The Blackwell estate looked beautiful from the outside.
Inside, however, it had become a prison for Temmin.
That evening, a private gathering filled the mansion with wealthy guests.
Everyone smiled.
Everyone laughed.
Nobody noticed the suffering hidden behind closed doors.
After an argument, Ethan dragged Temmin into a private hallway.
The confrontation quickly became public humiliation.
When guests passed by, they saw her kneeling on the floor.
Her elegant dress torn.
Pain visible across her face.
Fresh scars stretched across her back.
Instead of helping her, Ethan smirked.
"Now she knows her place."
Several guests looked away uncomfortably.
Others remained silent.
Temmin realized nobody intended to defend her.
Not one person.
Yet despite the humiliation, she refused to surrender.
Deep inside, a small part of her still believed someone would listen.
Someone would care.
And that belief gave her enough strength to reach for the phone ringing nearby.