GLIMMER AND DECAY [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 11

GRACIELLA WAS 18 WHEN she completely accepted her new self. It took years and hard work to groom herself into becoming someone like old Gothel, but she was able to do it thanks to herself.

"Gracie, dear, I'm back~" Old Gothel hummed as she entered the cottage. Everything was organized from the old bookshelves to the mirror shards she broke earlier before she left.

Gothel frowned as she scanned the room. She can see Gracie's favorite book wide open on top of the table and she could hear the boiling sound of something being cooked from their small kitchen.

However, her Gracie was nowhere to be found. 'Her Gracie.' What an odd nickname for the young lady she stole from someone else's family.

"Gracie?" She called again, finally setting foot in the living room.

Old Gothel grabbed the book on the table. Her forehead creased even more when she noticed the visible page on the book. Instead of being afraid, she scoffed after reading the line highlighted with a red circle.

"And the princess killed her dear mother as revenge for ruining her childhood."

"Are you trying to play games with me, child?" Old Gothel asked then a loud thud echoed inside their home as she dropped the book on the floor.

"Mother?" The irritation brewing inside her melted when she heard the sweet voice of her Gracie.

It took her more than 10 years to groom this child as her next perfect shell, and so she was scared of losing her.

"I was outside tending the plants–"

The young woman was surprised when old Gothel slapped her cheek. It was so loud and rough that the sound echoed in their small house.

Gracie was so used to it given that the old woman had physically abused her ever since she was young. She placed a hand on her bruised cheek as she tried to cool it off with her own warmth.

"I'm sorry if I did something wrong," she muttered in that monotonous voice that old Gothel hated the most.

The old woman frowned and she clenched her hand. She didn't want to hurt her again. Hurting her three times in a day might affect her health, or that's what old Gothel thought.

She was, after all, reserving the young woman for a ritual that would transfer her essence and soul to her fresh shell of a body.

"Come here, my Gracie," Old Gothel hummed, opening her arms wide for her. The young woman didn't waste a second and immediately ran to hug her. "There, there."

Her dark eyes focused on the mirror in front of them as she rubbed Gracie's back gently. "Don't scare me like that again, dear. I might end up killing you," she whispered ever so sweetly.

Hearing the young woman gasping and shaking between her arms soothed the old woman's ego, but unbeknownst to her, Gracie was in fact in sheer happiness hearing her say those words.