force sending her crashing to the ground. She coughed violently, the metallic taste of blood flooding her mouth. But before she could even attempt to move, his boot slammed down onto her stomach, stealing what little air she had left.
"Was that all?" His voice was calm, almost disappointed. "I expected more from you, Yuzuha."
She gasped, clutching her abdomen as she tried to push herself up, but he was on her again. A sharp kick to her ribs sent her sprawling across the cold marble floor, her body writhing from the sheer force of it. The pain was unbearable, white-hot and all-consuming, but she bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood, refusing to scream.
Dametri crouched down beside her, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her head back. "You thought you could fight me?" he whispered, his breath chilling against her bruised skin. "You thought you could win?"
Yuzuha's vision blurred, her body trembling from the shock, but her lips curled into a defiant smirk. "You're angry,"she rasped. "Because I made you bleed."
A sharp slap cracked across her face, whipping her head to the side. Stars danced in her vision, her ears ringing. The world around her tilted, but she forced herself to focus. She wouldn't let him see her break. Not yet.
Dametri's grip on her tightened. "You should have learned your place."
And then the real punishment began.
Blow after blow rained down—his fists, his boots, the weight of his power crushing her like she was nothing. Her body screamed in agony, her bones feeling like they were cracking under the relentless assault. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think—only endure. Flashes of her past flickered through her mind: the first time she had tasted betrayal, the countless times she had been forced to swallow pain, the quiet promise she had made to herself never to kneel.
But now, she was on her knees.
She could feel her strength slipping, her body giving up even as her mind refused. The floor beneath her was stained red, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Dametri stepped back, watching her with cold satisfaction, his lips curling in that cruel, knowing smile.
"Look at you," he murmured. "Not so strong now, are you?"
Yuzuha tried to lift her head, but even that was a struggle. She felt her body swaying, her consciousness threatening to pull her under.
Not yet. She wouldn't fall. Not yet.
Dametri knelt beside her, fingers tilting her chin up so their eyes met. "I told you," he whispered, his voice laced with eerie softness. "I don't need to break you. You'll do it yourself."
Her vision swam. The pain was unbearable. But the worst part wasn't the physical torment—it was the truth in his words.
And then, everything went dark.