Stanford winced, his hand instinctively reaching for his forehead, where blood was starting to trickle down.
"You filthy b***h," he hissed. "I showed you respect, and this is how you repay me?"
Furious, he grabbed Raina's arm with one hand, raised the other, and slapped her hard across the face.
The force of the slap was so strong that Raina nearly lost consciousness. Her vision went black for a moment, and a loud ringing filled her ears. The only thing keeping her from collapsing was Stanford's grip on her arm.
Her pale skin, soft and delicate, immediately showed the aftermath of the blow: a bright red, swollen handprint.
Stanford looked at her face with a mix of anger and unexpected pity. Seeing her look so vulnerable made him hesitate for a second.
"If you just behaved, you wouldn
