Chapter 84

Cecilia pushed open the door to the study and her gaze landed squarely on Alston's bloodied back. The smell of blood in the study was heavy, the light was bright, and the layers of illumination from Cecilia's eyes intersected on Alston's wounds, making them appear even more gruesome. Cecilia's heart skipped a beat as she closed her eyes briefly and then reopened them. Alston was kneeling in the study with his back to Cecilia, his pristine white shirt now stained beyond recognition with blood, sweat glistening on the man's temples. Cecilia rubbed her arms; the study's air conditioning was on, so it wasn't hot enough to make Alston sweat like this. It only proved how much pain he was in. But apart from the muffled groan she heard from Alston outside the study and his stubborn retorts to Corin, Cecilia didn't hear him cry out in pain. She had initially thought Regina was exaggerating Alston's suffering, and she had even wondered if Alston was being beaten to death by Corin. Cecilia's lips