Frayed Dignity

His scorching breath, his deep, demonic voice... enveloped her tightly, devouring her, stripping away her innocence...

His hands roamed and groped her body without restraint, leaving no part of her untouched. She could still feel the ghosting sensation of his fingers on her skin, a sickening reminder of the violation she had endured.

His kisses were like pillaging, biting every inch of her like a beast, a predator claiming his prey. The memory of his lips on her body made her stomach churn, and a wave of nausea washed over her.

How could there be such a shameless and despicable man? What had she done to deserve this fate, to be subjected to such a vile and reprehensible act?

"Swoosh--"

Not wanting to think about it any further, Lily impulsively turned the faucet to cold. The icy water from the showerhead poured down, making her shiver but feeling much more comfortable. The chill helped to numb her mind, and dull the pain and the shame that threatened to consume her.

Changing into a nightgown and walking out of the bathroom, Lily directly tossed the sweater and torn white skirt she had worn today into the trash can. Disgusting. She wanted no reminder of what had happened, no physical evidence of the trauma she had suffered.

On the old-colored desk sat a childhood photo of her with her parents. In the picture, she was smiling extremely happily, her mouth wide open, a carefree and innocent child with no knowledge of the cruelties the world had in store for her.

Back then, she didn't even know what sorrow was. Life had been simple, filled with love and laughter, a far cry from the nightmare she now found herself in.

Perhaps the heavens saw that she lived too happily in her childhood, so they filled her later life with thorns, throwing all the bad things at her. It was as if the universe was punishing her for having the audacity to be content, to believe that she deserved happiness.

Now, she had forgotten how to write the two words "happiness." The concept seemed foreign to her, a distant memory that she could no longer grasp.

Suddenly, her eyes felt a little damp. Lily slammed the photo face-down on the desk, no longer looking at the happy family in the picture. The contrast between the joy captured in that moment and the 

despair she felt now was too much to bear.

Taking out the morning-after pill she had bought before returning home, Lily gulped it down, the bitter taste lingering on her tongue. She glanced at the photography equipment on the side, and Ethan 

Blackwood's face floated in front of her eyes again, a haunting visage that refused to leave her mind.

An arrogant, domineering, shameless man. The epitome of everything she despised, everything she feared.

But she still had to go find that man. As much as the thought of facing him again filled her with dread, she knew she had no choice.

That man was able to call out her name, so he must know her. There was a high possibility that he would send that humiliating short video to everyone she knew. The idea of her shame being broadcast to the world, of everyone she cared about seeing her in such a vulnerable and degrading position, was unbearable.

How could she continue to survive in this city then? How could she wait for her father to be released from prison, knowing that her reputation had been irreparably tarnished?

She couldn't let that short video get out. She could only think of it as being bit by a dog, a wound that she would have to put up with to preserve what little dignity she still had.

The next day, Lily arrived at Shallow Bay but was stopped outside the community. The luxurious surroundings seemed to mock her, a reminder of the world of wealth and privilege that Ethan 

Blackwood inhabited, a world that she could never hope to be a part of.

She had long heard that Shallow Bay was a luxury residential community, home to the top tier of the country's pyramid. She had no choice but to wait for a slim chance, to hope that fate would grant her the opportunity to confront her tormentor.

After an unknown amount of time, the dedicated security guard suddenly opened the gate and walked outside, bowing and scraping. "Mr. Blackwood is back."

A dazzling red Ferrari sped into the community like flying, brushing past her. The vehicle was a sleek and powerful machine, a reflection of its owner's wealth and status.

Lily didn't even have time to get a clear look at the figure in the car, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized that the moment she had been dreading had finally arrived.

The next second, the Ferrari rapidly reversed and stopped in front of her. The sudden movement made her flinch, her body instinctively recoiling from the source of her trauma.

In the driver's seat sat a man with clean, simple short hair, a deeply handsome face, and a perfect side profile. A pair of deep eyes stared at her with interest as if looking at prey, adding a touch of charm...