Chapter 13 – A Test of Strength

The tension from dinner still clung to me as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. My father’s words echoed in my head.

"You’ve changed."

I had tried to act like the old Clarisse, but he saw right through me. He didn’t trust me. None of them did.

I turned to my side, my fingers brushing against the hidden letter under my pillow.

Beatriz Ramirez.

The name haunted me. Who was she? Was she really my real mother? And if so, why did my father keep it a secret?

I needed answers.

But right now, survival came first.

I couldn’t let them know how much I had changed. I had to be careful, calculating.

I closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep. But deep down, I knew—this was only the beginning.

---

Morning came too quickly.

A sharp knock on my door startled me awake.

"Get up," a voice commanded. Bianca.

I groaned softly, pushing myself up. "What do you want?"

She scoffed. "Father wants you outside in ten minutes."

My stomach twisted. "Why?"

"Just get down, unless you want him to drag you out himself."

I clenched my jaw as she walked away.

Something told me this wasn’t just a normal order.

I quickly got dressed and headed outside.

The sun was barely up, casting an eerie glow over the vast training grounds behind our mansion. My father stood there, arms crossed, while Adrian leaned against a tree, watching with a smirk.

Bianca and Marcus were also there, along with a few of my father’s men.

A sick feeling settled in my gut.

This was a test.

And I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like it.

----

I stopped a few feet away, keeping my posture relaxed but alert. My father’s gaze swept over me, cold and calculating.

“You’ve been acting different, Clarisse.” His voice was sharp, cutting through the morning air. “So, we’re going to see if that change is real.”

A slow dread crept up my spine.

I glanced at Adrian, who smirked like he already knew what was about to happen. Bianca stood with her arms crossed, looking unimpressed, while Marcus simply looked bored.

“What do you mean?” I asked carefully.

My father gestured toward the center of the training grounds. “Fight.”

I blinked. “What?”

“You heard me.” He turned to one of his men—a tall, muscular guy with a cruel smirk. “Antonio, teach her a lesson.”

Antonio cracked his knuckles and stepped forward.

Panic flared inside me. This wasn’t just a spar. It was a punishment.

The old Clarisse would have trembled, begged, and cried. But I wasn’t her anymore.

I took a deep breath, forcing my expression to remain neutral. “I don’t know how to fight.”

My father raised a brow. “Then learn. Or die trying.”

Antonio lunged.

I barely had time to react before his fist came flying toward me. I ducked, rolling to the side, my heart pounding.

I wasn’t strong enough yet. My body was still weak.

But I wasn’t going to let them break me.

Not again.

-----

I barely had time to catch my breath before Antonio smirked and rushed at me again. His movements were fast, controlled—he wasn’t just some thug. He knew how to fight.

I, on the other hand, was still adjusting to this body.

He swung a punch toward my face, and I twisted just in time, his knuckles grazing my cheek. The sting sent a rush of adrenaline through me.

I couldn't win this fight with strength alone.

I had to be smart.

Antonio smirked. “You’re quick. But let’s see how long you last.”

He lunged again, this time aiming for my stomach.

I shifted my weight and dodged, but I wasn’t fast enough. His fist slammed into my side, knocking the air out of me. I stumbled back, coughing.

Bianca laughed. “Pathetic. I knew she was still weak.”

Adrian remained silent, his smirk fading slightly as he watched.

I gritted my teeth. No. I wouldn’t let them see me as weak.

Antonio came at me again, but this time, I was ready.

I sidestepped at the last second, his momentum carrying him forward. Before he could recover, I kicked at the back of his knee. He faltered slightly, just enough for me to slam my elbow into his back.

It wasn’t enough to hurt him, but it caught him off guard.

He turned to me, surprised. Then his smirk returned, more dangerous than before. “Interesting.”

My father hummed in amusement. “So, you do have some fight in you.”

I forced myself to stand tall, ignoring the pain in my side.

I wasn’t the same Clarisse.

And I was going to prove it.

-----

Antonio cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as he studied me. His smirk was gone, replaced with something else—interest.

I wasn’t just some helpless girl anymore, and he knew it.

“You got lucky,” he muttered. “But luck won’t save you.”

He moved faster this time. His footwork was precise, his strikes sharper. I barely dodged a punch before another came flying toward me. This time, I wasn’t quick enough.

His fist slammed into my shoulder, sending me stumbling back.

Pain shot through my arm, but I clenched my jaw and forced myself to stay on my feet.

Bianca scoffed. “Just end it already. She’s still weak.”

I ignored her, my mind racing. I wasn’t strong enough to overpower Antonio, but I could use his strength against him.

He came at me again, aiming for my ribs. At the last second, I twisted my body, letting his punch graze past me. Using his own momentum, I brought my knee up—hard.

It connected with his stomach.

Antonio grunted, stumbling back a step. It wasn’t enough to bring him down, but it was enough to prove a point.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, breathing heavily.

My father watched me closely, his expression unreadable.

“Enough,” he finally said.

Antonio hesitated before stepping back, eyeing me with something close to respect.

I stood tall, ignoring the ache in my body.

I wasn’t Clarisse, the weak girl they could push around anymore.

And this was just the beginning.

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