54

Nina

Every breath felt like fire in my chest. I lay curled on the cold wooden floor of my room, each inhale a reminder of last night’s torture.

The morning light filtering through the window seemed to mock me with its cheerfulness, while my body screamed with pain that refused to subside. My fingers traced the bruises blooming across my ribs – purple and blue landscapes of my humiliation.

They’d left me here to suffer, probably hoping I’d break. The tears that leaked from my eyes weren’t just from physical agony anymore; they were tears of pure rage.

Scar. Her name alone made my jaw clench, sending a fresh spike of pain through my already battered face. How could Lucas stand by and watch while she—? No. I couldn’t let myself relive it. Not yet. The memory was too raw, too fresh, like an open wound that hadn’t even begun to scab over.

I tried to push myself up to a sitting position, using the wall for support. My arms trembled with the effort, muscles protesting every movement.

A whimp