Ella barely had time to step away from the door when Ryan stormed toward her, his face twisted in fury.
"Where the hell have you been?" he snarled, voice echoing off the cheap walls.
Ella opened her mouth to explain, but he didn't give her the chance.
"You just disappear?!" he shouted. "Leave me here with nothing? No food, no money? The damn landlord came knocking, screaming in front of everyone because the rent's late!"
Ella winced, her headache throbbing harder with each word he threw at her.
"I wasn't—" she began, but he cut her off with a sharp, cruel laugh.
"Yeah, I know where you were," Ryan sneered, stalking closer until she could smell the beer on his breath. "Off whoring around."
Ella stiffened. "That's not true—"
Ryan's eyes gleamed with spite. "Don't lie to me, Ella. I saw you getting out of that car." He spat the word car like it was filth.
"Who was he, huh? Your new boyfriend? Your sugar daddy?"
She shook her head, heart pounding painfully in her chest.
"It's not like that. I was sick. I had a car breakdown. He helped me—"
Ryan's laugh was low and cruel. "Sure he did. Bet he helped you real good." He leaned in, voice dripping venom. "How much did he give you, Ella? Huh? How much are you worth now?"
The slap of his words hit harder than any blow.
Ella's hands curled into fists, nails biting into her palms. Her vision blurred, but not from tears — from sheer rage and disbelief.
He didn't ask how she was.
Didn't ask if she was okay.
Didn't even care.
All he saw was a woman he thought he owned — slipping away from him.
"I was in a fever," she said, her voice shaking. "I was left stranded in the middle of the road. And all you care about is the damn rent?"
Ryan sneered. "Oh, poor Ella. Always the victim. Maybe you should've thought about that before you spread your legs."
The crack of her hand against his cheek echoed through the room before she even realized she'd moved.
For a heartbeat, everything froze.
Ryan touched his face, looking almost surprised.
Then his eyes darkened, something cold and murderous flashing behind them.
"You little bitch," he hissed.
Ella barely had time to back up before his fist connected with her jaw.
Pain exploded in her head, sending her sprawling to the floor.
She tried to crawl away, tried to get up, but he was on her, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her back.
"Think you can embarrass me?" Ryan snarled, dragging her to her knees. "Think you can make a fool out of me?"
Another blow — this one to her ribs.
Ella gasped, tasting blood.
The room spun wildly around her. She tried to shield herself, but it only enraged him more.
Punch after punch rained down — her arms, her sides, her head.
White-hot agony ripped through her, her body curling in on itself instinctively.
Somewhere in the haze, she heard Ryan still shouting — slurred insults, accusations, pure hate — but it all blurred into meaningless noise.
Ella's body went limp, her strength gone. She lay there, barely conscious, every breath a struggle.
Blackness clawed at the edges of her vision.
And then — faint but real — she thought she heard a voice.
Firm. Fierce. Furious.
"Ella!"
Nicholas?
She tried to lift her head, tried to reach out, but darkness swallowed her whole.