Stefan dragged me into the basement, stripped off my clothes, and tied me to a pillar.

Every night, in the interrogation room he had built just for me, he would torture me in new and cruel ways.

"Was killing my sister not enough for you? Do you want to take my wife and child too?"

I shook my head and denied it.

"Then tell me, where is my sister? Speak!"

The silver whip lashed across my body, drawing blood.

There wasn't a single patch of unbroken skin left on me. I didn't care anymore. I only had four days left to live.

When you were that close to death, you could start to tolerate everything.

"I don't know."

I couldn't tell him the truth.

The whip flew so fast it was a blur. The pain surged all the way to my chest, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood.

If not for having a vampire's naturally strong body, I would've died long ago.

"If your skin's so thick, then let's put on a livestream. Let the whole country see how filthy a vampire really is. Let that little freak of yours see what kind of person his mother is."

I shook my head frantically, but I couldn't stop the stream from going live.

On the screen, I was bound in a humiliating pose, and the private parts of my body were barely covered by a thin veil.

One perverted comment after another flooded in.

"OMG, that face and body!"

"She's so hot!"

"She doesn't look like a human, does she?"

"Woahh! Is this the first vampire livestream ever?"

I couldn't bear to look.

Stefan grabbed my hair and forced my face toward the camera.

"Oh my goodness! That face! Those skin! Such unbelievable beauty!"

"I think I'm in love!"

"Is she for sale? I want to buy her!"

"Same here! Does a hundred bucks a night sound good?"

The once-noble vampire clan was reduced to a joke. I was a toy for sale. How pathetic.

Stefan suddenly snapped.

He kicked the electronic screen, shattering it. Then he grabbed me by the throat and kissed me roughly.

"Sonia, you really were born for seduction."

His hands roamed my body like wildfire, and his long eyelashes reminded me of the very first time I saw him.

Ten years ago, Stefan wasn't the director of any scientific research project. He was just a young man who was cornered by loan sharks.

They had threatened to chop off his delicate fingers if he didn't pay up.

Stefan hadn't even flinched.

"Take both my hands. Just leave my mom alone!"

His bravery had struck a chord in me. I had paid off his debt and even gave him extra money. As I walked away, he had grabbed the bone pendant at my waist.

He had sworn he would find me and marry me one day.

That one sentence had etched him into my heart.

Later, Stefan's sister had disappeared near the border where vampires and humans interacted.

All that was left was a pool of blood.

Stefan had gone mad.

He began researching ways to fight vampires even though peace had long been established between our clans.

Eventually, he succeeded.

He came to hate our entire clan.

For the sake of my people, I chose a path I could never turn back from. Soon, I wouldn't have to endure it anymore.

Stefan finally stopped. His hands were covered in my blood and flesh. My wounds had already started to rot.

I gave a bitter smile. "Stefan, I'm dying."

He clamped a hand over my mouth, pulled out a syringe, and desperately jabbed it into me. The icy liquid made me tremble violently.

"Sonia, don't think you can die to escape me. If you die, I'll kill every last one of your kind. You're not allowed to die!"

My vision began to blur.

In a dream, someone gently stroked my face.

"Sonia, is it really possible to fall in love with your enemy?"

Was that Stefan's voice?

I struggled to open my eyes, but no one was there.

Of course, how could someone who hated me that much ever love me?

"Madam Stella is already up, and you still have the nerve to sleep?"

Stefan's assistant, Lukas, snapped a chain around my neck and yanked it hard, hoisting me up into the air and on my feet.

I was dragged to the front door.

Every time Stella went shopping, I had to be there beside her, ready to serve at a moment's notice.

"Get in!" Lukas pushed me into the car.

Before I could even sit down, Stella frowned. "Honey, she reeks like a dead rat."

Stefan scowled and kicked me out of the car. "Get lost. You're making Stella feel unwell."

"But honey, I wanted to buy a new outfit for her."

Stefan pinched Stella's nose fondly. "You're too kind for your own good." He turned to me. "Sonia, run behind the car. Don't vampires have good stamina?"

I didn't dare talk back. I just ran after the car.

The sunlight burned my bare skin. Blisters formed, burst, bled, and healed over again.

Inside the car, Stella giggled, "Sonia looks so pretty when she runs. If only she could run a little faster, she'd look even prettier."

As she said that, the engine roared and the car suddenly accelerated.

I couldn't keep up.

My body was dragged across the rough asphalt, the pain of torn skin and flesh flooding my senses.

When they finally got out, they didn't even look at me.

I ran after them.

"Where's Liam? Why isn't he back yet?" I asked.

Stella beamed smugly. "If you want to see him so badly, go ahead. The circus is that way." She pointed in another direction. "But if we go to the circus, I won't have time for the jewelry store."

Stefan turned and slapped me across the face. "That freak is learning tricks at the circus. It's a good opportunity for him. Why should he ruin Stella's plans?"

He yanked the chain around my neck and dragged me away again.

-

It wasn't until nightfall that they finally allowed me to go see Liam.

In the center of the flames, my child, battered and bruised, was forcing his tiny body through one burning hoop after another.

The moment he saw me, his strength gave out. "Mom, it hurts–"

I rushed toward him but was stopped by two burly men.

"Not bad. The little brat's been going at it all day and night. He's still alive."

My heart shattered. "How could you? He's just a child!"

Stefan finally spoke. "Let Liam rest."

The beast trainer begrudgingly put out the flames.

Liam collapsed into my arms. He was burning up and barely breathing.

"Mom, you finally came."

"He needs to go to the hospital! Stefan, please, I'm begging you!"

Stefan was just about to speak when Stella clutched her stomach.

"Honey, my stomach hurts so much."

Without a word, Stefan swept her into his arms and rushed off.

I held my dying son and tried to flag down passing cars, but no one would stop for a blood-stained woman.

I had no choice but to run to the nearest hospital, asking for directions along the way.

-

When Liam was wheeled out of the emergency department, his body was hooked up to countless tubes.

I overheard the nurses whispering.

"How could a kid end up like this?"

"God knows what kind of mother she is."

I lowered my head and listened silently as the doctor gave me a grim update. Liam was in critical condition and not yet out of danger.

I took his small, blistered hand in mine.

Liam slowly opened his eyes. "Mom, don't cry. I'm okay."

Just then, Stefan called.

"Get to the maternity ward. Stella's having a miscarriage!"

Liam's eyes lit up. "Is Dad coming to see me?"

My heart was torn apart. I gently stroked his forehead. "Be good, Liam. I'll be right back."

-

Outside the maternity ward, one of Stella's maids pointed at me and shrieked.

"It's her! She drank Madam Stella's blood and nearly killed the baby!"

Stefan was furious. He slapped me hard. "You filthy thing! You even went after my child?"

I shook my head to explain, but he grabbed my throat and squeezed.

"You cut into her collarbone last time, and now you drink her blood? You wretch! Does it bother you that much to see us happy?"

He beat me mercilessly. I curled up on the floor and dared not dodge.

The nurses stood by, cold and indifferent. No one stood up for a vampire.

Suddenly, I received an alert on my phone about Liam's vitals.

I struggled to get to my feet. "Liam! I have to see him!"

Stefan sneered and kicked me down again. "Who do you think you are? What makes you think you can leave?"

Just then, an elderly man with gray hair walked into the room. I recognized him instantly. He was a renowned vampire doctor. Stella had gone to great lengths to bring him here.

He didn't even glance at me as he went straight to Stella's bedside.

After a brief examination, he made a grave pronouncement.

"The fetus is in critical danger. It requires an extraordinary remedy."

Stella opened her eyes weakly. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please save my baby. I can't lose him."

Stefan panicked and gripped her hand tightly. "Whatever it takes, we'll do it!"

A strange gleam appeared in the doctor's eyes. "Only the heart's blood of a vampire child can save this fetus."

The room fell dead silent.

In that instant, I felt hopeless.

"No! Liam is just a boy. He's already so weak!" I screamed, falling to my knees in desperation. "Stefan, please. He's your son!"

Stefan stared coldly at me. "Vampires heal fast. Drawing a little blood won't kill him."

He waved for someone to bring Liam in.

I went wild, throwing myself at the door, but the bodyguards pinned me down.

"No! Please! He'll die!"

Stella cried pitifully from the bed. "Sonia, it's just a bit of blood. You'd really rather see my baby die?"

Stefan only saw her fragility and pain. "Don't worry, Stella. I'll take care of it. Sonia, you heartless monster. You don't deserve to be a mother!"

They dragged me away. My fingernails scraped against the floor and left bloody trails.

-

I was made to watch. They sliced open Liam's chest with a scalpel. His tiny heart was exposed to the air.

I bit down on my lip so hard blood came out.

The twisted doctor sneered and sliced a chunk from Liam's heart.

The monitor flatlined.

Beeeeeeep.

Liam closed his eyes forever.

"Stefan! You killed your own son!" I screamed.

He slapped me again. "Stop pretending! Vampires don't die that easily!"

Stella said softly, "Honey, as long as our baby is safe, that's all that matters."

Just then, the door slammed open.

A woman with long hair stood in the doorway.

It was Stefan's missing sister, Keira. He had been searching for her for seven years.

"Brother, have you gone insane?!"

Stefan stood frozen in shock. "Keira? You're alive?"