Page 85 of Rescuing Sophia

The overhead lights flicker on, momentarily blinding me. I blink rapidly, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness. When my vision clears, Malfor’s face comes into focus, his smile all teeth, like a shark circling its prey.

I scramble off the cot, hitting the cold floor hard and kneeling before him, my heart pounding in my chest. The instinct to submit is overwhelming, ingrained from too many past encounters. I keep my eyes downcast, refusing to meet his gaze.

He steps closer, his boots echoing in the small, barren space. His fingers trail across my shoulders, and a shudder ripples through me before I can stop it.

“I have such an exciting day planned for us.” His voice drips with false sweetness. He circles me, his presence a looming shadow. “But first, let’s review the rules, shall we?”

His touch lingers, cruel and possessive, as he completes his circuit around me, each step a reminder of the power he holds and the nightmare that awaits.

My throat constricts, knowing what’s coming. Malfor leans in close, his breath hot against my ear.

“If you disobey, if you try to run, if you even think about betraying me…” He pauses, letting the tension build, savoring my fear. “Well, let’s just say little Luke will pay the price. Shall I describe again how creative I can be when it comes to punishment?”

The room spins as his words slice through me, dredging up the worst moment of my life with cruel precision—exactly as Malfor intended. The day my world shattered replays in vivid detail, each memory sharpened to a blade by his manipulation. He knows just how to twist the knife, to make sure the pain is fresh and raw, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

Four Years Ago…

The small dormerroom was stifling, the air thick with the scent of must and despair…

The only light comes from a single, bare bulb hanging from the low ceiling, casting harsh shadows on the cracked walls. The cot beneath me creaks as I rock back and forth, cradling my baby son in my arms. Luke’s soft cries are the only sound in the room, a heartbreaking melody that echoes my own despair.

For months, I’ve been his only caretaker, the one constant in his fragile, young life. I’ve done everything to protect him, to shield him from the horrors of this place.

But nothing can protect him now.

Not after what I’ve done.

Refusing Jonathan’s advances was a mistake—a fatal one. Every time I think the punishments can’t get any worse, they do. Each new cruelty surpasses the last, a relentless reminder of the power he holds over me.

Luke whimpers, his tiny fists clenching in the fabric of my shirt, and I hold him tighter as if I can somehow keep him safe fromwhat’s coming. The room feels smaller, the walls closing in, and dread coils in the pit of my stomach.

The lock outside the door clicks, a sharp, metallic sound that sends a shiver down my spine. I freeze, my heart pounding as the door swings open. Jonathan stands in the doorway, his silhouette a dark, menacing figure against the dim light of the hall.

His gaze zeroes in on me, and the corner of his mouth twists into a cruel smile. “Sophia,” he drawls, stepping into the room. “You’ve been very disappointing.”

A chill runs through me at his words, but I force myself to remain still, to keep my grip on Luke steady. Jonathan’s eyes drift to the baby in my arms, and a flicker of something dark crosses his face.

“You should know better than to defy me. Your performance was unacceptable.” His voice is low, each word a blade cutting through the air. He takes a step closer, and I instinctively shift back, my body pressing against the cold wall. “You thought there would be no consequences?”

Luke’s cries grow louder, sensing the danger, but there’s nowhere to run. No escape from the punishment I know is coming.

Jonathan’s hand reaches out, not for me, but for Luke. Panic surges through me, my arms tightening around my son, but Jonathan’s grip is like iron. With a single, brutal motion, he rips Luke from my arms.

My son’s cries turn into frantic wails, his small body thrashing in Jonathan’s grasp. The sound shatters what’s left of my resolve, and I fall to my knees, hands outstretched in a desperate plea.

“Please. Please don’t take him. I’ll do anything; just don’t hurt him.”

Jonathan’s expression hardens, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Anything?” He tilts his head, considering. “You should have thought of that before.” He turns on his heel, walking out with Luke cradled in his arms as if the child weighs nothing.

The lock clicks again, sealing the door and, with it, my fate.

Luke’s fate and his future.

His frantic cries fade down the hallway, a sound that tears at my soul, leaving me hollow and broken.

The dormer room, once my prison, is now a tomb. I collapse onto the cot, my body wracked with sobs, each breath a struggle as the weight of what I’ve lost crushes me.

But even as I drown in despair, a single, burning thought takes root in my mind.

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