After being disowned by her parents, fifteen year old Serena Verlice finds herself in a toxic relationship with a much older man. She undergoes four years of emotional and physical abuse until one day she goes to the doctor and receives a devastatin...
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"Fuck," I groan, my entire body aching as I hunch over the toilet.
I try to be quiet, not wanting Emilio to wake up. He's been up all night with me, dealing with my constant sickness since we returned from the hospital hours ago.
I feel so weak right now, worse than I did before I had any treatment. I also feel extremely guilty for making Emilio help me twenty-four seven.
Bile rises from my stomach, burning my throat as it splutters out into the toilet.
"Serena?" A sleepy voice calls out. I turn and see Lucian in the doorway of the bathroom, tiredness evident across his face.
"Shit are you okay?" He questions, entering the bathroom further. "I'll go get Emilio," He decides, turning around.
"No," I say a little louder than I had intended. "I mean no it's okay, I'm fine," I assure him, straightening up and trying to get off the floor.
Noticing my struggling, he approaches and helps me up. "Thanks," I mumble, shuffling past him. "Are you sure you're alright? I can get you a glass of water," He offers, following me out.
"It's fine I was already going to the kitchen," I tell him, wanting to go search for painkillers. "Sorry for waking you, you can go back to sleep," I wave him off.
"You didn't wake me," He snorts, walking along side me. I tilt my head, just now noticing that he's fully dressed.
"Why are you up in the middle of the night?" I question skeptically.
"Well technically it's the morning," He reminds me, turning on this phone and revealing the time which reads five am.
"I've got to help my dad with this surveillance mission, he's picking me up in half an hour," He yawns, walking over to the sofa and collapsing down onto it.
"Oh I thought you weren't really interested in your dad's erm.. business," I trail off as I pour myself a glass of water, remembering how Emilio said Lucian has never really cared about it.
I take my water and pain killers and sit on the sofa, knowing there's no chance I'm getting back to sleep now.
"I'm not but he needs help," He sighs. "Usually he'd ask Emilio but.. well you know," He says, pulling his phone out.
My eyebrows furrow together as I try to decipher what he means by that until it finally hits me. Emilio's too busy taking care of me.
A wave of guilt hits me when I realise the knock on effect I'm having on everyone in my life.
Because of me Emilio has to spend his time coddling me, meaning Lucian has to wake up at the crack of dawn to do something he doesn't want to do and Harper's currently asleep alone without her boyfriend.
"Sorry," I find myself saying. He looks up from his phone, confused. "For what?" He asks curiously.
"You know, if Emilio wasn't busy with me you wouldn't have to do it," I mumble. "Oh," He laughs. "Don't worry about it, it's not exactly the end of the world," He dismisses, returning his attention to his phone.
