Lahat ng Kabanata ng Beneath the Whip: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

JUDY’S POVMy thumb had lingered over the glowing answer button, wavering as a storm of emotions churned inside me. It had been so long since I had distanced myself from his cryptic and alluring world, a choice that had built an invisible wall between us. In all this time, he hadn’t reached out—not once—and I had convinced myself that this silence was a blessing in disguise. Perhaps it was easier to leave the past untouched, to let our connection fade into an uneasy stillness. Yet now, as his name lit up my screen, the fragile equilibrium I had crafted felt ready to shatter.The silence between us had been both a balm and a burden—a space I needed to rebuild myself but one that also left an ache in my chest.Finally, I pressed accept.“Hey,” I said cautiously, my voice betraying none of the turmoil inside me.“Hey,” Chris replied. His voice was calm, smooth, and disarming as always, a distinct contrast to the tension I felt.“How’s it going?” he asked, his tone as casual as if we w

CHRIS’ POVWhen Judy’s voice drifted through the phone, soft and hesitant, confessing that she missed me, my chest tightened in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. Those words, simple yet profound, struck a chord so deep it left me momentarily speechless. For days, I had replayed every argument, every moment of tension between us, wondering if I had pushed her too far, if I had lost her for good. Yet here she was, admitting that she missed me.It wasn’t just the words themselves—it was the way she said them, laden with vulnerability and an honesty that seemed to cost her dearly. I could hear the tremor in her voice, the hesitation that spoke volumes about how hard it had been for her to admit it. My heart swelled with a mixture of relief and happiness, emotions I hadn’t allowed myself to fully embrace in weeks.Still, I couldn’t resist teasing her a little, wanting to test the waters of this newfound vulnerability. “How much did you miss me?” I asked, keeping my voice light, though

JUDY’S POVThe timing was uncanny, as though he had been waiting for this very moment. My heart fluttered at the sight of his name lighting up the screen, a rush of anticipation mingled with a hint of unease as I hesitated just long enough before swiping to answer.As the call connected, Chris’ familiar face appeared, framed by the soft glow of his surroundings. Even through the small screen, his presence was undeniable—his sharp features illuminated in a way that made them look almost softer, more inviting. But it was more than just his appearance. There was something in the way he filled the space between us, commanding my attention effortlessly, making everything else fade into the background. The world outside the frame seemed to lose its meaning the moment he looked at me.“How was the party?” he asked, his tone casual but with an undertone of curiosity that I knew all too well.I hesitated for a moment, uncertain of how much to reveal, but then the words spilled out, and I bega

JUDY’S POVThe call from the court arrived like a thunderclap, reverberating through the calm I had been trying so desperately to maintain. Katarina’s case—where she had orchestrated the assault that had left both me and my dad scarred—was finally heading to trial. I had known this day would come, but the realization that it was now imminent felt like a weight pressing down on my chest.Memories of that night surged forward unbidden, the dark shadows of the past refusing to stay buried. The fear, the chaos, the helplessness—it all came flooding back. My dad’s anguished face, the pain in his eyes as he shielded me, the physical and emotional scars that lingered even now. No matter how much I had tried to move on, some wounds seemed to reopen at the slightest trigger.As the details of the court proceedings were explained to me over the phone, I felt a gnawing unease settle in my stomach. I was never good at dealing with confrontation, let alone the enormity of a legal trial. Facing

JUDY’S POVFor a moment, I was paralysed, caught between disbelief and the notion that my overactive imagination might be playing tricks on me. The sound that had startled me echoed faintly in my mind, teasing the edges of my thoughts. Was it real? Or had exhaustion finally blurred the line between reality and a dream?Then, with a sudden jolt of clarity, the realisation hit me. My body moved instinctively, my hesitation replaced by a surge of urgency. I rushed to the window, my heart pounding in my chest as my fingers fumbled to unlock and push it open.The cool night air rushed in, brushing against my face and carrying with it the faint hum of distant cars and the occasional chirp of crickets. And there he was, standing in the soft, ethereal glow of the streetlight—Chris.For a moment, neither of us uttered a word. The silence between us felt almost tangible, heavy with the weight of everything that had been left unsaid. It was as if the time we had spent apart had condensed into t