Once they were in the car, he asked softly, "Shall we go to the hospital for a check-up?"

Elissa turned her face away and responded indifferently, "No. I want to take a shower and change my clothes."

Upon hearing her reply, Raphael instructed the driver to proceed at a slow pace.

Upon arriving home, Elissa hurried to the bathroom and didn't emerge until an hour later. But no matter how hard she scrubbed, the unpleasant smell lingered. In the late hours of the night, as she drifted into sleep, the curses of Sandra's mother still echoed in her mind.

When she was half asleep and half awake, she overheard Raphael conversing with someone on the phone.