Ariana
Pain shot through my body as I slammed into the wall. My skin was already covered in bruises, my bones aching, but that didn't stop him. He never stopped. To him, I was nothing more than a punching bag, his personal outlet for rage. I was too weak, too broken to fight back.
With one final blow to my head, he finally stopped. My body sagged against the wall, breath shallow. He grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back so I was forced to face him. His lips twisted into a cruel chuckle.
"Now that'll do," my father spat, his grip loosening. "You look really good with the new bruises."
Ever since my mom died, this had become my reality. The new normal. Each day was just another prayer whispered to God, begging for death, begging for escape, but Heaven never seemed to hear me.
"Why haven't you made breakfast yet, huh?" he barked.
I knew better than to ignore him. Ignoring him always made things worse. Summoning whatever voice I could manage, I forced the words out, trembling.
"There's… there's no food. We used up the last of it yesterday, and you haven't given me any money to replace it."
The moment the words left my lips, I regretted them. His eyes darkened, rage sparking like wildfire. He lunged, fisting my hair and yanking me to my feet until I stood face-to-face with him. I braced myself for the sting of his palm across my cheek....
.....but the front door suddenly burst open.
The sound crashed through the room like thunder, startling both of us. A tall, broad-shouldered man stepped inside, dusting off his coat as though he had all the time in the world.
My father gasped, a sharp intake of breath that echoed louder than his fists ever did.
The stranger chuckled, low and dangerous. "Ah… so this is where you decided to hide from me? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I thought you were smarter than that."
I didn't dare look up at him. I stayed crouched on the ground, frozen in fear. Whoever he was, he wasn't someone ordinary. His voice alone carried weight, the kind that could silence even my father.
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