"Jon grew up overseas with the best education. He already started to take over the family business at sixteen. He's tall and handsome, and all the women chasing after him are either from privileged families or celebrities."

Mrs. Perry glanced at the scabs forming on my face, unable to hold back her laughter.

"Even if Miss Sinead offered herself for free, no man would want her."

"That's enough!" yelled my mom suddenly, her voice sharp as she rushed to Mrs. Perry in an attempt to fight back.

Unfortunately, this was the Perry family's turf.

Jonathan immediately called in several bodyguards, who had us pinned to the ground in seconds.

The rough floor scraped against my scales. "Let us go!"

I struggled, then heard a loud slap.

But it didn't land on my face—it landed on my mother's.

"Jonathan Perry! How dare you!" I screamed with my entire being.

The butler, Mr. Hayes, glanced at Jonathan and Mrs. Perry in a panic, but Jonathan acted like he didn't hear a thing.

"Hmph! Who do they think they are, laying a hand on me like this?" Mrs. Perry tidied her messy hair before giving out her orders. "Continue! Hit them! Don't stop until they crawl out of the Perry estate!"

Mr. Hayes gave a greasy little grin at hearing her command. He lifted my mother's chin, raised his hand, and slapped her hard again.

"You animal! Come at me if you've got a problem with us!" my dad roared in anger, pinned by several bodyguards.

Mr. Hayes shot him a look, then slowly stood up. "You? You want it too, huh?"

He rolled up his sleeves and kicked my dad's waist again and again, right where his bandages were. "That'll teach you! Still want to play the hero? Do you think you're tough? I'll show you!"

My dad's hands were pinned down tight.

"Stop it! Please, stop!" I cried.

Through the beating, my dad looked over at me and managed to squeeze out a smile. His lips moved as if to say, "I'm fine".

I caught my breath.

Mrs. Perry seemed to be bored by now; she yawned lazily and left.

Mr. Hayes wiped the sweat from his forehead. As he watched her leave, his wrinkled face twisted into a nastier grin. He stood in front of my mom, lifted his shirt, and started to unzip his pants.

"You… What are you doing?!" Mom's head was pressed down under his shoe, and she was unable to see what he was doing.

"Jonathan Perry! If you don't let us go now, I'll end my life right here! You can forget about reviving your precious Annabelle!" I snarled.

Jonathan, dressed in white and almost out the door, suddenly stopped. He turned slowly, his eyes dark and the emotions inside unknowable. "You… You know?"

I sneered, "Yes. If you let my family go, I'll do everything you want. You won't have to lift a finger. I'll give you what you want myself."

He held the prayer beads in his hand before finally saying, "Fine. Mr. Hayes, let them go. Sinead stays."

Mr. Hayes spat on the ground with a disappointed look and quickly zipped his pants up. He ordered the guards to release my parents.

"Sinead, what are you talking about? What are you going to give him?" My mom held my hand tightly, her voice full of fear.

I looked at her messy hair, her swollen face, and tears on the verge of falling. Her favorite outfit was now covered in footprints and dust. My dad came over with a face full of worry, holding his waist.

"It's okay, Mom, Dad. You go to the hospital first," I said to them.

I took a deep breath, but I couldn't suppress the anger raging inside me.

"I'll handle the rest myself," I whispered.

I touched the patch of snake scales that was about to peel off my face and looked up at the dark clouds gathering in the sky. I could feel a surge of power bubbling in my blood, as if it were about to explode.

"Don't worry," I said. "I promise you that I'll come home for dinner tomorrow."

After repeated assurances, my parents finally got in their car despite their worry.

Just then, rain began to fall.

Jonathan stood at the doorway, his voice cold. "What, do you need time to get ready? Or are you backing out? Or do you want to see your parents get humiliated again?"

My rain-soaked hair stuck to my cheeks. Jonathan couldn't see the changes on my face, but I could feel them. My scales were peeling away.

"There's no need for that. You want my heart, right? I'll give it to you now."

But are you brave enough to take it?

Jonathan frowned, like he was feeling the weight of the storm overhead. As if trying to shake off his unease, he called for the bodyguards. They tied my hands behind my back with a thick rope, like I was some common criminal, and dragged me to the basement.

The basement was paved with metal. The fluorescent lights were as bright as those in an operating room.

The bodyguards threw me onto a cold iron bed.

"Bring him in." Jonathan's icy voice echoed in the room.

Soon, Mr. Hayes brought in a filthy old beggar.

"Master Jonathan, I found him under a bridge."

A few days ago, at the party, Jonathan remembered what Sam told him. He wouldn't have to dirty himself by sleeping with me for the ritual if he simply used someone else.

A man's Light Energy could neutralize the Dark Energy in the Blood of Essence from my heart, increasing the chance of reviving Annabelle. That way, he could keep himself pure for his Anna.

The beggar's stench filled the room, and there was a hint of disgust in Jonathan's eyes. "Alright. I'll leave it to you all. Remember, I want her whole heart cut out."

With that, he turned and left the basement.

As soon as he was gone, the beggar pounced on me like a wolf. The smell coming off him nearly made me vomit. His hot, sticky saliva landed on my neck.

I was struggling with nausea when a sharp pain stabbed my chest. My blood surged like crashing waves of a stormy sea. I broke out in a cold sweat; the power inside me was about to rip me apart!

The leer on Mr. Hayes's face showed no shame.

"Not bad, huh? Getting touched like that… Hmph! You ruined my fun earlier. Since your mother didn't finish the job, you can do it for her!"

He rushed to pull down his pants, not noticing how the ropes on my hands were pulled tighter and tighter.

"Tsk, tsk! Those are some nice curves. Too bad your face is so ugly."

He reached out to tear at my clothes, but caught a glimpse of my face as if something unbelievable was happening to it.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning split the sky. Thunder boomed far above.

I clenched my teeth, but couldn't help crying out.

"Ahhh!"

They froze immediately, like they had seen a ghost, and scrambled away from me. They were trembling as they pointed at me.

"You, you…"

The ropes snapped, and the scales on my face completely fell away.

I floated in the air, legs crossed, like a deity reborn from the ashes.

When I opened my eyes again, I met their terrified stares.

I let out a soft laugh. "Who gave you the nerve to look me in the eye?"