6 I touched my stinging cheek, a sharp ringing echoing in my ear. I raised my hand to strike back. But Zack was faster. He lunged forward, shoving me violently. I stumbled backward and fell to the hard floor. He stood over me, a human shield in front of Lana. 'You dare hit back?" he roared, his face contorted with rage. "You just try it!" pushed myself up on my hands, trembling with anger, the cold of the polished floor seeping into my bones. Just then, the light above the emergency room door went out, and a doctor emerged. .ana immediately forgot about me and rushed toward the doctor, with Zack close behind. But as he passed ne, he paused. Then, his expensive, hand-stitched Italian leather shoe came down hard on the back of my hand. He was a all man, built solid, and he put his full weight into it. scream of pure agony tore from my throat, and tears flooded my eyes. I looked up at him, and through my lurry vision, I saw the overhead lights halo his silhouette, twisting his smirk into something truly evil. Go on," he mouthed silently, a demonic challenge. "Call the cops." 1 that instant, it was as if he had dragged me back to that dark time in my past life-a time of moral abuse nd mental collapse. An icy wave crashed over me, chilling me to the core. The thought of calling the police hich had been a genuine impulse, turned to ash. suddenly remembered: Zack's family was powerful. Calling the police would be like calling Zack himself tc omplain that he'd assaulted me. What would I get for it, besides another round of ridicule? efore, he might have held back, mindful of Julian. Even his "jokes" had limits. But now, with my relationship vith Julian in ruins, he no longer bothered to hide his malice. used to wonder why he hated me so much. Now I knew. Zack was nothing more than Lana's attack dog. Lana loved Julian, so Zack followed Julian's every lead. Lana hated me, so Zack despised me with every fiber of his being. sat on the floor for a long time, waiting for the throbbing pain to subside and feeling to return to my limbs. Then I struggled to my feet and walked away, not looking back once, desperate to escape. I hired a moving company, packed all my belongings, and left the heart of the city. I went back to the old house in the suburbs. When I pushed open the door, a dated, mind-numbing soap opera was playing on the television. The air was thick with the musty smell of age and neglect. My mother, sitting in her wheelchair on the balcony, had been dozing. The noise startled her, and her heavy, wrinkled eyelids fluttered open. She watched me haul in my bags and boxes. A smug, knowing smirk pulled at the corners of her mouth. Well, well. What did I tell you? Thrown out on the street, weren't you?" Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!