'WHACK!'
Bella Highland's head slammed against the cool glass of the car window. The sting spread across her cheek like fire. From the tinted glass, she caught her reflection.
Her fat, stubby cheeks were blotchy and bruised. The red handprints from numerous slaps were visible, and it stung no less, but she swallowed the pain like she always did.
The only thing she regretted at this moment was not wearing any makeup.
"Get out," Grace Highland ordered.
"Huh?"
"Are you deaf? Get. Out." Grace, Bella's half-sister's eyes burned with fury.
"B-but G-grace, we're on a highway—"
"I don't care." Grace turned to the driver. "Stop the car!"
The man swallowed and turned off the engine.
Tears formed in Bella's eyes. "Grace, please—"
"Why are you still sitting there? Do you want me to drag you out?"
"Please! Don't do this... I-I-I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have spoken back! I'll do whatever you want, just—please, don't leave me here! It's the middle of the highway. What if I get hurt—?"
Grace scoffed. "So? Will it be the end of the world? If anything, the world will be happy it just got rid of another pollution."
Bella's chest squeezed painfully. "H-how? How can you say this? We're... We're sisters—"
WHACK!
The words were not fully out before Grace slapped her again. Harder.
Bella's head whipped to the side and stars danced in her vision.
"I said GET OUT!" She turned to the driver. "You! Get her out of this car. Now!"
The chauffeur opened the door behind Bella.
"Grace, please—!" Bella gasped as the driver grabbed her arm, trying to yank her out.
Grace didn't look at her.
Bella fought back, grabbing onto the headrest. "No! No, please!"
"G-grace... Why are you doing this to me? I said I was sorry, didn't I? I agreed—I said I'd marry him! Isn't that what you wanted?! Can't you just—just stop already?!"
"Why is she still here, you useless idiot?!"
Bella sobbed. "Please! I'll do anything! I'll be good! I promise, just don't throw me out, don't—!"
But after one last hard shove, her grip gave out.
She hit the gravel with her back first. A jolt of pain shot through her body, making her gasp.
The chauffeur quickly got into the car. Grace didn't spare another glance.
Slam.
Vroooooooom.
The Bentley sped off into the night.
Bella lay there, dazed, staring up at the black sky. The stars in the sky started blurring through the tears she didn't realize were falling yet.
For a second, she thought she might pass out.
But the roar of an engine jolted her.
She scrambled to her feet, bleeding from her elbow and the sides of her palm that were torn up from the fall.
Around her, cars rushed past. Some barely missed her by inches.
She spun around wildly as where she was, what just happened, and what they'd done to her hit her.
She was on the busiest highway in all of Country Z.
Her heart was beating so fast it hurt. She tried to step off the road, but every time she moved, another car's headlights blinded her and she jumped back.
Tears slid down her face, hot and quiet. Her sobs didn't even make it past her lips anymore, her throat had closed up with fear.
She was shaking so hard her teeth chattered.
All her life, she'd always had encounters with death and she barely survived because she always thought if she could just hang on a little longer, there'll be light at the end. It'll get better.
But now, why wasn't she seeing that light?
Was it because she'd already given up on life after being handed to the Langfords only surviving heir?
Was she going to... die?
A tear slid down her face when a truck sped toward her.
Bella froze.
She couldn't move. Her legs were heavily rooted to the ground.
Time slowed.
And in that moment, vague memories flashed before her eyes.
She'd never admitted this to herself, not even once, but her harsh reality slammed into her mind: Nobody ever loved her. Not even a little.
She never even had any happy memory.
She closed her eyes, and a final tear slipped down her bruised cheek.
The last thing she saw was the terror on the truck driver's face, before everything went black.