No Strings Attached

Left to fend for herself in this godforsaken place, Leonora knew she couldn't let things continue this way.

Just then, she felt something being poured over her head.

Curious, she tilted her head back, catching a woman in the act of emptying a basin over her.

Leonora, who had always lived a life of privilege, had never experienced such indignity.

She sprang up and charged at the woman, with teeth clenched in rage. "What the hell did you just dump on me?"

The woman burst into raucous laughter. "Take a whiff. You'll figure it out."

It was then that Leonora noticed the foul, rancid odor invading her nostrils. She instantly realized what the liquid was. Furious, she raised her hand to strike the woman.

But her hand was only halfway up when it was abruptly seized, and a thudding blow came crashing down on her head.

A chair smashed over her, sending her world into a dizzying spin.

That was followed by a flurry of punches and kicks.

After a brutal half-hour beating, Leonora was left nearly dead.

the severity of the words Heidi had once said to her about being humiliated and

forced to her knees, begging for forgiveness. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt

what finally

crawled and stumbled onto

she lay down, she saw a

was her porcelain skin.

a close look,

welled up in Leonora's

over to Heidi, sobbing,

Leonora away

"Heidi, it's

closer, and I'll have the queen here give you a

as harsh as the pain in

hoped that Leonora would be her savior, but now it was clear that Leonora was barely

escaped the beatings and didn't want to invite trouble

and ruthless,

we don't know each

as Heidi

could scream, her mouth