Chapter 17

Maxine's POV

Later that day, I was doing his laundry. As I hung the clothes to dry, one of his shirts slipped from my grasp and fell into the dirt.

"Maxine!" Liam's voice boomed from behind me. "Can't you do anything right?"

"I'm sorry, Master," I stammered, picking up the shirt.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. "You need to learn to be careful," he said, his eyes narrowing. "And until you do, you'll be punished."

The cycle continued—punishment after punishment, task after task. My body bore the marks of his anger, but my spirit clung to the hope that one day, things would change.

Amid all this pain and suffering, I tried to remind myself of the good in the world, even if I couldn't see it. I sang quietly to myself, the melodies a small comfort against the cruelty I faced daily.

One evening, after another grueling day, I sat alone in my room, hugging my knees to my chest. Despite everything, a small, stubborn part of