Selena cried again, her body shaking with sobs. "Mom, can you hire a nanny and house staff while we're gone? Get rid of any weapons, booze, drugs... and watch him. James, I'm afraid he'll try to kill himself."
Eun Ho comforted her daughter, holding her close. "Of course, sweetie. Your father has already set everything up personally. He'll make certain it is taken care of while we're in South Korea recovering. He's arranged for a nanny and house staff to be with him at all times, and he will have removed anything that could be harmful to him. He arranged the most beautiful place for her. We will go once you feel ready."
Selena's tears slowed, but her voice was still shaking. "Thank you, Mom. I was so scared. They kept drugging me, and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't even move. I felt so helpless."
Eun Ho's expression was sympathetic. "I'm so sorry, Moon. You must have been so terrified. We frantically looked for you. They removed your trackers pretty quickly. If Molly hadn't stepped up, they'd kill you."
Selena's voice dropped to a whisper. "Mom, was I... was I raped?"
Eun Ho's face was somber, but she shook her head. "No, sweetie. The captors thought you were Robert Gonzales' daughter and Molly's. Molly told them to protect you. And it worked. They had you tested with a rape kit, and you hadn't been raped. Only beaten. You resisted quite fiercely."
Selena's eyes were wide with fear. "Huh?" she said. She did not remember that. Her body was full of black and blue, her ribs were cracked, and her right arm was fractured. Had A.A endure it secretly for her? "Thank you," she thought to the silent friend inside her who spared her.
Eun Ho's voice was gentle. "The men insisted that they only beat you when you tried escaping and drugged you with clean needles. But you don't remember that, do you?" Eun Ho felt immense relief that she didn't remember how she got to this state. Her daughter was bruised and battered, and that video broke her mind.
Selena shook her head, breaking down. "I don't remember that." That must have been her A.A's fighting her captors off. She noticed the A.A's notification pulsated. She did not remember much of her detoxing process either. Her loyal assistant suffered through that for her as well. Her eyes watered. "Thankfully, I seemed to have been spared that, or I blocked it out. Something very special must have been looking out for me." Selena said, her heart aching for A.A.
Just then, the door opened, and Jonah and Claire walked in, their faces etched with concern. "Sel, I was so scared," Claire said, her eyes welling up with tears. Jonah's eyes were also watering as he added, "I only found out you were gone when I saw the security footage. They found the guards...dead."
Eun Ho took the bouquet that Jonah and Claire had brought and arranged them in a vase provided by a staff member. The vassal guards, who had been responsible for Selena's safety, looked on, their faces filled with regret. Eun Ho had reviewed the security footage and knew that they had never stood a chance against the attackers.
Claire held out a stuffed toy Dodo, adding to Selena's collection of extinct animals plush toys. "Here you go, you hippy," Claire said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. She then apologized, "I'm so sorry I didn't go with you to the bathroom. I feel like I should have been there to protect you."
Selena joked, "I was going to poop, I was on my period, and I had major gas. I wanted to go alone." Claire laughed through a sob, relieved to see that Selena's spirit was still intact.
Jonah's eyes were teary as he hugged Selena gently. "Gross, but I'm glad they didn't break your spirit. You're still the same old strong Selena." He handed her another small stuffed toy, a golden toad plush, and smiled..
Claire broke down, telling Selena how worried she was and how sick Selena looked. Selena finally looked in a mirror, taking stock of the bruises on her body. They would fade, she told herself.
"I'm sorry, Selena," Claire said, tears streaming down her face. "I still feel like it's all my fault."
Selena shook her head, trying to reassure Claire. "It's not your fault, Claire. It's not anyone's fault. It just happened."
Jonah put his arm around Claire, holding her close. "We're just glad you're safe, Selena. We're glad you're alive."
Selena smiled weakly, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her friends. "Thanks, guys. Just being here with you makes me feel better."
As the evening fell, Eun Ho left Selena's side after they had dinner together. Jonah and Claire also said their goodbyes, leaving Selena alone in her hospital room. The nurse came in to check on her, measuring her vitals and hanging a new bag of medicine to help with the pain from her severe beatings.
Just as the ward was starting to close down, Liam knocked on the door and walked in, carrying a nice fluffy blanket and a bouquet. Selena's eyes lit up with a weak smile as Gunn approached her bedside.
"Hey," Liam said softly, setting the flowers down on the bedside table. "I brought you some things to make you feel better."
Selena's eyes welled up with tears as Liam gently spread the fluffy blanket over her. "Thank you," she said quietly, her voice shaking.
Liam sat down beside her, taking her hand in his. "I was so scared, Selena," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I was afraid I was going to lose you. I was afraid you were going to die."
As Selena's tears spilled over, Liam gently wiped them away with his thumb. "Don't cry," he whispered, his voice filled with compassion. He gazed at her fragile frame, his heart aching at the sight of her pain.
"I know it hurts," Liam continued, his eyes filled with understanding. He took a deep breath, and for a moment, his painful memories surfaced. "Jakob and I lost our mom to ALS when we were just 10 years old," he shared, his voice cracking slightly. "It was hard watching her struggle, and...and it's a pain that never really goes away."
Liam paused, collecting his thoughts before speaking again. "But what made it even harder was that she...she took her own life before it got too bad," he revealed, his voice soft and morose. "It's a wound that still feels raw, even after all these years. My mother's ALS made me want to be a medical researcher so that others didn't face what she did."
Liam's eyes searched for understanding as he looked at Selena. "My current mom isn't my birth mom, but she's an amazing stepmom who's been there for us," he explained gently. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you. When the funeral is over, and you're feeling better, we can talk about our losses, and maybe we can help each other heal."
Selena's eyes locked onto Liam's, and she saw the sincerity and sadness there. "I feel like something is missing," she whispered, tears running down her face. "Like a pit has been cut out of my heart."
Liam hugged her frame carefully, noticing the bruises. Selena's voice cracked as she continued. "I couldn't talk to Eun Ho about it. She's my real mother, but...Molly was my mom in every way that mattered. She wasn't perfect, but she gave everything for me. Everything. She worked hard to afford my medication, our home, food, and clothes. And in the end, she gave her life for me, even though I'm not her biological daughter."
Selena's body shook with sobs, and Liam held her close, letting her cry. He spoke softly, his words a gentle balm to her wounded heart. She couldn't vent to her family about this.
"It sounds like Molly loved you with every fiber of her being," Liam said, his voice filled with emotion. "Our stepmom always says that Jakob and I are children born from her heart. I think that's exactly what you were to Molly - a child born from her heart and soul."
Liam's eyes shone with tears as he looked at Selena. "You both never gave up on each other, even when things changed. You could have easily left and enjoyed the comforts provided by your birth parents, but you chose to stay in contact with Molly and care for her. And she did the same for you."
Liam's voice cracked with emotion. "If I had someone who loved me that much, I'd gladly give my life to protect them. You and Molly had something truly special, Selena. Don't ever forget that."
Selena looked at Liam, her eyes still shining with tears. He gently wiped her cheeks with a small, soft handkerchief, his old-fashioned gesture making her smile. She reached for a tissue and blew her nose, wincing slightly as the tender skin protested.
Liam's eyes filled with concern, and he said, "Gentle," his voice soft with caring. Selena blew gently, and Liam smiled, relieved. "Good," he said, his smile warm.
Liam's hands trembled slightly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He opened it, revealing a beautiful sentiment necklace. The platinum heart had a beautiful diamond in the middle. Selena's eyes widened as Liam nervously helped her put it on.
"I had this made for you. It is a life gem. I had it created in a lab for you with a lock of her hair," Liam said, his voice filled with emotion. "James helped."
Selena's fingers trembled as she opened the locket. Inside, she found two pictures of Molly holding her, and inside the box lay a USB Key.
Liam explained that the USB stick contained a video compilation of pictures and videos of Selena and Molly. He had backed them up to a password-protected internet domain as well, so she could access them forever.
Selena's eyes overflowed with tears as she looked at the pictures and the USB Key. She felt a wave of gratitude towards Liam, who had gone to so much trouble to create this beautiful, sentimental gift.
She hugged him tightly, the necklace safely around her neck, a reminder of the love and memories she shared with Molly. She also learned one of the reasons he became who he was. She felt a warmth creep into her heart and a long-forgotten emotion.