?Chapter 464:


    Rachel bit down hard on her lip, her fists trembling at her sides, but the pain was too much. The scream escaped before she could stop it. The metallic tang of blood thickened in the air. She didn’t have to look to know her back was a mess of raw, open wounds.


    “Herees the secondsh,” the woman said, her tone chillingly indifferent.


    Rachel forced herself to steady her breathing, her nails digging into her palms. “Alright. Do it.”


    The second strikended, agony erupting through her body. Her knees buckled, and she crashed to the floor.


    After an hour locked in that ice-cold cer, she was already at her limit. Just twoshes, and she could barely stay conscious.


    “Well? Do you want to continue with the thirdsh?” The woman’s voice dripped with mockery.


    Rachel nted her palms against the cold floor and tried to push herself up. Once. Twice. By the fifth attempt, she still couldn’t get to her feet. The woman let out a derisive snort. “If you can’t handle it, then just give up. You’ve already failed.”


    Rachel’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist tightly. “I can do it. Just one moresh, right? Let’s finish this.”


    The woman’s sneer faltered, disbelief flickering across her face. “You’re not afraid of dying, are you?”


    Dying? A faint, bitter smile ghosted over Rachel’s lips. Death was thest thing that scared her. Sooner orter—it made no difference.


    “Let’s just get it over with. I won’t stand. Do it while I’m down here.”


    The woman narrowed her eyes. “You’re really serious about this?”


    “Yes.”


    “Fine. If you’re that fearless, I won’t hold back.” She raised the whip high and struck.


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    The motion was sharp, deliberate—but Rachel knew. Thesh was nowhere near as harsh as the first two.


    “Thank you,” Rachel murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.


    The moment the words left her lips, a violent cough racked her body. A mouthful of bright red blood sttered onto the floor.


    She wiped it away with trembling fingers, her faint, bitter smile never fading. Though the finalsh hadn’t carried the same force, her body had already reached its breaking point. Now, it was finally giving out.


    “Are you alright?” The woman hesitated, shifting awkwardly. She reached out as if to help but quickly withdrew her hand, second-guessing herself. “Bless yourself. I’ll call him in.”


    The man returned swiftly. His gaze swept over Rachel’s torn clothing and the deep red stains marring her back.


    Threeshes. No more, no less.


    Satisfied, he gave a curt nod and said to Rachel, “Change your clothes and clean yourself up. I’ll take you to report to Mr. Carpenter.”


    “Alright,” Rachel murmured, her voice barely audible.


    Left alone in the dimly lit room, she clenched her jaw and braced herself. It took several attempts before she managed to drag herself off the floor, inch by agonizing inch. Every muscle screamed in protest, and the searing pain nearly sent her spiraling into unconsciousness.


    Even so, she forced herself to move, painstakingly slipping into the long-sleeved ck coat.


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