chapter 24

As Alexander's fury boiled over, he forcefully pushed Nikki against the wall, the impact shattering a nearby vase with a resounding crash. Nikki's back collided with the hard surface, pain shooting through her as she struggled against his overpowering grip.

"Stop!" she pleaded, her voice a desperate cry for him to relent, to release her from the vice-like hold he had on her. "Alex, please, stop this!"

But Alexander's rage showed no signs of abating. His eyes blazed with an intensity that bordered on madness as he loomed over her, his grip tightening with each passing second.

"You think you can defy me?" he growled, his voice dripping with venom as he leaned in closer, his face contorted with anger.

With her heart pounding in her chest, Nikki's fingers instinctively closed around a shard of broken glass, her only means of defense in the face of his relentless onslaught. Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, she drove the jagged edge into Alexander's shoulder, a desperate bid to free herself from his grasp.

The sudden pain jolted Alexander out of his fury, his grip loosening as he stumbled backwards, clutching at the wound with trembling hands. "You... you dare..." he gasped, his voice trailing off into a strangled whisper as he struggled to comprehend what had just transpired.

But Nikki felt no remorse, no guilt for the action she had taken to defend herself. "You brought this upon yourself," she declared, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

With a final defiant glare, she broke free from his grasp and bolted for the door, her heart racing as she fled from the nightmare that had become her reality. As she disappeared into the darkness beyond, Nikki knew that the road ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty. But she was determined to reclaim her freedom, to break free from the chains of fear and oppression that had bound her for far too long.