Darkest Devotion

Chapter 6

*TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains scenes of abuse-- mental and physical-- so please be cautious when reading this chapter. I will place *** where they start and end.*

Elara's POV

The traveling business trip is only a day away. A day too close if you ask me.

When Mr. Castellan snapped at me, it was my last straw. He has been the most egotistical, self-absorbed, asshat since I've known him; always getting on my nerves. But more than that, he hurt me. Never, not once, has he ever blown up on me like that.

Flashes of light take over my vision as I think about how aggressive he was. Each flash blinds me until a memory takes over.

***

"You're fucking fat and disgusting. How could someone so ugly have come out of me?" My mom yells at me as she looks at me, disdain swimming in her eyes.

Tears well up from my ducts as I try to keep myself from crying. If I cry, he'll make it worse.

"Your dad and I were unfortunate enough to end up with a fat pig like you. I wish I aborted you." With that last comment, the tears finally break free. Of all the people in the world, my own mother shouldn't be the person saying that to me.

When my dad, who was smirking on the sidelines, notices the wetness gracing my cheeks; his face morphs, the lines on his face go rigid, the fire in his eyes lighting all of hell. And hell is what will be rained down on me.

"Are you fucking crying?" His voice booms through the room, making me, and my mom, flinch.

I shake my head aggressively. "No, I-"

"I'll fucking give you something to cry about." He stalks towards me as he takes off his belt, wrapping it up to use against me.

"No, no!" I scream as his hand flies back before the leather whips against my skin.

***

I gasp sharply as I pull myself out of the memory, my breathing erratic.

You're safe. It's okay. You're safe.

I place my hand on my chest as I feel the air entering my lungs. Each breath feels like razors on my airways, but it's better than nothing. It's better than nothing.

After a few moments I'm able to catch my breath and regain a little bit of myself each minute. I've never been as angry with Zaide fucking Castellan as I am currently. I have gone years without those memories and then he triggers them with ease. I just hope that the night terrors don't come back.

Shaking my head free of what just happened, I get ready for the day, skipping breakfast before I head to the office.

When I arrive, I see James waiting for me at the elevator. I smile at him as he reaches his knuckles out to me. We bump fists, laughing at the childish action while he follows me to my office.

"How was your night, sis?" The term falls casually off of James' tongue. We realized pretty fast that we see each other more as siblings, so the dynamic and terms have followed suit. We reach the entrance to my office. I head in as he leans against the door frame, smiling at me as he watches me head to my desk.

"Oh you know, another boring night at the Austen's. How was yours, bro?" I set my purse down, looking around to see what needs to be done before Mr. Castellan gets here.

"I uh," He chuckles awkwardly. "I kinda had a... date."

My head whips up, my eyes meeting his shy ones. A squeal rips out of me before I run over to him and wrap him in a hug. After a few seconds, I pull back excitedly, my hands on his shoulders. "What's his name?"