I shoved Bianca away, my voice breaking. “What is wrong with you? I told you not to touch anything!”
She stumbled back and immediately screamed, loud and theatrical. “Aldrin!”
Heavy footsteps rushed toward us. Aldrin appeared in the doorway, his eyes sweeping the scene. “What’s going on?”
“I was only trying to help,” Bianca said quickly, tears welling up on command. “The vase fell by accident. She got angry and pushed me.”
“That’s a lie!” I cried. “She knocked it over—I told her to leave my things alone!”
Aldrin’s stare hardened. “Over a stupid vase? Are you serious?”
“That wasn’t just a vase,” I shouted. “Sienna made that with her own hands—”
“Then why are you packing?” he cut in, suspicion sharpening his voice. “Planning to disappear, Amara? Is this because you found out I agreed to pay half the ransom?”
My heart stuttered. “You… you agreed?”
“Yes,” he said coldly. “And now you’re acting innocent? Don’t play dumb. You’re trying to run.”
“No—I swear I didn’t know—”
“I don’t trust you,” he snapped. “And frankly, Sienna might not even be mine. Who knows what you’ve been doing behind my back?”
The words stole the air from my lungs. “No! I would never—”
“Enough!” His face darkened. “You need to be taught a lesson. Since you like playing games with me, you’ll never see that child again.”
Fear exploded through me. I tried to retreat, but men appeared in the doorway, blocking my escape.
“Take her,” Aldrin ordered flatly. “Pull out her toenails. Slowly. Let her feel the same pain. Let her suffer.”
“No—please!” I screamed as they grabbed me. “Aldrin, stop! Don’t do this!”
He didn’t even flinch.
The first wave of pain was blinding. They pinned me down, my scream tearing out as one nail was ripped away. My voice echoed through the house, raw and broken.
“Help me!” I sobbed. “Please—someone help me!”
No one came.
Bianca watched in silence. Aldrin’s face remained cold, detached, as if my agony meant nothing.
The second nail. Then another. Each one sent fire shooting through my body, my sobs turning into hoarse gasps. My throat burned from screaming until sound barely came out at all.
And then everything went black.
When I finally woke, pain pulsed through every nerve in my body. My feet were wrapped in bandages, my limbs weak and shaking. But through the haze, one thought kept me grounded.
It’s almost over.
Just a little longer. Just endure a few more days.
Soon, I would disappear.