But Aurora had had enough. As his mouth descended towards hers, she saw her chance. With a surge of strength born from desperation, she brought her knee up hard, striking him between the legs. The man’s eyes widened in shock and pain, and he toppled to the side. Seizing the moment, Aurora rolled off the bed, her naked body sliding across the cold marble floor. She didn’t bother to cover herself; modesty had been stripped away along with her dignity.
Her bare feet slapped against the floor as she sprinted out of the room, ignoring the cacophony of laughter and jeers that followed her. The hallway was a blur, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she searched for a way out of this nightmare. The mansion was a labyrinth of opulence, each corridor more confusing than the last.
Damian watched Aurora’s retreat, his expression unreadable. Her courage had taken him by surprise, and he found himself oddly… intrigued. He had expected fear and submission, but instead, she had fought back, even if it was a futile gesture. It was a trait that could either make her more valuable or more troublesome.
Aurora’s bare feet pounded against the cold marble floor as she raced down the hallways, her heart thundering in her chest. She didn’t dare look back; she knew that if she did, she might see the guards coming for her, eager to return her to the clutches of the beasts in that room. Her eyes darted around, searching for any sign of the room she shared with Luna. The mansion was a maze of opulence, and she had never felt so lost and desperate.
When she finally stumbled through the door, she collapsed onto the bed, her trembling limbs giving out beneath her. She pulled the covers over her head, trying to drown out the sounds of the party, the lewd laughter and the sickening thud of flesh on flesh. Her eyes filled with tears, and she couldn’t help but weep into the pillow, her body shaking with the weight of her new reality.
Luna quickly sat next to her, her own eyes red and swollen from crying. She wrapped her arms around Aurora’s trembling form, holding her close. “It’s okay,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over Aurora’s sobs. “You did well. You didn’t break.”
Aurora clung to Luna, her entire body shaking as the horror of the night’s events crashed over her. The warmth of Luna’s embrace was a stark contrast to the cold, hard reality she had just faced. For a moment, she allowed herself to believe that she could find comfort here, in the arms of a fellow prisoner.
“Thank you,” Aurora managed to say between sobs. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Luna squeezed her tighter. “You’re strong,” she murmured. “Stronger than you think.”
Just before they could say anything more, the door swung open and Damian came in, his eyes dark and stormy. The room grew colder, and Aurora’s breath caught in her throat as she pulled away from Luna’s embrace, her eyes wide with fear. He slammed the door behind him, the sound echoing through the room.
Crouching down to Luna’s level, he spoke in a low, dangerous tone. “You,” he said, pointing a finger at Aurora, “have done much to keep Luna safe.” His gaze flicked to the trembling girl. “And as I said, I will keep my word.”
He turned and strode out of the room, leaving Aurora gasping for breath. She looked to Luna, who offered a tentative smile. “See?” she whispered.
But the moment was short-lived as the sound of footsteps grew louder in the hallway. Aurora’s heart raced as Miss Catherine barged in, her face flushed with anger. “What have you done?” she spat, her eyes flicking to the rumpled bed and Aurora’s disheveled state. “You’ve made a fool of us all!”
Aurora’s eyes widened in terror, realizing the gravity of her actions. Defying Damian in front of his guests was not only an insult to him but a direct threat to the fragile order of the mansion. She knew she would pay dearly for her rebellion.
Miss Catherine’s voice was a sharp slap, echoing in Aurora’s ringing ears. “You will learn your place!” she seethed, grabbing Aurora’s arm with surprising strength. “You’re a whore now, and you will act like one!”
Aurora felt the sting of the woman’s grip, but she didn’t fight back. Instead, she met Miss Catherine’s furious gaze with a silent defiance, her resolve unbroken despite her shaking limbs. “Let go of me,” she said, her voice surprisingly steady.
Miss Catherine’s eyes narrowed. “You think you’re special?” she hissed. “You think you can just waltz in here and do whatever you please?” She dragged Aurora to her feet, her nails digging into the soft flesh of her arm. “You’re no better than the rest of us!”
Aurora winced but didn’t reply. She knew better than to argue with the madam. Instead, she focused on the pain, letting it fuel her anger, her determination to find a way out of this hellhole. Luna watched the scene unfold, her own fear mingling with admiration for Aurora’s courage.
Without warning, Luna jumped to her feet, her frail frame seeming to gain strength from the injustice. She stepped in front of Aurora, her chest heaving with indignation. “Leave her alone,” she ordered Miss Catherine, her voice shaky but firm. The room stilled, the air charged with an unexpected tension.
Miss Catherine’s grip on Aurora’s arm slackened in surprise. She looked at Luna with a mix of disbelief and anger. “You dare defy me?” she snarled.
“Yes,” Luna replied, her voice surprisingly firm. “I dare. You leave her alone.”