She knew there was no escaping the pain this time.

Seeing the fear in Lily’s eyes, Julian felt a deep sense of satisfaction. So, this was what it felt like to have complete control.

He played the obedient son in front of his parents, the gentleman in front of Tessa, but only with Lily could he truly let himself go. The thought alone thrilled him. And with that, he became even rougher with her, not the slightest bit of pity in his actions.

Lily felt the pain tearing through her body. At first, it was unbearable, but eventually, it numbed her. She couldn’t even form words anymore. She didn’t know when these days would come to an end. But one thing she did know–this wasn’t how she wanted to live. She couldn’t stay here forever. Lily still wanted to know who her parents really were. She wanted to find out if she had any friends out there in the world. Staying here was nothing but a waste of time. She had no idea what her future would look like, but she was certain of one thing–this wasn’t it. That was why she had made her move earlier, so Tessa might hear something and notice her. She had noticed that Julian acted meek in front of Tessa. That was her only chance. Of course, she knew it might earn her an even harsher beating. But as long as there was a sliver of hope, she would cling to it. A real opportunity wasn’t something to wait for–it had to be seized.

Julian looked at Lily’s stubborn expression, and his anger surged again.

“Why won’t you ever learn? Would it kill you to behave and just stay by my side? You have food, you have shelter–what more could you possibly be unhappy about? I’m not exactly hard on the eyes, so what is it you’re so dissatisfied with?”

Hearing Julian’s words, Lily almost burst out laughing. “Pathetic. Don’t you hear how ridiculous you sound?”

Julian frowned. “What’s so ridiculous about it?”

Lily let out a cold chuckle. “I’m a living, breathing human being, not some pet you can keep locked up, not a dog. I have my own life and purpose. I don’t belong in your cage. What kind of life is this supposed to be?”

Chapter 545

Julian fell silent at that. Lily saw him pause and for a moment, she thought maybe her words had gotten through to him. Was he really considering letting her go? The thought sparked a flicker of hope. She looked at him with eyes full of longing, silently pleading for a change of heart. But the next second, Julian’s expression twisted into something monstrous.

“You must be dreaming.” He leaned in close, pressing against her slender neck, inhaling deeply. “Your life belongs to me. I saved it, so it’s mine now. What I do with it has nothing to do with you. Just do your part. You don’t need to think about anything else.”

Lily’s vision darkened again. At first, she had really believed she’d been rescued by someone kind. But later, she wished he had never saved her at all. Maybe then, her life would have taken a different path.

Chapter 546