The Life of Anastasia Williams

Chapter 6

I do not own Vampire Diaries

AN: I have said a warning for abuse before so I just want to say that in my story I might just randomly say something about it so if this triggers anything I strongly suggest you not carry on. Thank you.

It was a long 6 hour or so drive before they'd finally made it pass the sign of Mystic Falls and then an extra few minutes before they arrived at the house her dad had brought. Memories of her upbringing resurfaced; in her youth, financial struggles had been foreign to her, thanks to her father's wealth so adapting to the oppressive lifestyle James had imposed had been a difficult ordeal. Now, returning to the life she had once known – a life of abundance and freedom from the constant fear of repercussions – presented its own set of challenges.

One particularly painful memory emerged, a stark reminder of the control James had wielded. The last time she had dared to buy clothes without his permission had been for her daughter. The dress she had chosen was beautiful, intended for her baby's upcoming birthday celebration. But James had cruelly seized it from her and tossed it into the fireplace, his anger escalating into a physical assault that left her battered and bruised.

The memory of that incident remained etched in her mind. It had been the first time he had inflicted visible harm on her – a black eye, a busted lip, and arms marred by bruises. She had been effectively confined to the house until her injuries healed, even calling in sick for herself and her daughter to prevent him from taking her to the nursery. The painful recollections were interrupted by the sound of the car door opening as her dad stepped out, opening her door on the way to the boot of the car to get the suitcases.

Anastasia carefully released the safety belts around her daughter's car seat, wincing slightly at the faint sting as she pulled on her stitches. Fortunately, her little angel seemed too captivated by the sight of the beautiful house to notice her mother's momentary discomfort. With eager excitement, Lilliana hopped out of the car and rushed to assist her grandpa with unloading their belongings.

Her father had always been a successful businessman, and his wealth was apparent in the size of the house. Anastasia knew her dad had a knack for finance, mastering every aspect of it effortlessly. So, the grandeur of the house didn't surprise her, but it was a completely new experience for Lilliana, who had never met her Grandpa before, thanks to James's controlling nature.

Lilliana's interactions with her grandpa had been limited to brief phone calls when Anastasia called to check on him. On one occasion, curiosity got the better of Liana, and she had face-timed her grandpa, innocently chatting with him before James could return home.

Despite Anastasia's attempts to conceal the phone call, James somehow found out, and his anger was relentless. He accused her of divulging information to her dad and punished her severely, ignoring her pleas for him to stop. Their encounters were always painful; she was never ready for him and always endured in silence, suppressing her screams as he used her. Her only concern was to shield her daughter from witnessing her torment, making every effort to keep her baby asleep in the next room and oblivious to the horrors her mother faced.

"...astasia! Anastasia!" Her dad's urgent voice called out, snapping her back to reality. Confused, she realized that her breathing had become rapid, and her dad was gently shaking her, immediately retreating when she flinched away.

"Dad, what..." Her words trailed off, a mix of bewilderment and realization dawning on her. Another panic attack had gripped her unexpectedly. These episodes had become an unfortunate fixture in her life, unrelenting and intensifying over time, much like the nightmares that plagued her. She recalled the first time she had woken up screaming in terror but that hadn't been what had truly frightened her, it was the fact that she had woken James up too and her daughter had just run into the room obviously having heard her scream.