Chapter 1 - The Hospital Room
The sterile smell of bleach and alcohol was the only thing keeping me anchored to reality.
My back burned with an agonizing fire every time I inhaled.
The doctor stood at the foot of my bed with a clipboard in his hands.
His eyes were filled with a mixture of professional detachment and deep human pity.
He told me the friction burns on my pregnant belly were severe but my baby was still safe.
That was the exact moment I decided to stop protecting the monsters who put me here.
I told him everything about the wooden bench, the wet rattan cane, and the chili powder.
I watched his face pale as I described the sock they shoved into my screaming mouth.
I also told him about the dashcam footage from the truck parked outside our estate gate.
My husband, Marcus, thought I would be too terrified to ever speak the truth.
He severely underestimated the fierce protective instincts of a mother pushed to the absolute edge.
I had already secured a digital copy of the audio file and sent it to a secret email account.
The hospital room door suddenly swung open with a soft click.
Marcus rushed into the room wearing a perfectly tailored suit and a mask of fake concern.
His mother, Eleanor, followed closely behind him with fake tears shining in her eyes.
They played the role of the devastated, loving family flawlessly for the stunned doctor.
Marcus rushed to my bedside and tried to grab my hand.
I flinched violently and pulled my bruised arm away from his cold touch.
The doctor cleared his throat and announced that the police were already on their way.
Eleanor gasped dramatically and clutched her expensive pearl necklace.
Marcus leaned down close to my face, pretending to kiss my forehead affectionately.
His breath felt like ice against my skin as he whispered directly into my ear.
May you like
He told me I was incredibly stupid for mentioning the truck driver to the hospital staff.
He smiled wickedly and whispered that his men had already found the driver's house.
