I stayed in the hallway longer than I should have,trying to process everything that just happened.
Damien’s footsteps faded upstairs. The house went quiet again, but it didn’t feel empty. It felt like it was waiting for the next hit.
I pulled my dress down properly and walked to the downstairs bathroom. I locked the door, turned on the tap, and cleaned myself with shaking hands. The water was cold. My thighs were sticky. My neck still burned where Damien had pulled my hair.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
Mascara under my eyes. Marks on my skin. A woman who left one man’s bed and walked straight into another man’s punishment.
I washed my face and went upstairs.
The master bedroom door was already open.
Bella was inside.
Two boxes sat on the bed. My clothes were in a pile on the f
