Beyond The Gaze: A Love Unseen

Chapter 15

"Do you want to play?" I asked, wiping away my tears and managing a smile. He sat there, waiting patiently until I mounted him. Once he was sure I was seated securely, he stood up. I held onto his neck tightly to maintain my balance as he started moving.

"Nova, let's not go too far. Mother will be back soon, and Papa isn't around these days. If she doesn't find me at home, she'll be furious," I reminded him, my heart racing as we ventured further from my prison-like home.

Nova didn't pay attention to my warning. He continued to walk for a while until we reached what seemed like a garden.

I looked around in awe at the view. It was full of trees, a sight I had never seen before beyond our house. Nova stopped near one tree, and when I looked up, I saw numerous apples hanging from the branches. Nova shook the tree with his head, causing a few apples to fall. He then sat down on the ground again to let me off his back.

I carefully climbed off and approached the fallen apples. I picked up two apples and returned to Nova. After wiping the fruit on my clothes, I offered one to Nova, who eagerly accepted it. I took a bite of my apple, my tears now mingling with a genuine smile.

"I love you, Nova," I said, my voice barely a whisper. He was really the only one to ever care for me genuinely. In that moment, I felt an inexplicable connection to him-a bond that went beyond words, as we sat side by side and shared the simple meal.

Eventually, we returned to the backyard of my house. I climbed down from Nova's back, and gestured him to leave, waving goodbye and make my way to the house. Just as I stepped inside the dark and silent house, a strange sensation under my bare foot caught me off guard. I slipped and fell on my knees as a soft and quiet thud echoed. That was when I was hit by an overpowering, sickening smell—a smell that seemed to hang heavily in the air.

My hand instinctively covered my mouth to stifle a yelp as I stumbled and almost fell down again. I quickly got up, wiping my face with my clothes, feeling something wet and slippery beneath my hands. Panic gripped me as I realized I was standing on something... something wet, something sticky, and the smell almost made me vomit the food I ate earlier. Using the wall for support, I staggered to my feet and began ascending the stairs.

But then I heard noises from my mother's bedroom. Had she returned? Did she notice I wasn't home?

The hairs on my neck stood on end as I heard a loud, shattering sound from inside the room.

Is someone else in there?

Fearful, I continued climbing the stairs, intending to sneak to my room quietly so mother wouldn't realize I'd been outside. The bedroom door was slightly open, allowing light to spill out onto a few steps.

Just a step away from the bedroom door, I glanced down and froze.

That... slippery substance...

It was... blood?!

My gaze slowly moved downward in shock. A trail of blood covered the stairs, leading directly to the bedroom.

I instinctively covered my mouth to muffle a scream as tears streamed down my face. When I realized my hands were covered in blood, I wiped them frantically on my clothes.

Where had all this blood come from?

So much blood...

It was like a pool of blood...

"He was cheating on me that's why he used to always go on work trips." Mother's chilling voice reached my ears, holding the venom that shook me to the core.