Mia gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white against the dark leather, her eyes fixed on the road as she drove in silence. The night stretched out before them, streetlights passing by in a blur, but she seemed distant, her mind miles away from where they were headed.
Sebastian sat beside her, glancing at her now and then, sensing the storm raging inside her, but he didn't say a word. He just let her be. There was something different in the air tonight, something heavy and unspoken. He understood that whatever it was, it was deeper than what had just happened.
They drove for what felt like an hour, the city long behind them, until the road narrowed, leading them into an area far less travelled. The houses grew smaller and older, and the trees seemed to tower taller and closer. Finally, Mia slowed the car and pulled up next to a dilapidated house, its windows broken and its paint peeling off in large patches. The garden was overgrown, wild with weeds, and the air around it felt abandoned as if the house itself had been forgotten.
Sebastian finally broke the silence, noticing how tense Mia's hands were on the wheel. "Where are we?" he asked quietly, his voice cutting through the stillness.
Mia didn't look at him. Her eyes were locked on the house, her breathing shallow. "This... is where I lived. With my biological mother."
Sebastian blinked, surprise flickering across his face. "You lived here?"
Mia nodded slowly, but there was a tremor in her hands, a darkness in her voice that hadn't been there before. "Yeah. For six years."
He studied the house again. It looked like no one had lived there for years-decades, even. The windows were shattered, the roof sagged, and the entire place had an eerie, forgotten feel to it. He swallowed, not knowing what to say, but the unease in the air was undeniable.
"Mia... do you know where she is now? Your mother?" he asked cautiously.
For a moment, Mia was silent, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel, her breathing becoming uneven. The air in the car felt suffocating, thick with the weight of whatever she was about to say.
And then, with a voice so cold and detached it sent shivers down his spine, Mia answered.
"She was murdered," she said, her words flat, devoid of emotion. "When I was six."
Sebastian froze, his mind struggling to process what he had just heard. "Murdered?" he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper. "What happened?"
Mia's eyes remained fixed on the house, the memories rushing back, dark and twisted. "I found her... lying on the kitchen floor. Blood everywhere. I remember standing there, staring at her, wondering why she wouldn't get up."
Her voice was hollow, almost robotic as if she were reciting a nightmare she had long since buried. "She used to bring home men. Sometimes they'd pay her, sometimes they wouldn't. One of them killed her. He... beat her to death. Right there, in front of me."
Sebastian felt his heart clench, an overwhelming sadness gripping him. "Oh my God, Mia... I-I'm so sorry."
But Mia continued, her tone growing darker, more unsettling. "I didn't cry. Not that day. I just stood there, staring at her body, at the blood. I remember thinking how red it was, how it looked like paint. I didn't cry until the neighbours found me the next day, sitting next to her body."
She finally turned to face Sebastian, her eyes hollow, her face expressionless. "No one cared. Not the police, not the neighbours. She was a prostitute. Disposable. Her life didn't matter."
Sebastian felt a chill crawl up his spine as he listened, completely stunned. "Mia... that's-"
"She was dead before anyone even noticed," Mia said bitterly. "And I was left behind, just like I always knew I would be."
The rawness in her voice was unbearable, and Sebastian felt helpless, unsure of what to say. The weight of Mia's past was staggering, a pain so deep that it seemed impossible to heal.
"How did you-" Sebastian started, but he didn't even know how to finish the question.
Mia let out a bitter laugh, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I didn't. Not really. They put me in foster care after that. That's how I ended up with Mr. and Mrs. Black."
Sebastian's chest ached as he sat in stunned silence. He had known Mia had a past, that she carried burdens, but this... this was so much worse than he could have ever imagined.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" he asked gently.
"Because no one wants to hear about it," Mia replied, her voice cold again. "People don't care about what happens to girls like me. Not then, not now. It's always been like this."
Sebastian shook his head. "That's not true. I care."
For the first time, Mia's face softened, her eyes meeting his. "I know you do," she whispered. "That's why I'm telling you now."
Mia gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning pale as she stared at the house. It stood there, old and forgotten, its wooden frame creaking under the weight of years. "This is where I used to live," she said quietly. "With my mother. Before she was murdered... when I was six."
Sebastian, who had been silently watching her, blinked. His calm demeanour remained, but there was a slight shift in his expression, softening with empathy and understanding. "I'm sorry, Mia," he said after a pause, his voice low and gentle, almost as if he was speaking to a fragile piece of glass. "You don't have to be here."
She shook her head, her thoughts swirling. "She never wanted this. She didn't want to be... one of them. But it was because of my father-the man I never knew. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have had to do it. She was sick, you know? She had a condition... something that kept her in pain most of the time." Her voice cracked slightly. "But she was strong. I remember her being strong... until she couldn't be anymore."
Sebastian leaned forward, his brow furrowing in quiet contemplation. "You feel safe here, don't you?" he asked, his tone still gentle but with an air of certainty. "Even with all the memories."
Mia turned toward him, meeting his eyes for what felt like the first time with real focus. His face-usually casual, always with a hint of a smile-now appeared serious and tender. His strong jawline, smooth and defined, flexed slightly as he spoke, and his deep-set green eyes held a kind of understanding that made her feel seen in a way she hadn't felt in years. His hair, dark and tousled, framed his face in a way that made his features look both rugged and delicate. His broad shoulders and athletic build only added to the aura of someone solid, and dependable.
But it wasn't just his looks. There was something about his presence-he wasn't pushy or overbearing, but always there, ready to offer support. The way he let her have her space while still being close was calming. He never demanded anything from her, just quietly stayed by her side, as if he knew that's exactly what she needed.
"You're different," she murmured, realizing for the first time that she saw him in a way she hadn't before. He wasn't just a classmate who helped her pick up a pencil or stood up to Chad. Sebastian was more than that-steady, thoughtful, protective.
Sebastian's expression softened, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I'm just me, Mia. And I'm here. Whenever you're ready to talk or to just sit in silence-I'm here."
For a moment, the weight on her chest felt lighter, the tightness in her throat easing. This was a side of him she hadn't expected to see, and for the first time, something shifted inside her.