Chapter 13

Melissa was truly terrified now. The fear of nearly dying had wrapped around her like a vice. While Oliver was momentarily lost in thought, she tried to slip away quietly, but he grabbed her. "Where do you think you're going? You did something wrong, and you shall face the consequences. You're no exception, Melissa." The word "consequences" made her whole body tremble. She had seen it with her own eyes—how Oliver punished Cynthia back then. At the time, she'd been more than happy to watch it unfold. Now that she was the one about to be punished, the smile on her face disappeared. Her eyes filled with sheer panic as she screamed, her voice cracking. "No! Oliver! You can't punish me. Don't you forget—I'm carrying your baby!" Once he heard the word "baby", a flicker of hesitation flashed through his bloodshot eyes. However, the rage consuming him quickly returned, blotting out all reason. He dragged her toward the basement, intent on locking her inside. Melissa cried and begged,