Chapter 182

"Stop," Mia whispered, but the word came out broken, barely audible above the sound of her own heartbeat thundering in her ears.

The man's grin widened, feeding off her pain like a parasite. "Your father strangled her with his bare hands. Did you know that? Right there in their bedroom, the same room where you were conceived."

Mia's hands pressed harder against her ears, but she couldn't block out his voice. It cut through her defenses like a blade, each word carving deeper into her soul.

"She fought him," he continued, circling her like a predator. "Scratched his face so bad he had to wear makeup for weeks....