Her stubbornness and her quick tongue were only leading her into disaster. Under the cover of the night, Maxwell's face had turned an ashen hue, as if he might consume her with his fury at any moment!
"Before I drown, I will make you suffer to death. Do you believe that?" Maxwell parted his lips slightly, and his frigid words escaped from them, "Miss White, you didn't seem to have had enough lessons, not a shred of being well-behaved..."
As Maxwell's words fell, a well-built man holding a whip stepped forward and stood a couple of paces in front of Flora. Flora's heart jumped, and she stared at the high-quality leather whip and then began to tremble slightly. However, she refused to show her fear and continued to face the man with her stubbornness!
He had taken everything from her and relentlessly humiliated her, and she couldn't afford to appear weak anymore. She understood that the more she suffered, the happier this twisted man became!
"Teach her a lesson properly, until she behaves."
Maxwell's low voice had barely finished speaking when searing pain instantly shot through Flora's body. She let out a scream, and her body fell straight onto the grass.
Then came the second strike, the third, and so on...
Flora instinctively screamed, her hands gripping the tender green grass, her nails digging into her palms. Yet, she felt no pain because the fiery agony of each strike had already consumed all of her senses!
"Maxwell! You sicko! You'll have a wretched life!" Flora cried out loudly, her vehement sobs blending with the serene moonlight, echoing through this quiet mansion.
Maxwell, who stood just a few paces away, watched her rolling on the ground, listened to her cries and curses, and didn't even blink. The depth of his hatred was a mystery known to no one, not even to himself.
After a while, Maxwell took a few steps closer and looked down at her indifferently, saying, "Tell me, have you realized your mistakes?"
Flora lay on the ground, her clothes soaked with blood on her back and shoulders, the pain making it difficult to even keep her eyes open. While Maxwell spoke to her, she couldn't comprehend his words.
Mistakes? Did he mean canceling the engagement or trying to escape? Whichever it was, she didn't believe she had done anything wrong. She couldn't see where her mistakes were. Flora wanted to shake her head, but her head felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
Although she didn't respond, Maxwell saw the answer in her face. His handsome face was filled with a ferocious aura, and if Flora hadn't passed out at that moment, he wouldn't have considered stopping because he refused to believe that he couldn't make a woman submit at his feet.
Staring at the unconscious Flora at his feet, Maxwell expressionlessly ordered his subordinate, "Take her back." With that said, he turned and walked towards the front courtyard with long strides. He had been up all night waiting for her escape and now it was time to catch up on some sleep!
Flora was carried back to her bedroom and remained unconscious until eleven in the morning, waking up as she shivered from the cold, just like before. When she opened her groggy eyes, she saw Nancy's enlarged face staring at her.
"Miss White, you've got some nerve, daring to escape on your own?" Nancy exclaimed through gritted teeth. She had been reprimanded by Maxwell because of this, and she was furious!
"So what?" Flora looked at her without expression, but when she tried to move a little, she realized that any slight movement caused the wounds on her body to tear like fire. She stopped moving, maintaining the position she had just adjusted to, lying on the bed. She cursed Maxwell in her heart over and over!
Nancy was left fuming by her response and exclaimed, "What do you mean, 'so what'? You wanted to get me in trouble! If you ever dare to escape again, I'll break your legs!"
Flora turned her face away without looking at her. She would still try to escape if she had the chance. The pain from her injuries was better than enduring Maxwell's abuse here.
"Did you hear me or not?" Nancy grabbed her face and forced her to look at her.
Flora winced from the pain when Nancy pulled her face, with her wounds stinging, and said, "Yes, I heard you."
"Don't make me repeat the same question next time!" Nancy yelled angrily and then left the room.
After Nancy left, an emotionless maid approached and said in a flat tone, "Miss White, I'll apply some medicine for you."
Flora struggled to lift her head and glanced at her before settling back into her previous position. The pain was overwhelming, so she was quite eager for the maid to apply the medicine quickly.
The maid lifted her tattered clothes and dabbed them with the medicinal solution, wiping her wounds without any gentleness. Every touch felt like a lash across her wounds, and Flora clenched the sheets tightly, gritting her teeth to endure this hellish pain.
"Please... be gentler," Flora choked out several times.
The maid gave her a stern look but relented slightly, easing the pressure as she continued to apply the medicine. Once the treatment was done, she helped Flora adjust her clothing, and then left the room without saying a word from start to finish.
Flora, who couldn't move, had nothing to do except sleep, and she drifted off again without realizing it. When she woke up, it was another night.
She continued to sleep and wake up like this for three or four days, and Flora's wounds gradually became less excruciating, allowing her to get out of bed and move around.
She felt extremely fortunate that Maxwell hadn't shown up in front of her during these days. According to Robin, who sneaked in to get a jigsaw puzzle, Maxwell had gone to W City on business and wouldn't return for over ten days.
Hearing this news made Flora ecstatic. Finally, she could enjoy some peace, even though she still had to endure Nancy's scolding and beatings. But without Maxwell around, she was content.