Chapter 55 Shackles Of Control

• The cold hit her like a shockwave, jolting her from the darkness that had swallowed her whole. Evangelina's body spasmed, her eyes shooting open as icy water cascaded over her, soaking her skin and cutting through the feverish haze that clouded her mind. The dungeon was dimly lit, the stone walls slick with damp, and the cold seeped into her bones, making every inch of her body ache.
• Aemilio stood over her, his eyes dark with fury, the empty bucket still in his hand. The look on his face was one she had grown all too familiar with—a twisted combination of rage and control. She had pushed him too far this time. She had tried to escape, to defy him. And now, she was paying for it.
• "You thought you could leave," he spat, his voice low but seething with anger. "You thought you could run away from *me*?"