Chapter 43: Heartless
(Eden's POV)
The group chat burned into my vision. The latest photo from Marcus flooded my screen, and my fingers froze, trembling lightly as I stared. Victoria slumped against the den's grimy wall like a broken doll. Bruises painted her pale skin, her ripped clothes hanging off her fragile frame.
I wanted to look away. The sight twisted something primal inside me, but before I could act, another message popped into the chat.
A video.
My thumb hesitated over the play button. A heavy pit grew in my stomach. I didn’t want to see what came next. Deep down, I already knew, but curiosity and disgust were intoxicating. I tapped play, and the footage began.
The sound hit me first—muffled cries, faint gasps of pain from Victoria. Then came Marcus, looming like a m
