Page 106 of Picture Perfect

My pulse hammers in my ears, a frenetic drumbeat as I try to slip past William's looming presence. But he isn't done; something about me has caught his attention—like a shark sensing blood in the water.

"Where do you think you're going?" His voice is deceptively calm, but there's an edge to it that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Like I said, to study." My words come out sharper than I intend, tinged with the frustration of the day and the fear that always lurks beneath the surface around him.

His hand shoots out, fingers encircling my throat with an iron grip, and suddenly I'm airborne—my back slamming against the wall with a force that rattles my teeth. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my hands clawing at his vice-like grip. The wallpaper digs into my skin, the floral pattern blurring before my eyes.

"Watch your tone, Adelaide," he hisses, his face inches from mine, his breath foul with the stench of old coffee and contempt.

"Let go," I croak, the words barely a whisper under the crushing pressure. "You're hurting me."

"Am I?" His lips twist into a cruel smirk. "Maybe you like it rough. Isn't that right? Whoring yourself out to those trashy boys at school?"

I try to shake my head, to deny his vile accusations, but his grip only tightens, stealing away what little air I can claim. Panic claws at my chest, a wild, desperate thing that threatens to consume me.

"Why should I settle for just your mouth when you're so eager to spread your legs for them?" His other hand roams over my body, a vulgar imitation of intimacy that makes my stomach churn.

"Stop," I manage to gasp out, hot tears stinging the corners of my eyes. "You're wrong."

"Am I?" He leans closer still, and I can see the madness dancing in his eyes, a dark abyss threatening to swallow me whole.

"Please," I plead, the word barely more than a choked sob. My mind races, searching for some way out of his grasp, some way to protect myself from the nightmare unfolding before me.

But I know, deep down, that my pleas are as futile as trying to stop the tide with my bare hands.

I wrench my head back, trying to escape the steel vise of William's fingers. "I've done nothing wrong," I spit out, defiance fueling my voice despite the fear that's coiling like a snake in my belly. "I've followed every single twisted rule you've set."

"Is that so?" His words are ice, and they cut through the air between us. The hand not pinning me to the wall begins a slow, predatory descent toward the waistband of my jeans. "Perhaps it's time for me to verify your innocence, Adelaide."

My heart slams against my ribs, and I freeze, his threat locking me in place more effectively than any chains could. No. This can't be happening.

"No," I hear myself say, the words erupting from some hidden well of courage that surprises even me. "Don't touch me."

The look on his face shifts, the cruel amusement giving way to something darker, something far more dangerous. "You're saying no to me?" he hisses, his grip on my neck tightening momentarily before he releases me, stepping back just enough to let me feel the precarious edge of freedom.

"Y-yes," I stammer, the newfound confidence shaking within me. "It's wrong. You know it's wrong. If I told..."

For a fraction of a second, there's a stunned silence. Then, with a snarl, William lunges forward, his hands reaching for me with a violence that promises retribution.

"Who would believe you, you little rat?"

I shove him with every ounce of strength I've harbored from years of shielding myself, a silent battle cry echoing within the walls of my mind.

"Just get to your room," I mentally chant, pushing past the fear that claws at my throat.

Just get to your room. Just get to your room. Just get to your room.

"Where do you think you're going?" he snarls, his voice a blade slicing through the tension-charged air.

Ignoring him, I dart forward, my heart pounding in rhythm with each desperate step towards the sanctuary of my bedroom.

"Adelaide!" His voice hits me like a physical force, but I'm almost there. My hand reaches for the doorknob—

The impact is sudden and brutal; William's body slams into mine, sending us both crashing to the ground just shy of escape. "You're not going anywhere!"

"Get off me!" My voice is strangled, gasping as I grapple beneath his weight. Panic surges, and I reach for my phone, my only lifeline. My fingers tremble, betraying my desperation as they claw at my pocket.

"Pathetic." His breath is hot against my ear, his words dripping with contempt. "Can't even stand up for yourself without calling for help?"

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