Bella regained consciousness. Her eyes flickered open, the world a blur of pain. Her body throbbed with every shallow breath, reminding her of the brutality she had endured.
She groaned. It was disappointing that she was still in the same dingy room. Her gaze darted around, searching for a way out, a glimmer of hope. But her eyes landed on Lionel, a monstrous figure in the dim light, sitting on a worn-out chair.
"Awake?" His eyes, cold and calculating, met hers.
Fear crept into her heart. She scooted backward, as far away from him as she could, ignoring the pain in her body – afraid that he would beat her again.
Lionel checked the time on his phone, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "It's almost dawn now and your boyfriend hasn't come yet. It seems like he doesn't care about you."