Escaping Ethan's Clutches (Ruining Innocence Vol 1)

Chapter 23- Full Chapter

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He was the manifestation of evil. An embodiment so out of touch with piety that he left everything he touched in ashes and dust. He was the reincarnation of the devil, and he owned every part of his wickedness, reveled in it, and ruled it.
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Her ears tickled at the three solid knocks on the door instead of the doorbell. Soon after, she heard the rustle of the prayer mat as her mother stood up, folding it, before placing it on the couch. She heard the subtle thumps of her feet as she made her way to the door with confident steps. Maryam's brows furrowed as the squeak of the door came next.

Who could visit us at dawn? the thought occurred to her.

Yet, she remained hunched on her prayer mat. She had just completed her fajr (dawn) prayer and now sat with her hands splayed before her, her palms facing upwards while tears trickled down her cheeks. Even as the sound of firm, manly footsteps reached her senses she remained in her humble stance. She could hear the intruder making their way closer to where she had sat, facing the direction of Ka'ba before stopping and settling at the dining table. She heard the scrape of a chair before silence surrounded the house once again, safe for the sound of her sobs.

Her lips quivered as agony wracked her bones. She was in dismay about a lot of things. She sought refuge with her Lord, Allah, from her problems. With hands splayed upwards in a manner of begging, her body rocking itself back and forth, and her eyes lifted to the ceiling, to the sky, she wept for herself, her mother, for Zack, and most importantly for his dead parents. She cursed the day, she had come across Ethan, in the City of London as he had said and, more importantly, at school. If only she hadn't crossed paths with him, even though it wasn't in her hands. Fate had plucked her from her father's safe abode and dropped her brutally in Ethan's cage.

The memory of Ethan corrupting her lips invaded her mind, striking her consciousness with such force that she physically fell on her prayer mat, bawling her eyes out. Guilt, unlike any sat atop her chest. She sought forgiveness of her Lord, like an infant that needed nothing more than the embrace of it's mother, of its loving guardian.

Her mind was quick to remind her that she was helpless as always yet it did nothing to curb the agony that settled within her. She held herself responsible for her mother's safety. She held herself a sinner for giving into Ethan's demands every time as sensations like bugs crawling up her skin came upon her every time. Panic episodes that now became a common occurrence in her life became another burden upon her loved ones, upon those that cared her.

An image of Lucas came next. Had it been any other man, any of his other men, to witness her falling apart, she could only wonder what could have become of her. Because it was Lucas, her mind reminded her, because it was Lucas she had found herself in the bed of her room until fajr neared.

Her breaths came in pants. Zack consumed her mind. If there was one thing she wanted in her life at that point of time as she fell in prostration before Allah it was Zack's forgiveness. She begged Allah to spare his life. She begged Allah to give her a chance to secure his life even if that was the last thing she would do in her life. He lost his everything because of her, and she was ready to exchange her everything if it meant, he could be his old self again. The person he was before he met her.

Her heart burned with hatred for Ethan, her sobs halting abruptly as her face took in a forlorn expression. She begged for his death. She prayed that his surgery would result in failure, and he'd be dead and gone from her life forever.