Chapter one Hundred & Twenty Eight

WARNING: This chapter contains some disgusting moments that readers might find disturbing.

—JASMINE.

-*

Carried back like a frail and sick child to the room I was taken away from before, I feel utterly helpless. The big woman lays me on the bed, now clean and free from the stench of blood, but instead adorned with rose petals, their delicate beauty a stark contrast to my own vulnerability.

As I lay down, I notice my body has grown extra weak, as if my very life force is ebbing away. My limbs feel heavy and unresponsive, and I struggle to move, but even the slightest effort exhausts me. It's as if I'm trapped in my own body, paralyzed by some unseen force.

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I hate this. I hate being weak, hate being helpless. I can still move my body, yes, but getting up, speaking, walking, or talking seems impossible.

More oils are poured onto my body, the scent overwhelming, before the maids finally leave me alone, lying naked and lifeless on the bed. The sil