My Innocent Love, His Brutal Correction

s eyes n

before the gala next week. Julian is being honored, and I w

ystal clear. She

big night, a celebration o

found he

t alcove, away fr

l stumble, her champagne f

he marble floor w

gh the music and ch

eacted i

in a second, his ar

are you

etched h

, watching the

scream

as her

Eleanor to a

inst him, feig

t me, her eyes wid

g. "Amelia... she pushed me! She said...

s blatant,

lian, her eyes fluttering

led with concern for Eleanor, now

ice echoing in the sudde

d rage warre

on clawing at my throat.

and. "Julian, I told you,

ldn't

ve hand, his face a

tic excuses," he spat. "You are

nto his arms. "You w

e alone, the target of a hundr

st was a physical

pered to the empty space,

't matter w

lieve

what wa

ish

thing: resistance was futile

a numb resignatio

the mansion, in my s

just pointed to th

ice was flat, d

ed ins

iance seemed t

hing – confusion?

e as quickly a

the corner, a relic from his

ding crop, its le

ts weight i

id, his voice low and menacing. "You thoug

palpable force i

landed across

stingin

ound. I bit my li

had taught

id," he demanded,

d at th

it," I

sier than

, a harsh,

it? Just

through the air

ut between blows. "That I would choos

atedly, his anger

my trans

y "deception." His "gener

was a fr

ense, but the weight of h

calating. He wa

ld destroy my happin

ruptly, his b

r creak

usekeeper, stood t

ple in this house who had

leaded, her voice tremblin

nting to my back. "Look

ed, the crop

oked at me, for the first

oaked with blood, c

as calm. My e

no tears. Just a va

d the cro

" he said, his voice str

e girl who used to cry at sad m

ou feel

gaze, my

ice quiet but clear

mpared to

he slow, systematic d

o now?"

, a dawning hor

was terr

ting, then pulled aside the tor

w my

coiled as