The One

Spill The Beans: Part 4

 Once assembled, a palpable tension enveloped them. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "So, what's going on? You three wouldn't gather like this without a reason."

"Okay, I'll be frank," Anna said, holding out the pregnancy test with a seriousness that cut through the atmosphere. The impact of her words struck Karol, who took the stick in shock. "I—I'll just do it because I need to know," she stammered, heading towards the bathroom.

A few moments turned into an eternity before she emerged, the test in her grasp, the two crimson lines glaring back at her like the stark truth it represented. Jaw clenched, she moved slowly towards her bed, her mind swirling in disbelief.

Anna, sensing her daughter's gravity, asked gently, "Baby girl, are you okay?"

Sharon, desperate for clarity, seized the test from her sister's grip. "Let me check," she murmured, and her voice sliced through the tension as she quietly confirmed, "She's pregnant," watching as her sister nodded, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Yes, I'm pregnant," she admitted, her voice breaking like a fragile twig snapping underfoot, tears threatening to cascade down her cheeks.

"Don't worry, baby girl. We'll support you and take care of the baby with you," William assured her.

"Yes! Let's help nurture the cute baby together," Sharon chimed in. But Anna took a different approach, her tone calm yet resolute. "Sweetheart, the choice is yours—to keep the baby or not."

The room fell silent, both Sharon and William gaping at Anna in disbelief, mouths agape at the words they never expected from her—the woman who abhorred the very concept of abortion.

In a small but firm voice, she replied, "I'm going to keep this innocent life."

Immediately, Anna enveloped her daughter in a warm embrace. "That's my girl," she murmured, holding her baby girl tightly as the weight of the moment bore down on them. "We're here for you always."

"I want to hug my sister too! Leave some space for me!" Sharon exclaimed, her childish antics lightening the heavy atmosphere as she playfully stomped her foot, which drew a smile from her sister.

She opened her arms, making room for her sister to squeeze in.

William couldn't resist a low murmur, "Childish," at his daughter's antics, but it only made the laughter echo around them, a momentary balm to their worries.

"I'm a child at heart!" Sharon chimed, her spirit lifting the room.

"Sometimes, no, most of the time, you're just a child trapped in a grown-up's body," Anna teased, and the laughter that followed was a much-needed reminder of their bond in the face of uncertainty.

"Humph," Sharon huffed, the sound childlike and infectious, causing a ripple of laughter to spread through the room like confetti. With a dramatic flourish, she placed her right hand over her heart, an exaggerated gesture of self-importance. "Sissy, don't worry about a thing, okay? I'll be the child's father!"

"Hahaha, don't worry, guys! I've got everything covered. I'm a stable woman with a stable income and an MBA certificate!" she proclaimed, flashing a radiant smile at her family, her eyes glinting with pride and gratitude for the unwavering support surrounding her.

However, as the laughter settled, their father's voice broke through the atmosphere, tender yet laced with concern. "Baby girl, if you don't mind me asking, who did you sleep with?" he inquired softly, holding his daughter's left hand with a grip that was both protective and probing.

An abrupt silence enveloped the room, thickening the air with tension. No one dared to move a muscle, not even her1 sister, who usually stood by her side like a trusty sentinel, as they all awaited her answer. The gravity of the moment weighed heavily on Karol; she could practically feel their collective breath hitch at the uncertain edge of revelation.

"I will tell you because you deserve to know," she began, her voice trembling yet resolute. "And also, I have a plan that I hope you three will comply with." She scanned each of her family members, their heads nodding slowly, their expressions shifting from playful to grave.

With a heavy sigh, she released the words like a dam breaking, "I was raped."

Shame flooded her cheeks as she cast her gaze downwards, her thoughts spiralling into a vortex of self-loathing and confusion, feeling as if she were a pariah unworthy of the love of her God-gifted family.

The air thickened with shock, her confession hanging like a storm cloud above their heads. Fury ignited in their eyes, burning with the shared intention of meting out slow, delicious retribution against the wretched soul who had dared to violate their beloved youngest daughter.

Anna swiftly turned her gaze to her daughter, her voice dropping to a soothing caress amidst the turmoil. "Please tell us, baby girl. We just want to know what happened that day," she coaxed, an enticing lure pulling her closer to the edge of vulnerability.

"I arrived at Theodulf on the 30th, the night of the full moon. After checking in, I hurried to the packhouse, eager to find Christian. There, I met a sweet boy named Samuel, alone and forlorn, outcast and sad. I spoke with him to pass the time, offering comfort, sisterly hugs, as I waited for Christian to return from wherever he had vanished," she recounted.

Her voice wavered as she began to recall the horror. "But then that drunkard burst in, a wild-eyed menace charging at us, and before I knew it, he had slammed his fist into Samuel's face, leaving him crumpled and bleeding."

Her head hung low, grief and shame etched into her features. "Then, the monster turned his attention to me. He dragged me through the dark forest and into a hidden cave behind a thundering waterfall. I fought with everything I had—kicking, screaming, thrashing. My efforts felt futile, like battering against an impenetrable wall. It only spurred him on, a sadistic glee dancing in his eyes."

She struggled to contain the onslaught of memories clawing at her resolve. "I begged him over and over, pushed him away, tried to escape, but h-h-he fucking raped me. Again and again."

Her body shook with the bridge of anger and despair as the memories slammed against her like a tidal wave, and Anna enveloped her in a fierce embrace, saltwater tears spilling from her eyes and mingling with her wrecked sobs.

William's eyes glinted with barely contained rage, veins bulging as his fist clenched tightly. "Who is it, Karol?" he rasped, each word laced with a controlled fury, the quiet before a storm.

"It's someone you know. You won't believe it's him," she sobbed, each hiccup of betrayal ripping through her weary body.

This time, it was Anna who pressed for clarity, her voice sharpening, "Who?"

A potent wave of anger rolled off her mother, transforming Anna into a formidable presence, her intensity a force Karol had never witnessed. "Christian," she whispered, shame pressing heavily against her chest.

"The fuck!" Sharon spat, her fury igniting anew. "That Christian! The Ethelwulf Christian?!"

She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks, and her sister's anger exploded. "Why? Why must we spare that motherfucker?"

"Because he was drunk," she implored, desperate to make them understand her absurd reasoning, but Anna stood up, trembling with indignation. "That doesn't mean he can do that! My own daughter, for God's sake!"

Sharon blinked, overwhelmed, before enveloping her sister in a fervent embrace, sharing in her sister's heartbreak, and as she clung to her, they united against the world outside, a fragile fortress of love amidst desolation.

At that moment, her crocodile tears trembled on the verge of spilling as she gazed pleadingly at her parents, shaking her head in denial. Her hands reached out, a mute request for the bear hug only they could provide. William and Anna sighed deeply, surrendering to the storm of emotions as they enveloped their daughter in a warm, loving embrace, seeking to shield her from the world's cruelties.