𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡

P A R T 17

Freedom comes with a price

The bishop's gaze lingered on Beyoncé's hair as it cascaded down her lower back, a stark contrast to the vibrant spirit that had once shone brightly in her eyes. He could see the pain etched into every line of her face, the weight of their judgment heavy upon her shoulders.

Approaching Beyoncé with a sense of trepidation, the bishop knew that he had to address the rift that had formed between them. With a deep breath, he began to speak, his voice filled with a mixture of concern and compassion.

"Beyoncé, may I speak with you for a moment?" the bishop asked gently, his eyes searching hers for any sign of acknowledgment.

Beyoncé's gaze remained cold and distant, her walls firmly in place as she regarded the bishop with a sense of resignation. "What do you want?" she replied curtly, her voice devoid of emotion.

The bishop hesitated for a moment, acutely aware of the fragile state of their relationship. "I can see that you're hurting, Beyoncé," he said softly, his heart heavy with the weight of their shared pain. "And I want you to know that instead of praying and guiding you, we decided to punish you the hard way. And I hate to see that, that has crushed your beautiful spirit you once had."

But Beyoncé's response was sharp and biting, her bitterness evident in every word she spoke. "You hate it?" she scoffed, her voice tinged with sarcasm. "Where was your support when I needed it the most? When you allowed Mother Superior to strip me of my dignity and you all exposing me to the world?"

The bishop's heart ached at the accusation in Beyoncé's words, the realization of their failure to protect her cutting deep into his soul. "I'm sorry, Beyoncé," he murmured, his voice filled with regret. "I know that we've let you down, and I can't change what's happened. But I want you to know that we're here for you now, if you'll let us."

But Beyoncé remained silent, her eyes filled with a pain that ran deeper than words could express. And as they stood together in the shadow of their shared regret, the bishop couldn't help but wonder if there was any hope left for them to find redemption in the face of their past mistakes.

___

As Beyoncé sat in the room with Kelly, the gentle rhythm of her friend's hands braiding her hair provided a sense of comfort amidst the turmoil that had consumed her. With each twist and turn of the strands, Beyoncé found herself lost in thought, the weight of their shared burden pressing down upon her like a heavy yoke.

"I've been thinking," Beyoncé began, her voice soft and filled with uncertainty. "What if we ran away from here? Away from all of this?"

Kelly paused in her braiding, her hands stilling as she regarded Beyoncé with a mixture of surprise and concern. "Run away?" she echoed, her brow furrowing in thought. "But where would we go?"

Beyoncé's gaze grew distant as she considered Kelly's questions, the prospect of leaving behind everything she had ever known both terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice tinged with resignation. "But anything would be better than staying here, trapped in this endless cycle of judgment and shame."

As the silence stretched between them, Beyoncé couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope stir within her soul. For in the depths of their shared despair, she knew that they had each other...and together, they could face whatever trials lay ahead, no matter the cost.

___

As Beyoncé made her attempt to escape under the cover of night, her heart racing with a mixture of fear and determination, she was halted in her tracks by the unexpected appearance of Onika. Caught off guard, Beyoncé froze in place, her breath catching in her throat as she met Onika's gaze.

"What are you doing, Beyoncé?" Onika demanded, her voice laced with a mixture of concern and frustration.

Beyoncé's resolve wavered for a moment, her mind racing as she searched for an explanation. "I... I can't stay here anymore," she replied hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need to get away, Onika. I can't take it anymore."

But instead of sympathy or understanding, Beyoncé was met with a cold, hard gaze from Onika, her expression unreadable in the dim light of the night. And then, without warning, Onika's hand shot out, grabbing hold of Beyoncé's wrist with a strength that took her by surprise.

In that moment, Beyoncé felt a surge of panic course through her veins, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled against Onika's grasp. "Let go of me, Onika," she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.

But Onika's grip only tightened, her eyes flashing with a steely determination that sent a shiver down Beyoncé's spine. And then, in a move that left Beyoncé reeling, Onika reached for a pair of cuffs that lay nearby, her intentions all too clear.

Beyoncé's eyes widened in shock as she realized what Onika intended to do. "No, please," she begged, her voice trembling with fear. But it was too late...before she could react, Onika had already cuffed her wrists together.

As Beyoncé found herself shoved to the ground by Onika's forceful push, the impact knocked the breath from her lungs, leaving her stunned and vulnerable. She winced as her body made contact with the unforgiving floor, the cold hardness beneath her serving as a harsh reminder of her powerlessness in the face of Onika's wrath.

Gathering herself, Beyoncé looked up at Onika through tear-filled eyes, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and defiance. But before she could utter a word, Onika's voice cut through the silence like a whip, her tone sharp and unforgiving.

"Do you have any idea what happens to people who try to escape?" Onika demanded, her eyes blazing with a fierce intensity that sent a shiver down Beyoncé's spine. "Do you know the consequences of your actions?"

Beyoncé's throat tightened with fear as she struggled to find her voice, her mind racing with the horrifying possibilities that lay ahead. "I... I didn't mean to," she stammered, her words coming out in a choked whisper. "Please, Onika, I just wanted to be free."

But Onika's expression remained impassive, her gaze unyielding as she towered over Beyoncé, her presence casting a shadow over the room. "Freedom comes with a price, Beyoncé," she replied icily, her voice dripping with disdain. "And you're about to learn just how high that price can be."

And as Beyoncé lay on the ground, her wrists bound and her spirit broken, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever find a way to escape the clutches of the woman who held her fate in her hands.

___