. Arms swollen. Lips cracked.

Ankle sprained.

She weakly touched her bag. Empty.

Pen-drive broken. Report gone.

But... she took out a small paper hidden in her hair.

Dr. Aryan had written:

_"Medicine B, C, E - Chemical found. Report copy - Dr.A"_

She kissed the paper. Tears fell.

"...Ethan... I’ll save you..."

From outside, Amelia’s voice: "Not sleeping yet?

More beating in the morning."

*PART 10: 5:00 AM. BROKEN*

Door opened.

Victoria came in with a stick.

"Get up! 3 days over. Now tell me. Who sent you?"

Olivia lay on the floor. Not moving.

Victoria hit her feet with the stick.

Olivia opened her eyes. Bloodshot.

Weak voice: "No... one..."

Victoria: "STILL TALKING BACK?!"

She raised the stick.

At that moment a scream from upstairs:

"DOCTOR!!! ETHAN’S HEART IS STOPPING!!!"

Everyone ran.

Victoria kicked Olivia. "I’ll deal with you later."

Door closed.

Olivia alone. In the dark.

Clutching that small paper in her hand, she passed out.