Faele sat on the edge of her bed, the weight of recent events pressing down on her like a heavy fog. The betrayal from Stella and Vince still stung, but now a different kind of unease crept into her thoughts. She had been trying to focus on healing, but shadows from her past loomed larger than ever.
It was late afternoon when she heard a knock at her door. “Faele?” It was Cassandra’s voice, tinged with uncertainty. “Can I come in?”
“Sure,” Faele replied, forcing a smile as she opened the door. Cassandra stepped inside, her expression serious.
“I know things have been rough,” Cassandra began, avoiding eye contact. “But I wanted to talk about Marcus.”
The mention of Marcus sent a chill down Faele’s spine. She had heard whispers about him—stories that made her skin crawl. He was Cassandra’s biological father, a man whose presence had always felt ominous and unsettling.
“What about him?” Faele asked cautiously.
Cassandra hesitated, as if weighing her words carefully. “I don’t want you to think I’m trying to scare you, but… he’s not the man you think he is.”
“What do you mean?” Faele pressed, curiosity piqued despite the unease growing in her stomach.
“He has a history,” Cassandra said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “A dark history that involves manipulation and abuse.”
Faele felt her heart race as she absorbed Cassandra’s words. “What kind of abuse?” she asked, dread pooling in her stomach.
“Emotional and physical,” Cassandra admitted, looking down at the floor. “He’s charming at first—good at luring people in—but then he shows his true colors.”
Faele swallowed hard, memories of Marcus flickering through her mind like shadows. She remembered the way he had looked at her during family gatherings—his eyes lingering just a moment too long, his smile too wide for comfort.
“I’ve seen him manipulate people,” Cassandra continued, her voice trembling slightly. “He can be very convincing. But once he has you in his grasp, it’s like you’re trapped.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Faele asked, feeling betrayed all over again—not just by Stella and Vince but by the secrets that had been kept from her.
“I didn’t want to scare you,” Cassandra replied defensively. “And I thought maybe he had changed since… since everything happened.”
Faele shook her head, frustration bubbling up inside her. “You can’t just keep things like this from me! I need to know who I’m dealing with!”
Cassandra sighed deeply, running a hand through her hair in exasperation. “I know! I’m sorry! It’s just complicated.”
“Complicated how?” Faele pressed, feeling an urgency to understand the full scope of what was happening around her.
“Because he’s my father,” Cassandra said quietly, pain etched across her features. “And despite everything, there’s still a part of me that wants to believe he can be better.”
Faele felt sympathy for Cassandra but couldn’t shake off the fear that crept into her heart. “But what if he isn’t? What if he hurts someone again?”
“I don’t know,” Cassandra admitted, tears welling in her eyes. “I wish I could protect you from him… from everything.”
In that moment, Faele realized how deeply intertwined their lives were—how their shared grief had created a fragile bond that could easily shatter under pressure. But she also understood that they needed to confront this darkness together.
“Cassandra,” Faele said softly, stepping closer. “We have to be careful. If Marcus is as dangerous as you say… we need to look out for each other.”
Cassandra nodded slowly, wiping away a tear that had escaped down her cheek. “You’re right. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
As they stood together in the dim light of the room, Faele felt a flicker of determination ignite within her—a resolve to face whatever challenges lay ahead and protect herself from those who would do harm.
But even as she held onto that hope, the shadows of Marcus loomed large in the back of her mind—a reminder that darkness often hides behind charming facades and that trust could easily turn into manipulation.
With newfound clarity and purpose, Faele knew she had to remain vigilant—both for herself and for Cassandra—because sometimes the most dangerous threats come from those who are closest to us.
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Broken Promise
Teen FictionHaving been fooled by someone to keep holding on to the broken promise. Can sometimes makes you think as an unvaluable being.
