Chapter 88 Beautiful Cage

• After a long and silent car ride back, I’m relieved to be standing in our home, in our bedroom, changing into something more comfortable, though it’s barely mid-afternoon. The silk of my dress whispers against my skin as it falls on the floor, replaced by soft cotton that feels like armor against the world. I have no intentions of leaving this bedroom again tonight—the weight of the day, combined with the ghost of last night’s fear, leaves me craving nothing but solitude.
• I move to the bathroom next, and I begin the careful process of removing my makeup. The foundation comes away slowly, revealing patches of purple and blue beneath. Each gentle touch around my jaw reminds me of his fingers there—first in anger, then in careful avoidance. And as I shift my wrist, my hand finishing its work, the bruises peek out from beneath the diamond watch he gave me to hide them.
• How long will these take to heal?