I was frozen in shock.
I couldn't believe my eyes. The vision before me was shocking: the woman in such a miserable condition was Lily, my maid who had once served me faithfully, aided my escape with Killian, and taken my place during the wedding ceremony. She looked utterly lifeless and broken.
"Remove your robe," Cassius commanded coldly.
She moved, ever so little. I could see the fear flickering in her eyes and the tremors coursing through her. But what shattered my heart was the sight of her body. As she reluctantly pulled the dark robe away, I gasped in horror. The flimsy fabric revealed what was hidden, a body battered and bruised.
Her skin was marred with a grotesque array of bruises—some crimson, some deep blue, some dark purple, and some entirely black. Not a single inch of her body was free from these marks. It was an unbearable sight.
"Lily?" I called my voice breaking as tears formed in my eyes.
