Painfully yours

Vanquished.

Arya's P.O.V.
________

I was able to sleep and not hurt anymore but what I had already endured was enough to last me years of trauma. As Denver approached my cell, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of anxiety. He unlocked the door and yanked me out by my handcuffs, my heart pounding with anticipation. Finally, I was being bailed out. I received my slippers back and quickly slipped them on, finding some comfort in their familiarity.

But as I turned around, my heart sank. There, standing before me, was Alice. The memories of her torture flooded my mind, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I couldn't understand why she was here, why she was a part of this moment.

"I wish you stayed a little longer." She winked.  Her hand on her hips and she almost looked fiery in that uniform but bitch was misusing her position.

"I wish that you would die!" I seethed.

"Careful honeypot. You might just come back here and I won't be so dead." She traced her canines with her tongue. Her threats resurfaced. Branding me? My soul shivered imagining the pain. I turned around and scoffed. Bitch.

"Like I won't report you." I mumbled walking outside.

Stepping outside, the bright afternoon sun hit me, momentarily blinding me. I was guided towards a black sedan, where someone ushered me inside. The car began to move, taking me back to my house. He was one of the drivers from the hotel. Exhaustion washed over me, and all I could think about was finding solace in sleep.

As I entered my home, my intention was to head straight to the kitchen. But as I made my way through the living room, I spotted my parents. Their faces were contorted with anger, a fury that I had never seen before. And there, in the corner, stood Xavier, a silent presence that added to the confusion.

And then I saw them. Alice and Denver, accompanied by a team of other officers, standing behind me. I couldn't make sense of the situation. Slowly, I walked towards them, my father's expression a mix of sadness, fury, and devastation.

Their furious stares bore into me, and in that moment, I realized that something had gone terribly wrong. The weight of their disappointment and anger enveloped me, leaving me desperate for answers and a way to make sense of it all.

"Papa? Why're you here? Where's mumma? Grandma? Where's she?",My mother entered the room, and their collective anger intensified.

"What's going on Arya? Can you even explain yourself ? How dare you do this?" Mom screamed. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands as her voice rises to a deafening crescendo. My mother's eyes are ablaze with anger, her body tense and rigid as she towers over me.

"What are you taking about? It's all his setup!" I pointed at Xavier while he casually stood at ease with his hands folded back and my mom folded her hands and scoffed.

"Arya , please. I accepted that you don't me like the minute I had your drink in my face. You dont have to elaborate." Xavier said with a face so innocent I wanted to slap it away.

"Excuse me? You're so full of shit! You planted the necklace !" I seethed as my fists rushed down.

"Then why was it locked with your biometrics and your password in your locker ? Does he know the password? Do you know what it was?!?" My mom was screaming like crazy and I knew that if this would definitely drive her insane after her telling me all my life it's wrong to accept so much.Imagine stealing! I can feel the heat of her fury radiating towards me, making me shrink back instinctively.

"Mom! He even gave me that watch you scolded me for. And this necklace too and everything along with it! I swear I tried to refuse. I don't know how it got there!" My heart is pounding in my chest, fear coursing through my veins like ice. I feel small and vulnerable, like a trapped animal desperately seeking an escape. But deep down, a flicker of defiance ignites within me. I know I need to stand my ground, to make my voice heard even as my whole body quakes with trepidation.