Accepted Hearts

Chapter 14 / Fresh Start

Chapter Fourteen
Fresh Start

"I'm worried."

Malia didn't bother looking over her shoulder at her mother. Another two glasses of wine had already been downed by her, and she couldn't spare to watch her mother drink herself into sadness any longer. Especially when it was because of her.

"How are you so calm? This boy is after you."

She almost flinched from the harsh reminder that this was, once again, all her fault.

Malia was anything but calm. She knew Kenneth was unpredictable, and clearly unhinged. But what use was there to stressing about it? She'd fought him and many others off before. This feeling of helplessness was nothing new.

The only difference was that she finally had an escape plan. Now that she'd been called back to the manor, Malia's only goal was to get the rest of her shit and permanently leave.

"This is all just too much. Too damn much," her mother continued to complain between sips. "And poor Kendrick. He saw this before heading off to another meeting. He's already extremely stressed and then this appears. The last thing he needed to see was your name on this paper. The Carrington name is being dirtied."

Malia assumed the restraining order was what made Kendrick keep an eye on her, but she hadn't known why. Now she figured it out. He wasn't at all concerned for what would happen, at least not to her. Kendrick only cared of the scandal that would come from this.

"I'm sorry for ruining his precious family name," Malia snidely replied.

She bit her tongue after. Arguing with her mother wouldn't have done anyone any good.

"Watch your tone, Malia Rose," her mother replied, her own anger apparent. Taliana rarely ever drank, and this was why. She'd turn angry or sad. Malia guessed she settled on anger, or maybe she'd driven her there with her drama and attitude. "Don't be ungrateful. Kendrick has saved us."

He ruined us. She wouldn't have dared say that out loud. It'd only cause further arguments. And she was sure Blair was home, probably lingering in the stairwell or right by the door, hearing every word. The young girl had witnessed enough fights, Malia didn't want her seeing another—especially between her own mother and sister.

"I'm gonna grab some of my things," Malia said as her way of ending the conversation and walking out.

Confusion flooded her mother's face. Malia wasn't sure if she'd pick up on her words—her mother had never been the best listener.

"Why are you getting your things?"

Malia took in a breath, angling herself toward the stairwell. "I'm moving out."

"What?" Taliana asked with a laugh of disbelief. When she realized Malia wasn't joking, her faced turned sour. "What do you mean you're moving? How can you just say it like that to me?"

Malia took a second to watch her mother, the heavy rise and fall of her chest, her clear agitation and hurt that her daughter would just spring something like this on her.

No guilt came to her, though. She'd felt plenty guilty for many things, but this wouldn't have been one of them. She knew now more than ever that she needed to get the fuck out of the manor.

Besides the growing tension between her and Kendrick as August twenty-eighth crept closer and the restraining order ending, Malia knew she wasn't happy there. She never had been.

And plus, Kenneth knew that address.

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