To them, the woman who had dared to strike at the untouchable Simon was practically signing her own death warrant. 

Simon, clutching his bleeding forehead, kept his lips sealed tight. 

Ella lost it. She held her belly, her eyes wild, and forgetting all decorum, she flailed her arms and screamed, “How dare you hit Simon?! Get her, now!” 

Her bodyguards swarmed me, a flurry of fists and boots coming at me from all sides. 

I fought back with all my might, but against those muscular men, I was overwhelmed and forced to the ground. I curled up, doing my best to shield myself. 

Nicole let out a piercing scream and threw herself over me, her small body trying to fend off the blows meant for me. 

I called out to her weakly, unable to push her away. Desperate, I managed to roll over, pulling Nicole underneath me to protect her. 

I barely cracked my eyes open, squinting at Simon a short distance away. 

His lips quivered, but no words came out. 

I surrendered to the pain, closing my eyes as blows rained down, each one burrowing into my bones. 

I could not even muster the energy to feel hatred. 

‘Simon, we’re done for good,’ I told myself. 

Nicole’s wails crescendoed, finally jolting Simon out of his paralysis. 

“Stop, just stop! Ella, make them stop!” Simon barked. 

Ella reluctantly gestured for the beating to end.