He ran to her, saw the red mark on her cheek—and his whole face twisted with rage.
“Heidi! What did you do?!”
Nancy clung to him, bawling like a soap opera star. “Simon, she tried to kill our baby!”
“You’re lying!” I yelled. “You threw yourself down!”
Simon didn’t even flinch. His eyes were ice.
“Restrain her.”
They grabbed me, slammed me into the wall, tied my hands tight.
“Simon, you bastard!” I fought against the ropes. “You drugged me! You made sure I couldn’t get pregnant!”
His face twitched for a second—then went flat. “So what if I did? You were never good enough to carry my kid.”
He walked over, grabbed a leather whip from the wall.
“If you ever touch Nancy again, you’ll regret it.”
Crack!
“Ahh—!”
The first hit tore down my back. Fire exploded in my skin.
“That one’s for Nancy!”
Crack!
“And this is for our baby!”
The whip kept falling. I blacked out, woke up soaked in freezing water, only to get hit again.
By the ninety-ninth lash, I was a bloody mess on the floor, barely breathing.
Simon dropped the bloodied whip like it was nothing. “Take her to court. She’s confessing today.”
They dragged me out, tossed me into a car.
Every lash screamed against the rough seat. I nearly passed out.
By the time we hit the courthouse, the sun was up.
Simon had pulled strings—moved the trial ahead.
The second I was dragged inside, his lawyer jumped up. “Your Honor, my client pleads guilty. We request immediate sentencing.”
The judge opened his mouth—then the courtroom doors slammed open.
Everyone turned.
Clark Johnston walked in, flanked by lawyers and medics.
Sharp suit. Stone face. But when he looked at me, something in his eyes broke.
“As the plaintiff, I’m dropping all charges,” he said. “And I demand immediate medical care for my fiancée, Heidi Wynn.”
