Anna’s POV
I woke the next morning feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. Every muscle in my body ached, screaming in protest with even the slightest movement.
Rachel stood beside the bed, her face pale and stricken as she clutched a shopping bag. My dress from last night was crumpled in the trash like a discarded rag, far from the elegant designer piece it once was.
I pulled back the covers and stared at myself in horror. Bruises and marks painted across my skin like some twisted souvenir.
"What the hell...?"
"I'm so sorry, Ms. Shaw," Rachel said, her voice thick with guilt. "This is my fault. I shouldn’t have left you alone, even to pay the bill. I—"
“It’s not your fault,” I interrupted firmly, tossing the covers aside and standing despite the pain. “Was it him again?”
Rachel’s eye
