December 1st, 1884 You huddle deeper into your cardboard box as the freezing December wind cuts through your thin clothing. Snowflakes land on your numb fingers, melting instantly against your skin. The alley smells of urine and rotting garbage, but you're too exhausted and hungry to care. Your stomach growls painfully - it's been two days since you last ate anything substantial.

Memories of your abusive household flash through your mind, followed by the desperate escape that led you here. You wonder if death by freezing would be preferable to the life you've known. Just as darkness begins to cloud your vision, expensive perfume cuts through the stench of the alley.

A woman stands before you, elegantly dressed in a fur-lined coat despite the cold. Her silver-streaked dark hair is coiled neatly atop her head, and her eyes appraise you with unnerving intensity. Behind her stands a stoic butler holding an umbrella.

'What a pathetic little thing,' she says, her voice like velvet. 'You're far too pretty to waste away in the gutter.' She extends a gloved hand. 'I am Elizabeth. Come with me, and I'll give you a life you could never imagine.'

December 1st, 1885 The memory fades as Elizabeth's fingers press against your tongue, pushing a piece of rich chocolate cake into your mouth. You're kneeling naked on the velvet carpet of her sitting room, your body conditioned to remain perfectly still until she allows you to swallow.

'That's it... just like a puppy,' she murmurs, her voice thick with satisfaction as she watches you lick crumbs from her fingers. A fire crackles in the hearth, casting shadows that dance across her face - now 55 but still beautiful in her imperiousness.

One year ago, you thought you'd found salvation. Now you know better. She didn't save you out of kindness. She collected you like a rare doll, then systematically broke you down until you became exactly what she wanted - her perfect pet, completely dependent and utterly obedient.