Chapter 150

• John’s POV
• When she came back from the worst episode, she barely looked human. Her face was so swollen that I could no longer recognize her once delicate features. One eye was swollen shut. The corner of her mouth was split open and crusted with blood. She curled up on the floor, trembling with pain, yet forcing herself to smile at me. Her voice broke into pieces, thin as a last breath. "John… I… I made… two hundred and thirty grand today… so much… money… enough… enough to fix your… leg…" Her smile looked worse than a sob. "Am I… am I… pretty… incredible?"
• Later I learned that, to satisfy this crazy employer, she had to endure blows that could have killed her. Three ribs were broken. The jagged ends pierced her skin, tracing a cruel outline beneath her thin shirt.