Chapter 124 The Art Of Punishment

• Content Advisory: This chapter contains depictions of emotional manipulation and themes of control and power dynamics within a toxic relationship. Reader discretion is advised.
• The ache in my cheek has dulled to a persistent throb, but every time I catch my reflection, the bruising draws my eye like a beacon. Even now, standing in before the bathroom sink after a shower that couldn’t wash away the memory of last night, I find myself touching the tender flesh—not because it hurts, but because I still can’t believe it happened.
• My fingers trace the edges of the bruise, remembering how his hand felt against my skin. Not the strike itself—that’s still a blur of shock and pain—but the way he grabbed me afterward. The way his fingers found my throat, how even in his fury, something made him pull back.