He kept dragging me along the road. People pointed and stared, whispering behind their hands, but he didn’t care. My head stayed low, shame crawling over my skin like a rash. My limbs felt heavy, my soul even heavier. I was already weak—both inside and out.
We stopped in front of a wide glass building. I only looked up when I heard him shout, “Captain! Captain! Captain!”
That’s when I saw the signage: a gym. Everyone inside stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes on us. Their judgment hit me harder than the sun scorching above.
“I want you to train this hippo body,” Lucian spat coldly, shoving me forward. I staggered, almost falling, until a tall, muscular man stepped forward to catch me.
The man blinked in surprise. “Sir, she’s a woman. Women should be treated with gentlene
