My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 256

Chapter 256

A huge smile broke across my face. I was only fourteen, but in my world, this was the dream. “I love it! It’s perfect! ” I yelled.

I was so happy that I forgot myself. I jumped up in excitement, but the second my feet slammed back onto the ground, a white-hot scream of pain tore through my body.

I collapsed. My knees hit the floor, and my breath hitched in my throat as I gasped for air.

For one beautiful second, I had forgotten. I had forgotten how Doctor Vance had strapped me down just yesterday. I had forgotten the smell of burning skin as he ran the electric current through the soles of my feet, to teach my brain to focus, to stop the letters from moving. The skin was raw and sliced open, and I hadn’t been able to walk properly.

“Gianna!” Leone was on the ground with me in a heartbeat. His hands were on my shoulders, his face tight with worry. He didn’t have to ask what happened. He saw the way I was shaking. “Where is it? Where does it hurt?”

I bit my lip hard, trying not to cry. Tears were for weak girls, and I wanted so badly to be strong. I just pointed at my shoes.

Leone let out a heavy sigh, his eyes darkening with a scary kind of anger. He carefully reached down and slid the expensive heels off my feet. When he saw the red, angry marks and the bandages soaked with blood on my soles, he winced.

I looked at him, feeling a strange tug in my chest. Part of me felt so loved, so protected. But another part of me felt a cold shiver. I didn’t want to be just a housewife. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to be yet, but I knew I didn’t want to spend my life behind the gates of this mansion, doing nothing.

I looked at him, my heart aching for his validation, “But… what if I want to be smart? What if I want to be the girl who knows the answers to everything?”

Leone paused. He looked up at me, and then he let out a short, dry laugh. It wasn’t a mean laugh, but it felt like one.