He pulled a check for 1,400 dollars from his wallet and tossed it in front of me. “Go to the hospital and get it treated. Don’t bring bad luck to my house.”
I bent down to pick up the check and returned to the nanny’s room. Then I wiped the blood off my leg with warm water and applied iodine to the wound.
I couldn’t bear to spend these 1,400 dollars. It would bring me one step closer to my goal of studying abroad.
That evening, Dominic’s guests arrived. There were a few of his wealthy friends. When they saw me, they were surprised.
“Dominic, don’t you never allow other women in your house? What’s going on?”
Dominic sat in the middle of the sofa and said calmly, “This is my nanny. She’s the one who killed my sister.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of the others changed instantly. Their eyes were filled with hostility.
One of them spoke first, his tone frivolous. “So it’s you? Since you’re here to atone, you should act like one. Kneel down and bark like a dog. 1,400 dollars for each sound. How about that?”
I dug my nails into my palm. Only then did I realize that Dominic had sent them here specifically to humiliate me.
I could only slowly kneel down, letting out a tight cry. Their laughter echoed from the living room.
Another one continued, “Screaming isn’t enough. How about having her slap herself? 1,400 dollars for each sound, ten times.”
I raised my hand and slapped myself hard. My cheek instantly swelled. One, two... until the tenth. My face was numb and the corners of my mouth were bruised and bleeding.
Still unsatisfied, they pointed to the glass fish tank in the corner. “Go in there and hold your breath for three minutes and we’ll persuade Dominic to let you go. How about that?”
A faint glimmer of hope ignited in my heart. Even though I knew it might be fake, I wanted to try.
I walked over to the fish tank. But as soon as I jumped in, they slammed the lid shut. The water instantly covered my head.
I struggled in the water, desperately slapping the sides of the tank. I tried to call Dominic for help. But all I got was their laughter.
Slowly, my consciousness began to fade. Just as I was about to faint, Dominic finally spoke, his tone nonchalant. “That’s enough! I haven’t had enough fun yet. Don’t let her get killed.”
His friend then reluctantly opened the lid. Dominic reached out and pulled me out of the tank.