. She panted heavily, her chest rising and fa

kin, searching for the torn flesh and the cold iron.

n straight into the adjoining marble bathroom. She slammed her hands onto th

ed at th

A psychotic break? She touched her cheek, feeling the warmth of her own skin, her mind spinning in a chaotic vortex of panic and disbelief. How could the pain

urrent time: Three months be

, shattering the quiet hum of

t her ribs. Three months. Sh

first-floor lobby. Use the whip to punish the villain, Byron Se

hind her eyes. Her stomach violently rejected the memory. She leaned ove

ezing water onto her face. The shock of t

, looking at the water dripping from he

she stated

bliteration." The system's ice-cold voice echoed in her mind, accompanied by a gla

laugh. She grabbed a velvet towe

e," she thought back, her internal voice dripping wit

faint static buzz hummed in her

he bathroom and back into the massive bedroom. She marche

y way, or we both die ri

m. The system finally ch

d. Vicious female route closed.

le, ticking countdown timer in the corner of her vision. Julia let out

loudly. The physical

open the double doors. Rows of haute couture dres

f denim jeans and a soft cashmere sweater. She stripped off her silk pajamas and pull

here, the screen lighting up with over a dozen missed calls. P

hone and swiped it

w. She pulled open the drawers until she foun

and pressed the nib hard against

unker. S

ed on the first word. She had no idea how m

aside empty velvet jewelry boxes and a stack of previously declined, maxed-

stack of credit card bills and three bl

ted to the manor's Wi-Fi. She downloaded the banking app an

creen. Julia held her breath, he