Chapter 20: Breaking the Last Piece
Pain.
It was the only thing I could still feel. It spread through my body like fire, burning away every ounce of resistance I had left.
But even fire had an end.
And tonight, they were going to make sure mine burned out completely.
Locked Away – The First Punishment
I didn't expect them to leave me in darkness.
The room was small, windowless. The air was thick, the silence so absolute it felt like a living thing pressing down on me.
They had shoved me inside after Nico dragged me back from my escape attempt. No explanations. No threats. Just the cold slam of the door locking behind me.
For hours—or maybe days—there was nothing. No food. No water. No sound.
I curled into myself, my body aching, my throat dry. My stomach twisted in hunger, but it was the silence that broke me the most.
Because silence meant they were waiting.
And when the door finally opened, I knew the worst was coming.
Dragged to the Execution
Light blinded me as the door swung open.
Leo stood there, his icy-blue gaze unrelenting. Behind him, Adrian leaned casually against the wall, his storm-gray eyes filled with amusement.
"She looks like hell," Adrian commented. "That's what happens when you try to run, sweetheart."
Leo grabbed my arm and yanked me forward. My legs gave out immediately.
Weak. I was so weak.
Adrian clicked his tongue in mock sympathy. "Aw. Can't stand anymore?"
"Then she crawls," Nico's voice came from behind them, cold and final.
My body stiffened.
He hadn't visited me once while I was locked away. But now he was here. Watching.
Waiting.
Leo pulled me to my feet and dragged me through the house. My vision swam, my body barely responding, but I knew where they were taking me.
The living room. The place where all punishments happened.
By the time we arrived, my knees buckled again, and this time, no one caught me. I hit the cold floor hard, the impact sending a jolt of pain up my legs.
Leo crouched in front of me, his icy-blue eyes burning into mine. "Do you understand now?"
I didn't respond.
Leo's jaw tightened. "Still holding on?"
Adrian sighed dramatically, rolling up his sleeves. "Looks like we have to finish the job."
The Final Breaking Point
The first blow sent me sprawling onto the floor. My cheek hit the marble, pain exploding behind my eyes.
"Get up," Leo ordered.
I didn't move.
Another strike—this time Adrian, his slap sharper, crueler. My vision blurred, my ears ringing.
"Still with us, sweetheart?" Adrian murmured, crouching beside me. "Or are you finally giving up?"
I still didn't answer.
Nico exhaled softly. The sound sent chills down my spine.
"Lift her," Nico ordered.
Leo grabbed my arms, pulling me up. My body felt disconnected, like I wasn't even inside of it anymore.
Nico stepped forward, his emerald-green eyes calm, calculating. "Look at me, Sophia."
I forced my head up, barely able to focus.
Nico reached out, his fingers brushing over my bruised cheek. For a split second, I thought he was going to be merciful.
Then, he struck.
The slap wasn't as hard as Leo's or Adrian's—it was precise, controlled. Designed to cut deeper than just skin.
My body swayed, and Nico caught my chin, tilting my face up.
"There's nothing left of you, is there?" he murmured.
Tears burned at the edges of my vision.
And then, I broke.
A sob ripped through me, shaking my entire body. My knees gave out, and this time, I didn't even try to stop them. I crumpled to the floor, my body trembling, my mind slipping into something dark and empty.
Leo crouched beside me, his cold gaze studying my face. "Now," he said softly, "you understand."
I did.
I had lost.
The Aftermath
They left me there. On the cold floor, shaking, barely breathing.
I didn't move for hours.
Because this time, there was nowhere left to run.
Because this time, they had won.