TRIGGER WARNING: PHYSICAL ABUSE
Crack! The whip tore through the air before biting into Melody's back, the sharp sting accompanied by the nauseating sound of leather against flesh. Her knuckles turned ghostly white as she clutched the leather straps of the whipping post, each squeeze grounding her amidst the waves of agony. Tears glistened in her eyes, threatening to fall, but she steeled herself, forcing them back. The searing pain coursed through her body like fire, yet her resolve burned brighter. She wouldn’t let her father savor the sight of her surrender—not now, not ever.
"Thirteen," her father's voice rang out, calm and detached.
Snap! The whip cracked again, and Melody clenched her jaw, forcing herself to stay silent.
"Fourteen," he counted, his expression as cold as ice. The
