Chapter 41: The Ruin of Innocence

Watching Sonia walk away, I felt a flicker of desperation. For a fleeting second, I nearly called her back, hoping for some miraculous rescue from the terrible fate looming over me. But as the door closed behind her with a finality that seemed almost cruel, I knew the truth: Sonia was no ally in this moment. Her departure was deliberate, a silent agreement with the monstrous intent of the man now standing before me. The store room fell into a heavy silence, pierced only by the sound of my quickened breathing. Francis's eyes, dark and predatory, lingered on me with a hunger that made my skin crawl. Every inch of his gaze was a silent promise of the horrors he wished to inflict upon me. My own eyes, wide with fear, spoke a mute plea that I feared would fall on deaf ears. “What are you doing here?” Francis's voice cut through the silence, his tone feigning casualness as though we were discussing mundane matters. “Miss Rose sent me to sift some grains,” I replied, my voice trembling as