Chapter 849

The storage room was rarely cleaned and coated in layers of dust. Shayla sat slumped against a wall, her body weak and trembling. Her lips were cracked and peeling, and her head felt heavy and disoriented. Although she had been fed the night before, no one seemed to remember to give her water. A person could survive without food for a while, but without water, it would only take three to five days before the body began to shut down. The severe dehydration left her feeling dizzy and powerless and her vision blurry. Still, she refused to give in. Shayla wouldn't betray Melina, not even if it meant earning her family's approval. Melina was the only true friend she had ever known. She would never use Melina for the family's gain, no matter how dire things became. Outside, Margaret, Kenneth, and Kayden were lounging comfortably in the living room, chatting and snacking on fruit, oblivious to her suffering. Inside, Shayla's body began to fail. The lack of water caused her mind to blu