Chapter 3

Two bodyguards, one on each side, clamped down hard on my shoulders.

I struggled with everything I had, but they pinned me down without a shred of mercy.

Rufus took a box of ink paste and the withdrawal statement with a fawning smile, then walked up to me.

"Sonia, you should have thought of this before you started."

He forced at my tightly clenched right hand, trying to press my thumb into the ink.

"Let go of me!"

I clenched my teeth and kicked hard at the bodyguard holding me down.

Just as Rufus was about to pry my fingers open, someone came rushing into the bathroom.

It was my best friend, Anya.

"What are you doing! Let go of Sonia!"

When Anya saw me pinned to the counter, her eyes went red in an instant.

She charged straight in and sank her teeth into the arm of the bodyguard holding me.

The bodyguard yelped in pain and backhanded her hard across the face.

Anya was already thin and frail, and the blow sent her flying.

The back of her head cracked against the tiled corner, and blood instantly soaked the collar of her school uniform.

"Anya!"

Anya lay on the floor, but still reached out for me with everything she had, trying to crawl over and save me.

Rowena walked over with a cold smile and looked down at Anya on the ground.

"A worthless little wretch who doesn't know her place—you dare to meddle in my Pruitt family's affairs?"

She lifted her foot over Anya's outstretched right hand and stomped down hard.

Crack.

The sound of breaking bone rang out.

"Aah!"

Anya's shrill scream tore through the whole corridor, her whole body convulsing with pain.

"Anya!" I thrashed like a madwoman, tears bursting from my eyes.

"Rowena, you animal! I'll kill you!"

Ronald grabbed a fistful of my hair and forced my head up.

Then a heavy slap landed across my face.

It split the corner of my mouth open on the spot, blood pouring out, my eardrums ringing.

"Are you going to sign or not?"

"Don't sign, and the next thing I stomp is her other hand."

A little way off, Rowena obligingly lifted her blood-stained high heel and aimed it at the fingers of Anya's left hand.

Anya was in so much pain she was nearly unconscious, but she still weakly shook her head at me.

"Sonia... don't sign..."

I closed my eyes in despair.

I couldn't just watch Anya lose the use of both her hands.

Just as I was about to loosen my fingers and give in to them—

A hand smelling of scallions and cooking grease closed precisely around Rowena's ankle from behind.

That hand that always trembled when it served food in the cafeteria.

Right now, not even a fingertip moved.

"Touch her and see what happens."

My mother's voice rang out, calm, without the slightest ripple.