Chapter 2

While the nurse dressed my wounds, I caught fragments of conversation between Caspian and Dad in the hallway.

“Jesus, Dad,” Caspian whispered harshly, “Val’s already destroyed. Do we seriously need to leak the assault footage to TikTok and Twitter?”

After a calculated pause, Dad responded with chilling detachment.

“Post it. No reputable ballet school will touch a student with that kind of viral scandal.”

Something shattered inside me as fresh tears spilled down my cheeks.

“Am I hurting you?” the nurse asked, alarmed by my sudden reaction.

I couldn’t even form words, unable to separate the searing pain in my legs from the gaping wound in

my soul.

The two men I’d built my entire world around weren’t satisfied with breaking my body–they were methodically erasing everything I’d ever been.

My entire existence reduced to collateral damage.

Within minutes, my phone exploded with notifications. Hands trembling, I unlocked it to find clips of my torture trending on TikTok, spreading across Twitter, and dissected in gruesome detail on multiple university subreddits.

them gutted me:

at Manhattan Dance

can 100% confirm she’s TOXIC af. Constantly undermining other dancers, sleeping with instructors for solos.

child crash and burn this spectacularly. Guess money can’t

91.5%

was hyperventilating, my vision tunneling as my entire

protective brother role. He gently covered my screen.

snatched my phone away, his Academy Award–worthy performance beginning: “Caspian,

saved footage. Don’t panic, Val–I’ve already called in favors at

flawless–practiced, precise,

bile rise in my throat.

with practiced sincerity: “Valentina Catherine Dagonet, listen to me. No matter what vicious lies they

destroy anyone who tries to hurt you, sis. That’s what

does.”

videos disappeared within hours.

been downloaded thousands of times, reposted, remixed with cruel commentary, transformed into

worked perfectly–even if my body somehow recovered, Valentina

at SAB had

my chart, his expression grim: “Ms. Dagonet has sustained compound fractures to both tibias, two broken ribs, second–degree burns

her arms.”

facial lacerations. Fifteen distinct knife wounds, methodically inflicted. We’re looking at significant permanent disfigurement without extensive reconstructive surgery…”

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