I couldn’t eat the food served to his legitimate children, couldn’t wear the clothes they wore, and certainly couldn’t claim any of the privileges that came with being a member of the Mills family.
Everything they possessed had always been beyond my reach, while I was expected to remain grateful for whatever scraps were given to me.
I owned nothing, not even the right to decide what happened to my own future, so what could I possibly do against him?
Every time I struggled, the guards tightened their grip, and whenever I tried to lift myself from the floor, another strike came down against my back.
Eventually, I stopped fighting because there was no point.
Resisting would only make the beating worse, so I lowered my head and endured the pain in silence, focusing on nothing except remaining conscious.
The thought of the medical reports flashed through my mind.
I had a little less than six months left.
That was all the doctor had given me, and I couldn’t afford to die sooner because of a beating.
I couldn’t allow my already fragile body to deteriorate any further, yet there was nothing I could do except endure it and hope the pain eventually stopped.
The strikes continued until the pain across my back became so intense that even breathing felt like an effort.
My vision blurred, and my fingers trembled against the cold floor beneath me as I struggled to remain conscious.
Then, finally, the whip stopped.
My body sagged forward as the guards released me, and I struggled to keep myself upright.
Warm blood slowly soaked through the torn fabric of my dress, while every movement sent another wave of pain through my back.
My father looked down at me without the slightest trace of guilt, and in that moment, I was reminded of exactly what I had been to him for the past twenty years.
Whenever he was angry, I became the person he took his frustration out on.
Whenever something went wrong, I became an easy target, and whenever he needed someone to blame, I was there.
I had been his punching bag for as long as I could remember.
But not anymore.
I couldn’t continue living like this.
Whatever time I had left, I needed to spend it somewhere I could breathe, somewhere I could make my own decisions, and somewhere no one could treat me as though my life belonged to them.
No…
I couldn’t continue staying in this place.
The realization settled heavily inside me as I slowly lifted my head.
I didn’t know how I would leave, where I would go, or whether I even had enough strength to survive outside the mansion, but somehow, I would find a way.
I had already lost most of my life to this family, and I refused to surrender what little time I had left.
My father tossed the bloodied whip toward one of the guards and turned away from me as though the matter had already been settled.
“Take her to the other bedroom and get her ready,” he ordered coldly.
“She will be given to the Supreme Alpha as soon as they arrive.” My mind went completely blank.
Supreme Alpha?
The name alone made me lift my head.
I stared at my father, certain that I had misunderstood him.
“Why should I marry the Supreme Alpha?” My voice came out weaker than I wanted, but I forced myself to continue.
“He said he wanted to marry Sylvia.
The invitation had stated clearly that it was Sylvia and not Frida.” Everyone knew that.
Supreme Alpha had specifically requested Sylvia as his bride, and my father had spent weeks preparing for their marriage while Sylvia had been treated as though she were already destined to become the future Luna.
So why had everything suddenly changed?
Why was I the one being sent to him?
My father glanced back at me, his expression remaining completely indifferent despite the blood staining my clothes.
“My daughter isn’t going to marry that cruel villain,” he said coldly.
“He is better suited for you.
I’m doing you a favor.” A favor?
For several seconds, I simply stared at him, unable to understand how he could say something like that after having me beaten until my back was bleeding.