CH.12

Every single time in the past when he had raped me while I was out cold and defenseless, I'd wake up naked, my clothes stripped off, and sprawled across our bed in a tangle of sheets.

My whole body was utterly shattered, every muscle aching and bruises already forming.

But worst of all was the hollow, empty feeling in my heart - like a piece of my soul had been violently ripped away.

Despite the trauma, I just went about my daily routine as if nothing had happened, as if it was just another normal day in my personal hell.

I dragged myself to the bathroom and stepped into the shower, scrubbing away at my skin with scorching hot water and a loofah until it was raw and pink.

I was trying to wash away the lingering traces of last night from my body, the ghostly sensations of his rough hands groping me and his sweat and bodily fluids.

But no amount of scrubbing could erase the memories seared into my mind.

Once I was finally clean, I threw on a simple casual outfit, a short brown cotton dr