Chapter 9 - The Fall
He didn't hesitate. He lunged across the room, grabbing me by the hair and dragging me toward the kitchen. I fought back, kicking and scratching, but he was fueled by the desperate adrenaline of a cornered animal.
He slammed my head brutally against the heavy oak pantry door. White hot pain exploded behind my eyes, and I tasted copper as my lip split open. I slumped to the floor, gasping for breath, my vision blurring.
"Password!" he roared, kicking me sharply in the ribs. I heard a sickening crack and screamed, curling into a protective ball.
Through the haze of pain, I realized we were perfectly positioned under the smoke detector. The hidden camera’s microscopic red light was blinking. It was recording everything.
Ethan crouched beside me, his hands wrapping around my throat, cutting off my air. "You stupid, ungrateful bitch," he hissed, squeezing tighter. "I made you. I gave you everything."
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I couldn't breathe. Black spots danced at the edges of my vision. I felt my consciousness slipping away, the fireworks outside fading into a muffled hum.
He released my neck just before I passed out, letting my head strike the hard tile. The last thing I heard before the world went completely dark was Ethan whispering, his voice dripping with venom, “You should have learned when to stay quiet.”
