*~ Young Lilith's POV~*
I had been in my own house all day, trapped in my room like a prisoner. But when night fell, my father came. He opened the door without a word, and before I could even brace myself, he yanked me out. I fought him—kicking, pulling, digging my nails into his arm—but his strength was relentless. My struggles were nothing compared to his grip.
"Stop!" I shouted, my voice cracking. But it only earned me the sharp sting of his palm across my face. My head whipped to the side, my cheek burning, my pride splintering.
And there she was.
My mother. Standing right in front of the door. Awake. Alive. But hollow. God knows what he had done to her. She stood motionless, her eyes glassy with tears that slid silently down her cheeks.
"Mom, do something!" I begged, my voice raw, desperate. "Please, I don't want to go back there!"
