𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬

9

"And then I stormed out of the house"
I finish as small streams of tears roll down my cheeks.

I told Rei everything that happened starting from getting home to the argument, to Shoto getting angry at me, me being rude to Fuyumi and then storming out of the house in tears.

Rei shook her head, a small smile adorned her features.

"I always knew that man was not right with his morals, yet I did nothing to stop him. I tried my best to change him, yet all it did was change me. All I did was care for him, but he turned on me. Creating a sick household that I had to raise my forced children in. I lost a son to that sick man, never seen him since. His name was Touya, you might remember him. It's okay though if you don't, you only knew him for a few days."
I shocked into silence as she openly shares her struggles, and I thought I had it bad. She'd been struggling for years longer than I, yet she was strong as ever. Am I really this weak?

"I remember that day, the day you got dropped off at my old house. I tried to convince my husband to not put such a young and innocent child through the experience I had to live through, you remind me so much of my younger self. Your innocence, your vibrant personality. You we're like a light in all of our lives. But that... man had to go and destroy it."
She clenched a fist into a ball, staring angrily at it. I was still trying to process her words as this was all news to me.

"I remember the day before Touya... disappeared, he told me something about you."
I blink at her, really?

"What did he say?"
I squeak out, the first words I spoke in a while.

"He told me that he loved you, he said that you'd do some good for our family in the future. Something that he couldn't do. I tried to ask what he meant but before I knew it, it was to late, he had gone."
I almost break down at her words, the only person I never truely met loved me? I'm sorry Touya. I'm sorry I'm not strong enough to fix this broken family.

"But I can't do that Rei! I'm not strong enough!¡"

She gives me a weird look.
"What do you mean?"

"I can't fix what's broken. I'm useless, nothings but a breeder for Endeavor! I love Shoto yet all I managed to do was mess our relationship up even further! I hurt Fuyumi in my fit of rage! I left the house, only to be told by Shoto that he'd never accept me as his wife! But even if I did stay, he wouldn't. Because he loves someone else!"

"You love Shoto?"
She sounded shocked and happy.

"Yes! But he doesn't love me! He doesn't even acknowledge the marriage, it's nothing but a burden. It's like I'm the stepping stone he's using to reach his goals."
She raises a brow at my words, but I couldn't help but continue.

"But I mean, who would love someone you've been forced to marry? And I bet he would much rather marry that other girl."
I spill, Rei just raises her brow even further.

"Other girl?"
She spoke, smiling at me for some unknown reason.

"I've never seen Shoto smile in my life, Hes always treated me with disrespect. Shouting, screaming, insulting and even.... hitting me. Yet this random girl he's never met, gets his smile in a matter of seconds of meeting him. It hurt. It hurt so much I left early to go cry in the girls bathrooms, that's how pathetic I am."
Rei sighs before placing a reassuring hand on my knee.

"This just shows me how much you truely love him for who he is, I was the same as you. I loved my husband even though he treated me like dirt, I changed my self for him yet all I achieved was a single glance but nothing else. So my only advice to you is never lose sight of who you are. I made the mistake of forgetting I'm my own person, quickly moulding my whole being to fit his needs. This caused pain but love blinded me from the fact that I was about to get stabbed in the back. You must've slowly started do the same, but please stop. You are you, not some random person that's been tied to Shoto by a title. You're Y/n. A strong young and beautiful girl that has a bright future ahead of her."
I cling to her as the tears fall from my eyes, my heart filled with warmth as she held my tight against her chest.

"Thanks.....mom"