Chapter 3

Back at the institute, whenever Henry raised a hand toward me, an agonizing beating was sure to follow. Electric shocks, needle pricks, and forced starvation were par for the course.

Their slogan was simple: No matter how rebellious the girl, we'll return a perfect, submissive lady in a year.

Everyone cared about the "results" of the training. No one cared about the methods used to break us. That silence gave Henry free rein to humiliate and exploit every student under the guise of "reforming" them.

I stood up in silence, offering no explanation. I knew better than to try; it was a lost cause—nobody would believe me anyway. Besides, the last thing I wanted was to upset Margaret, who had just recovered from her illness.

But more than that, I lived in mortal dread of Henry. If word ever got back to her that I had breathed a word about what happened at the institute, he would strip away even the slightest shred of my will to live.

I sat at the table, back straight and head bowed, looking for all the world like a guilty child.

Margaret watched me, her eyes filled with worry. "Emily, you don't look so well. Why don't you head up to your room and lie down for a bit?"

I forced a tight smile, nodded, and hurried off to my room.

As soon as I got inside, I rushed straight to the bathroom and vomited so hard I felt dizzy. Blood gushed from my mouth and nose, staining the toilet red in seconds.

I splashed some water on my face, rinsed my mouth, and scrubbed myself clean with some tissues before stepping back into the bedroom.

Charles was standing there. He looked a bit uncomfortable as he asked, "Mom asked me to come check on you. What's going on?"

I instinctively scrambled back a few steps.

Back then, Charles had sent me off to that Harmony Institute because he had found out how I felt about him. He wanted to "cure" me of my "unrealistic delusions."

Because he had paid them a hefty sum, Henry had gone the extra mile, putting me through a bespoke version of hell to beat those feelings out of me.

I couldn't count how many pitch-black nights I spent enduring Henry's assaults while he rained insults down on me.

"You pathetic little slut," he would hiss. "How dare you have those disgusting thoughts about Mr. Rivers? Look at yourself. You're beneath him."

As those agonizing memories flooded back, I struggled to catch my breath. I backed away even further before replying meekly, "I think I've just been stuck in that place for so long, and I'm still getting used to the outside world."

Charles frowned, as if he had more questions, but he was cut short by footsteps outside the door.

Sophie pushed the door open and stepped in. "Charles, Margaret said that once you've got Emily settled, you should come downstairs. We need to go over the details for our wedding."

When Sophie first moved in, she followed Charles around like a shadow.

At the start, he gave her the same cold shoulder he gave me. But it didn't take long for him to let her linger around him. He'd even try to cheer her up whenever she was feeling down.

The moment Charles heard Sophie's voice, his expression softened as he looked at her and said, "I'll be right down."

Sophie gave him a playful wink. "We'll be waiting for you."

Charles nodded with a smile, his eyes following her until her footsteps faded away. Only then did he turn his gaze back to me.

He paused for a moment, his voice dropping into a low, cold warning. "Sophie and I are getting married soon.

"I don't care if you've gotten over those twisted feelings or not—you keep them buried deep. If my mom or Sophie suffers even a scratch because of you—"

I sat up straight instinctively, reciting the lines Henry made me say every day at Harmony Institute. "I've really let go of those feelings. I swear, I'd never dare again. A disgusting person like me isn't good enough for you."

Charles' face instantly twisted with displeasure.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside. Sophie appeared in the doorway, her face ghostly white as she bit her lip. "Emily... you really have feelings for Charlie?"

Charles rushed to her side, catching her as she swayed as if she might faint. "Sophie, don't let her words poison your ears," he hissed.

Then he whipped his head around to glare at me and barked, "Emily, you'd better mean what you said. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to send you back to Harmony Institute for another stay."

Charles' words went off like a bomb in my head. The mere thought of those girls who got sent back to Harmony Institute by their own families sent a wave of terror and nausea crashing through me.

I froze, trembling uncontrollably. Then, I felt a warm stream trickle down my leg, spreading across the spotless marble floor.

I stared blankly at my wet pants, then looked up to see Charles and Sophie, both frozen in shock. I had actually lost control of my bladder right in front of them. The next second, the world went black, and I slipped into unconsciousness.