The Transactional Marriage: Her Bitter Ascent

a second, then landed at my feet. The intricate onyx impression of G

know your place. Out of sight, out of mind." She leaned into Gregory, her hand caressing his bruised ch

ct, a symbol of his trust and affection, was used not to validate our un

iek ripped through the ba

he exits. The elegant gala devolved into a stampede of terror

ound me. A sharp pain lanced through my side as someone tra

ry! He

gony washed over me. My ribs screamed in protest. I tried to push myself up,

as a beacon of calm amidst the pandemonium. My heart, against all reason, flut

eed and precision of a predator, pushing through bodies, ignoring the pleas, the shouts. He reac

lying just meters away, struggling

lea, barely audible above the roar of th

. His focus was entirely on Kenn

me, colder than any ice. I tasted bl

nnedy to her feet, his eyes scanning the ground. My heart

to help me, but to retrieve something small and glittering from the floo

her face lighting up with reli

ed the bracelet back onto her wrist. "Of course

e sheer, brutal humiliation, the ultimate betrayal, finally broke me. The pain, both physical an

muffled sounds of a hospital. My body was a landscape of throbbing pain. Ribs felt like th

e soft. "Extensive internal bleeding. Multiple fract

ng, a question st

he continued, her brow furrowed. "T

h of instruments. Fear, cold and gripping, tighten

rs burst open. Boots thudded on the sterile floor. My vision swa

omed, laced with outrage. "This is an operating roo

ff voice replied. "The patient

sane? She's barely stab

pped my gurney. I cried out, a weak, pain-filled sound as I was roughl

forming on my lips. My vision was blurry, but I could fee

ed silence, powerless. The only sound was my own ragged br

o die. He was actively making sure I suffered first. I was not going to die on a cold ope