99 Bloody Lashes And A Bullet To His Hear

Three days later.

Ariana went alone to try on wedding dresses,

Night had fallen by the time she left the boutique, Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind, clamping a hand over her mouth!

A sharp chemical smell invaded her nostrils. She struggled briefly before losing consciousness.

When she awoke, everything was pitch black.

Blindfolded, with her hands bound to a chair, she could not move.

CRACK!

When the first lash struck, Ariana arched her back in agony.

The rough rope cut deeply into her wrists, the blindfold making the darkness even more suffocating. She bit through her lip to suppress a scream.

"You've offended someone you shouldn't have," the executioner's voice seemed

to come from far away.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

The whip fell like raindrops, each stroke accompanied by a vicious whistling sound, tearing her skin open.

She bit down harder, refusing to cry out.

Who?!

Who would do this to her?

The whipping continued for what felt like hours, until she began to lose consciousness. Only then did it finally stop.

Then, the sound of a phone being dialed reached her ears.

"Sir, I've completed the task as instructed," the man said respectfully.

From the other end came a familiar male voice-

"Good. Return her home."

Just one sentence.

But Ariana's blood instantly turned to ice.

It was Dominic.

Dominic Reed had ordered this!

Just because she accidentally struck Mia once with the whip, he had someone give her ninety-nine lashes in return?!

Pain and cold washed over her entire body. She finally couldn't hold on any longer and passed out completely.

The hospital.

Ariana lay face down on the bed, her back burning with fiery pain.

Outside her door, nurses whispered among themselves-

"That man was so handsome, and so tender with his girlfriend..."

"I know, right? Just a tiny whip mark, and he acted like it was the end of the world. Meanwhile, look at room 304-covered in wounds and not a single visitor..."

Ariana pulled out her IV needle and painfully dragged herself toward the corridor, supporting herself against the wall.

Sure enough, at the VIP room entrance, she saw Dominic.

He was holding a cup of water, carefully helping Mia drink. She pouted and murmured something, and Dominic wiped the water from the corner of her mouth, his gaze tender enough to melt.

Ariana leaned silently against the wall, her eyes growing damp.

She didn't understand why, even after deciding to let go, her heart could still ache

this badly, as if someone were slowly carving out her flesh with a dull knife.noveldrama

'Don't cry, Ariana.'

She told herself this.

'Because no one would care if you did.'

The day she was discharged, Ariana had just arrived when familiar footsteps sounded behind her-

Dominic had returned.

Their eyes met, each seeing something different in the other's gaze.

They stood in silence until Ariana's phone suddenly vibrated, her father's name appearing on the screen.

"Tomorrow is Mia's birthday celebration," her father's voice brooked no refusal. "She's been crying to me about wanting to improve her relationship with you. Come and attend."

Ariana laughed coldly. "I won't."

"What are you upset about? This might be the last time," her father emphasized. "The Sinclairs have set the date, and after you marry in...'

She hung up on him, looking up at Dominic who stood in the shadows. "Do you think I should go?"

His sharply defined profile appeared especially hard in the lamplight.

After a few seconds of silence, his voice was low. "You should go."

"Very well," she smiled tightly. "If that's what you want."

The birthday celebration was held in the glass conservatory of the Reeves family mansion.

When Ariana arrived wearing an emerald velvet gown, most of the guests had already assembled.

Under the crystal chandeliers, Mia twirled in a pink tulle dress, like a princess surrounded by adoring courtiers.

"Ari!" Mia exclaimed with apparent delight, rushing forward as if to take her arm.

Ariana sidestepped her, her gaze sweeping over the room filled with lavish gifts from their father-limited edition Hermès bags, Tiffany blue boxes, even the keys to a Porsche.

"Mia has always been so thoughtful. She's my favorite," her father said adoringly as he stood beside Mia, just as... many years ago, he had stood beside Ariana and her mother.

She remembered wearing a white dress, being lifted high in her father's arms, while her mother smiled gently nearby.

Now, everything had changed beyond recognition.

After the cake cutting, guests dispersed into smaller groups.

One of Mia's friends pulled her aside to gossip. "Mia, there are so many eligible bachelors from prominent families here today. Is your dad trying to arrange a match? I thought you were already engaged to the Sinclair heir?"

Mia smiled, deliberately glancing toward Ariana nearby. "That arrangement fell through ages ago."

"Thank goodness! I heard he's been in a coma. Wouldn't that basically be signing up for a lifetime as a widow and caretaker?" the friend said with a sympathetic grimace.

"So tell us, what's your type? With all these eligible bachelors here tonight, you must have some criteria."

Under the group's playful encouragement, Mia blushed and began counting on her fingers: “First, he has to love me enough to tattoo my name on his chest. Second, he needs courage-there's this rare 'Thorn Rose' that blooms once a decade on Crescent Cliff, and he'd have to get it for me. Third..."

Before she could finish, the grand 'doors to the ballroom suddenly swung open.

"Mr. Reed sends his congratulations to Miss Reeves on her birthday, wishing her happiness and prosperity!" a voice announced.