The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 374

The air inside The Vault felt like solid concrete.

Leon stood completely still, his eyes locked on the leather whip in his father's hand. The braided leather reflected a dark, sinister red under the dim bulb—the permanent stain of dried blood that had soaked into it over the years, impossible to wash away.

His body was trembling.

But he still raised his hands, unbuttoning his shirt one agonizing button at a time.

The fabric slid off his shoulders, revealing a lean, toned torso. The skin was marred by jagged, raised scars that crisscrossed his back like a grotesque web of centipedes. They were the permanent reminders of five years ago, branded into his flesh forever.

The Duke stared at the scars without a word.

He stepped behind Leon.

His leather shoes clicked against the stone floor, echoing sharply in the confined space. Each step felt like a hammer striking directly against Leon's heart.

Crack!

The whip tore through the air.

A savage bloody welt ripped across Leon's skin, stretching from his shoulder blade down to his waist. Fresh blood immediately began to bead along the broken flesh.

Leon clamped his jaw shut, swallowing his scream.

Crack!

The second strike.

Leon's body swayed violently, but he forced himself to stay upright. His nails dug into his palms so hard they drew blood, using the pain to ground himself.

Crack!

The third strike.

Crack!

The fourth.

...

He lost track of time. His back was a mangled ruin of torn flesh and blood. The fresh, bleeding lashes overlapped with his old scars, turning his skin into an unrecognizable canvas of torment.

His legs started to give out, shaking uncontrollably.

His vision blurred at the edges.

But he remained standing, his jaw locked tight, refusing to make a single sound.

Finally, the Duke stopped.

He stared at the bloody mess on Leon's back, his eyes completely void of empathy.

"Do you know why I am punishing you?" he demanded.

Leon opened his mouth, his voice grinding out like sandpaper against stone.

"I know. Failure to properly discipline my fiancée, which brought shame to the family."

The Duke nodded.

"And?"

Leon fell silent.

The Duke stepped around him, staring into his deathly pale face.

"That fiancée of yours," he spat, "the Fontane girl. The spoiled brat of a glorified opportunist. She was never worthy of the Astor family to begin with. I only agreed to this engagement because her father's bank accounts are useful to the family."

He paused, his voice dropping to a glacial chill.

"But being useful does not give her the right to humiliate us in public. And it certainly doesn't give you the right to let her."

Leon kept his head bowed.