---- Chapter 8 Ally Gomez POV: They took me from my hospital bed to a cold, damp holding cell. The three days | spent in there were a descent into a new kind of hell, one | hadn't known existed. The other women in the cell saw me as fresh meat. They cornered me, their faces twisted with a bored, casual cruelty. They slapped me, pulled my hair, and stubbed out their cigarettes on my arms, laughing at my tears. They stole my food, leaving me to starve, and shoved my face against the filthy floor, whispering obscenities in my ear. Every shred of pride and dignity | had ever possessed was stripped away, leaving me a raw, trembling animal focused on nothing but survival. The girl who had dreamed of Oxford debating societies and ancient libraries was gone, replaced by a creature who knew the taste of blood and despair. When | was finally released, pending further investigation, | was a ghost of my former self, covered in bruises and burns, my spirit shattered into a million pieces. | dragged myself back to the apartment, my only thought to grab my passport and the emergency cash | had hidden away, and disappear forever. | had just pulled my keys from my pocket when a hand ---- clamped over my mouth from behind, and a thick, burlap sack was thrown over my head, plunging me into suffocating darkness. Pain exploded across my back as a heavy object, a pipe or a bat, slammed into me. | screamed into the rough fabric, the sound swallowed by the sack. Blow after blow rained down on my body. | collapsed to the ground, curling into a ball as they kicked me, my ribs cracking under the force. | tasted blood, warm and metallic, in my mouth. Through the fog of pain, | heard a voice. A familiar voice. \'That's enough,\" Hanson said, his tone chillingly calm. V Il take it from here.\" | heard another man ask, \"What for? Your brother already got her arrested. Isn't that enough?\" \"No,\" Hanson replied, and the cold venom in his voice made my blood freeze. \"She hurt Kennedy. She tried to take her away from us. For that, she needs to pay a price far worse than a few nights in jail. This is just the beginning.\" The sack was loosened slightly, and something cold and slick slithered against my bare arm. Then another. Snakes. My most primal, paralyzing fear. A guttural, silent scream clawed at my throat as their dry, scaly bodies moved over me in the darkness. The sack was pulled tight again, and | was lifted, then thrown. ---- | hit the water with a brutal splash. The river was freezing cold, the current instantly pulling me under. The burlap sack filled with water, dragging me down like a stone anchor. Water flooded my nose and mouth. | thrashed wildly, the snakes coiling around me in the dark, my lungs screaming for air. This was it. They were going to kill me. They were going to drown me in a sack full of snakes in a cold, dark river. Just as my consciousness began to fade, | was yanked upwards. | was dragged out of the water, choking and sputtering, and dumped onto the muddy riverbank like a piece of trash. The sack was ripped from my head. | lay there, shivering violently, vomiting river water and bile, every inch of my body a symphony of agony. The rain started to fall, cold and merciless, plastering my hair to my face. | tried to push myself up, tried to crawl away, but my body wouldn't obey. My vision swam, and the world faded to black once more. | woke up in the hospital. Again. It was becoming a depressingly familiar sight. A nurse informed me that a jogger had found me by the river and called an ambulance. Then she handed me a bill for the medical services. Clutching my aching ribs, | slowly made my way to the payment counter. As | rounded a corner, | froze. There they were. Branson and Hanson. Walking out of a VIP room down the hall. They saw me at the same time saw them. ---- They both stopped, a flicker of surprise on their identical, handsome faces. \"Ally?\" Branson said, his brow furrowed in a slight frown. \ "What are you doing here again?\" He looked me up and down, taking in my pathetic state-the hospital gown, the fresh bruises blooming on my skin. There was no pity in his eyes. Just a mild, detached curiosity. | didn't answer him. My eyes were locked on Hanson. On the man who had thrown me in a river to die. Branson seemed to notice the direction of my stare. \"Oh,\" he said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. VThis is my younger brother, Hanson. Hanson, this is... my girlfriend, Ally.\" The word \"girlfriend\" felt like a slap. Hanson, the consummate actor, gave me a perfect, charming, boyish smile. \"Nice to meet you, sister-in-law,\" he said, his voice dripping with false sincerity. | stared at the two of them, standing there, so perfectly composed, so utterly remorseless. The absurdity of it all-the lies, the cruelty, the sheer, monstrous evil of what they had done-struck me with the force of a physical blow. And | started to laugh. It was a wild, unhinged sound that echoed in the sterile hospital corridor. | laughed until tears streamed down my face, until my cracked ribs screamed in protest, until | was gasping ---- for air. Branson and Hanson exchanged a look, a mixture of confusion and unease. My reaction was not in their script. \"You need to learn your lesson, Ally,\" Branson said, his voice hard and cold, misinterpreting my breakdown as defiance. \ "Don't ever go near Kennedy again. Or next time, | won't be so lenient.\" Just then, a nurse poked her head out of the VIP room. \"Mr. Ayers, Miss Kaufman is asking for you.\" They both turned instantly, their faces softening with concern for the only person who mattered. They walked back into her room without another glance in my direction. | stood there, watching them through the small glass window in the door as they fussed over Kennedy, fluffing her pillows, holding her hand. My phone buzzed in the pocket of the hospital gown. It was an automated message from the university registrar. My withdrawal had been processed. It was official. | was free. | wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand. The laughter died in my throat, replaced by a cold, hard resolve that settled deep in my bones. | turned away from the scene in that hospital room. | paid my bill with the last of my cash, went back to the apartment, ---- packed a single bag, and walked out without looking back. | went straight to the airport and bought a one-way ticket to London. As the plane lifted off the runway, leaving the glittering lights of New York behind, | made a silent vow. One day, | would be back. And they would regret the day they ever thought they could destroy Ally Gomez. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.