The clear sound of the slap echoed around the deadly quiet chamber, and Francois's face was burning with pain. With her face still tilted to one side, she stared at Tanya's phoenix pattern gold embroidered shoes.

"She slapped me? She slapped me!"

The very idea of her getting slapped was repeated in her mind, and she shook her head unbelievingly.

"When did I ever suffer such humiliation? When was I treated like this before?" ...