CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE

—JASMINE

Denzel's grip on my neck is like a vice, his fingers digging deep into my skin as he slams me against the floor. My twins' cries pierce the air, their tiny bodies shaking with fear as they watch their mother being brutalized by the man I once thought was kind. My back throbs in agony, my head spinning like it's about to detach from my body. I try to beg for forgiveness, to plead with Denzel to release me, but my throat is constricted, my voice barely a whisper.

"Den—..." I gasp, my airway closing in. "I'll die at this rate." I manage to croak out, my voice is hoarse from the pressure. "Please..." I plead, my words barely audible.

Denzel's face twists in rage, his eyes blazing with fury. "Please?" he thunders, his voice like a crack of lightning. "That's not the word I'm looking for, Jasmine. When will you learn?" He bellows, his anger boiling over like a cauldron.

With a sudden jerk, he tosses my body aside, sending me crashing into the bookshelves by my bedside.

I feel the