Silent Scars

CHAPTER 20

1k readers!!! I’m beyond grateful for your love and support for Silent Scars. This means the world to me, and it’s all thanks to you♡

Here’s an early update as a small token of my gratitude. I hope it brings you even closer to Ariana’s journey.

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With love,
A.V

ARIANA HASTINGS

The faint light from the kitchen bulb cast long shadows on the walls, and Ariana clutched the glass of water in her trembling hands.

Suddenly a strong hand gripped her arm. The suddenness of it sent a jolt of fear coursing through her. Her fingers slipped, and the glass fell from her hand, shattering against the tiled floor.

The sound reverberated in her chest, louder than it should have been, each shard a scream. Panic clawed at her, her breathing quickening as she willed herself not to cry, not to make things worse.

"Who are you?"

The man demanded, his voice cutting through her like a blade.

The sound hit her like a thunderclap. Her chest tightened as panic flooded her veins, her breaths coming shallow and fast. Her hands trembled violently, instinctively curling into fists as if to protect herself. She wanted to back away, to escape, but her feet remained rooted to the spot, her mind screaming the rules she had lived by for years: 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦.

"I said, who are you? Speak!"

She flinched, her head bowing further. Her arm throbbed where his grip tightened, but she didn't dare pull away. The rules repeated in her mind, a mantra of survival she couldn't shake.

Her heart pounded erratically, her breathing ragged as she struggled to hold back tears.

𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘺. 𝘏𝘦'𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘳𝘺.
The words of her stepfather echoed in her mind, blending with the present until she couldn't separate the two.

Domain's grip tightened, his face close enough for her to feel the heat of his frustration. She tensed, her whole body trembling now, and for a split second, she thought she saw his hand move toward his back pocket.

𝘕𝘰, 𝘯𝘰, 𝘯𝘰.

Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out the room around her.

"If you don't talk, I'll-"

"DOMAIN!"

The shout cut through the tension like a crack of lightning, and she flinched at the sound. Her gaze darted toward the doorway, where her eldest brother stood, his expression unreadable but his voice commanding.

"What the hell is going on here?"

The Leonardo strode forward, his movements controlled but laced with fury. Ariana couldn't focus on his words, too overwhelmed by the sharp grip still on her arm and the looming threat of what might come next.

"LET HER GO!"

The grip released, and Ariana stumbled back, clutching her arm and cradling her hand, which now throbbed where the broken glass had nicked her skin. She wanted to run, but her feet felt glued to the floor, her mind still caught in the chaos of the moment.

"Ariana" Leonardo said gently, kneeling down to her level. His voice softened, pulling her attention away from the pain and fear. "It's okay. You can go back to your room."

She nodded shakily, keeping her head down as she hurried toward the stairs. Her steps faltered, uneven and hesitant, but she forced herself to keep moving. Her body trembled with every step, the echoes of his voice and grip lingering.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she slipped into the safety of her room, locking the door behind her. Her back pressed against the locked bedroom door. Her arms wrapped around her knees, pulling them close to her chest as she tried to make herself as small as possible. Silent tears streamed down her face, each one carrying fragments of the terror she couldn't voice.

𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘴.

Sharp ache radiated from her ribs with every shallow breath, and her hands throbbed as though they were broken. But that pain paled in comparison to the deeper ache in her chest, the suffocating weight of fear and helplessness.

The dim glow of the bedside lamp barely reached her, leaving her surrounded by shadows that only deepened her sense of isolation. She buried her face against her knees, trembling as the adrenaline ebbed away, leaving only the raw pain behind.

The pills she had taken earlier dulled the sharp edges of the physical pain, but her hands still ached, and her ribs protested with every movement. Slowly, the painkiller began to take hold, coaxing her body into a reluctant calm.

Her tears slowed, her sobs turning into soft hiccups as exhaustion seeped into her limbs. Her eyes grew heavy, the weight of the day pulling her under.

She fell asleep there, curled up against the door, her tears still wet on her cheeks. Her sleep was fitful, haunted by shadows she couldn't escape, but for now, her body forced her into the only solace it could find, rest.