Chapter 283

"Release me!" Gregory Thornton roared, his voice laced with unbridled rage.

"I won't!" Cassandra Whitmore shot back, her fingers tightening around his arm in defiance.

"Maxwell!" Gregory barked, his tone sharp with command.

Maxwell Fletcher hurried forward, gently but firmly pulling Cassandra away from Gregory.

The moment Cassandra was moved aside, Gregory raised the whip again, ready to bring it down on Dylan Reeves once more.

But before the strike could land, Serena Cole suddenly dropped to her knees, her voice trembling with desperation. "Uncle Gregory, please stop! Don't hurt Dylan anymore. This is all my fault—punish me instead!"

Gregory's icy gaze flickered toward her, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Serena, step back. I am disciplining my son, and you have no right to interfere."

Tears welled in Serena's reddened eyes, but she refused to move, her knees rooted to the floor in silent defiance.

Gregory's expression darkened, but he said nothing more to her. Instead, he lifted the whip again and brought it down with a searing crack across Dylan's back.

"Dylan!" Serena's scream tore through the room, raw with anguish.

A pained groan escaped Dylan's lips as his body jerked violently from the force of the blow.

Strike after merciless strike followed, Gregory showing no mercy as he delivered twenty lashes in total. Only then did he finally lower the whip, his chest heaving with exertion.

Looming over Dylan's battered form, Gregory cast a cold glance at Serena, still kneeling beside him. Then, in a voice like frost, he said, "This is your final warning. If something like this happens again, a whipping will be the least of your concerns."

With that, Gregory let out a derisive scoff, tossed the whip aside carelessly, and strode out of the room without a backward glance.

"Dylan… Are you okay?" Serena whispered, her voice shaking as she reached for him, her heart breaking at the sight of his pain.

"Don't—don't touch me!" Dylan hissed through gritted teeth, his body trembling violently.

His face was deathly pale, slick with sweat, and every slight movement sent fresh waves of agony through him.

Just then, Cassandra rushed to his side, followed closely by several servants, their faces etched with worry.

"Quick, take him upstairs! Call the family doctor immediately!" she ordered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Aunt Cassandra," Serena murmured softly, stepping forward to help.

But the moment her fingers brushed Cassandra's, Cassandra recoiled, her expression hardening.

Without a word, Cassandra turned away and ascended the stairs, leaving Serena standing there, her heart sinking.

Serena's throat tightened as she watched her aunt disappear. She knew Cassandra blamed her for this—after all, it was her actions that had led to Dylan's punishment.

Swallowing back her tears, Serena wiped her face and quietly followed after them, her chest heavy with guilt.