“What…” he frowned.
“Nothing,” I quickly straightened, hiding my
trembling hands.
The Hayes mansion was unchanged. The
maids eyed me, whispering, “What happened to the young miss?”
I lowered my head, hurrying past, keeping my distance from Harrison.
“Your room hasn’t been touched,” Harrison
said stiffly. “Tell Lin if you need anything.” “Thank you, brother,” I murmured. “I want to pay my respects to Mom.”
Harrison watched my back, a tightness in his chest. The rebellious girl was gone, replaced by someone perfect, yet distant. He should have been relieved, but instead…he missed the girl who would cling to him.
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Kneeling before my mother’s memorial, I
finally removed my gloves, revealing countless
scars on my wrists.
I pulled out an X–acto knife, slicing my palm lightly. Blood flowed, but I felt no pain.
For five years, after those men left, I’d carve into my hands.
Again, and again.
My heart was already dead.
Only pain allowed me to numbly exist.
I wiped the blood, calmly replacing the gloves as if nothing happened.
After paying respects, I went to the living room and froze. My mother’s portrait was gone, replaced by Harrison and Jenny’s wedding photo. My beloved piano was missing.
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“Talia!” Jenny approached, smiling. “I
rearranged things. You don’t mind, do you?”
I offered a bitter smile. “It doesn’t matter;
you’re getting married anyway.”
At dinner, Jenny enthusiastically offered me a shrimp.
Harrison frowned. “Don’t give her seafood;
she’s allergic…”
Before he finished, I’d already swallowed it. At Grace Academy, I had no right to refuse food; resistance meant beatings and worse. I’d swallowed far worse things.
“Eat it!” The sickening voices of those men echoed in my head.
Soon, a rash bloomed on my neck. H suppressed the itch, my face burning.
Harrison’s face was grim. He slammed the
<
table. “Talia? Were you doing this on
purpose?!”
“And those gloves? What’s with the gloves?”
I blacked out.
In my stupor, someone touched me. The
painful memories resurfaced; the countless
men entering my room, leaving satisfied. I reflexively trembled, reaching out as I had
countless times before.
I hugged the person, my hand reaching down.
“Slap!”
A stinging blow woke me.
Harrison stood pale by the bed, staring at me
like a monster.
