Chapter 3

Dad sighed and said, "I haven't really disciplined this child since she was little, she's wild. Don't worry, Miss Shaw, we'll have a good talk with her."

It was clearly Scarlett who, when no one was looking, yanked me hard, causing me to lose my balance and spill her drink. Now I'm suddenly the villain?

Hearing my parents' words, Archer's face darkened even more. "This bitch needs to be taught a lesson!"

Scarlett said, "The maids there are high-quality, obedient, and compliant. Brother Archer, why don't we send Sister Melody back there to learn for a while longer?"

"The mistress of the Johnson family should be a docile woman."

I trembled in fear, tears streaming down my face involuntarily.

My body had been ravaged, and I'd rather die than go back to that hellhole.

Seeing my panic, Archer's heart softened. "Melody just got back, let's see how it goes for now."

My heart settled a bit.

As the dinner was coming to an end, a few old friends of my father-in-law came over to toast him, laughing and chatting.One of the elderly white-haired gentlemen accidentally brushed my thigh with his hand.

My body tensed up, and the terrifying experiences buried in my memory caused me to mechanically stand in front of him and start unbuttoning my blouse.

"Melody, what are you doing?"

The white-haired old man was stunned.

He reminded me of that custodian, whose hair was also a mass of gray.

Afraid of being hit, I quickened my pace in unbuttoning.

Back then, to avoid being beaten, I would hurry to service that custodian as soon as he arrived.

Afterwards, he would still viciously kick me and call me worthless.

I was about to remove my top entirely.

Archer, coming to his senses, slapped me across the face and yelled with bulging eyes, "What the hell are you doing?"

"What's wrong with Mrs. Frost, stripping right here?"

"Is there some misunderstanding?"

Below the stage, the crowd was shocked, whispering to each other in hushed tones.

With half my face swollen from Archer's slap, I fearfully said, "Master, please don't hit me. I'll do anything you want!"I knelt before Archer, trembling and pleading, having removed my outer garments to reveal only my underclothes.

The people around us cried out in shock.

"My God, are those bruises all over Mrs. Frost's body?"

"How could someone do this to such smooth, delicate skin?"

My once flawless skin was now marred with numerous wounds, both old and new, a horrifying sight to behold.

Among them were several cigarette burn marks, eliciting gasps of horror from the crowd.

"Jesus, they burned her with cigarettes? What kind of sick bastard does that?"

"I can't even imagine how much that must have hurt!"

"Holy crap, and those welts are from a belt. Who could be so cruel?"

"Who the hell would dare to abuse Mrs. Frost like this?"

At that moment, the eyes of those around me were filled with pain and pity.

Mom broke down, sobbing, "Sweetheart, what happened to you? You were only gone for a year, studying basic housekeeping. How did you end up like this, barely recognizable?"

Seeing this, Aunt Hattie, standing outside the door, became terrified!

She couldn't bear to think what would happen if her actions towards me were revealed. Archer would likely tear her to shreds in his fury.Archer's face was filled with panic as he hastily took off his shirt and draped it over me. With a concerned voice, he asked, "Where did all these scars on your body come from?"