Noel choked, thrashing wildly, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't lift his face from the surface.
The guards wrenched me off him. He collapsed to the side, retching and coughing, but still managed to wail through his sobs.
"Lauren! He's jealous because you chose to kiss me that night! He's doing this out of spite!"
"If you don't punish him, I'll kill myself right now!"
Lauren's face turned to iron. She backhanded me so hard I hit the floor.
My forehead cracked against the corner of the table. Warmth flooded down my face.
"Laurence, you ungrateful piece of trash! You don't like me having a lover? Fine. Then I'll make you the side piece. You'll become the very thing you despise most!"
"Tomorrow I'm going to the courthouse with Noel. He's a hundred times more obedient and forgiving than you'll ever be. He deserves to be my husband, not you!"
"You like using your hands so much? Then I'll destroy them. Someone get over here and smash his fingers, one by one. Let's see if he ever dares lay a hand on Noel again!"
I was pinned to the floor, both arms stomped flat against the ground.