with the back of her hand. The air was stifling, she was sweating all over, but none of that
ce, every sound became an assault. She could hear footsteps echoing upstairs, the scraping of crawli
to open. The light from the hallway briefly illuminated a section of the room, but she didn'
moment, listening to t
ood was the last thing on her mind. She wasn't even hu
inking. Every day, the door opened three times, a
remained closed most of the day. New tears replaced the old ones, dried on her ch
ce she had seen anything so bright. She slowly raised her han
fifty, was watching Tiana closely. Then she nodded to the other two women, w
e ground as his lim
A sweet smell of strawberries filled the
water. A maid was stationed right next to it
ff your
noticed her cold gaze, without the slightest hint of compas
nervous. Before she could even move her hands toward her clothes, the old woman signaled again. I
days without washing, locked in the
rought a stool and made her sit down. Anoth
your
n a sharp voice. Tiana looked up at her, saw an impla
of blood filling her mouth. She hadn't yet finished rinsing when anothour leg
. She obeyed. Suddenly, the woman pushed
to hide her private parts.
you're told
was still ringing from the sh
aved her carefully, between her legs, und
ssed her soiled skin. The scent of strawberry and lemon was soothing. She
umed lotion that made her skin shine. She was made to wear a light c
creams were applied to her face. When she saw
ldhood. But what was the point now? If she could choose her fate, she
id's palm. She hesitated, but conti
filled with appetizing food awaited her. A ch
seat opposite her, st
full of vegetables for her a
ou must
the next five months and save her sister, she had no ch
was satisfied. Then she was led
tuous: a large curtain covered a floor-to-ceiling window, a mirror lined the wall near the sofa, and the
ed and fell asleep
ime had passed when she wa
he saw the old lady accompan
here to draw some blood.
ok out a syringe and a tourniquet, disinfected the most visible
ft imme
alm, but her hea
ed her, perfumed her, dressed her like a
hing: soon, she would have
r run through her. When she'd agreed to be his mistre
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