Chapter 45 cont’d

ANNA

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to mask my fear. . "Torturing me isn't going to get us anywhere," I said, desperately hoping he would reconsider. "Just give my brain some time to come up with something."

The man shook his head, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Like I said earlier, I don't have that kind of time," he sneered. "But don't worry, this method will definitely work. A little shock is all your brain needs."

My eyes widened as he approached me with a knife, the sharp glint of its blade catching the light. "What are you going to do with that?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What do you think we do with knives?" he taunted. "You were once Dante's lover, surely you know what he does with his knives. But for clarity's sake, I'm going to cut you open and stitch you up again. And we'll do it every day."

I gasped as he plunged the knife into my lower abdomen, the pain radiating through my body like a wildfire. I could feel my blood pooling be