Its Just ME

chapter 42

Third person POV.

Livia sat in the dimly lit room, the weight of her fear pressing down on her like a heavy blanket. The stale air was thick with dread, and the shadows seemed to creep closer as the reality of her situation sank in. She rubbed her belly instinctively, the life inside her a fragile beacon of hope in the midst of chaos.

Just then, the creaking of the door startled her. The hinges protested as it swung open, revealing a figure silhouetted against the light. Her heart raced, torn between fear and hope. And then, she saw her: Phyna.

“Livia?” Phyna’s voice was barely above a whisper, full of hesitation.

Livia’s breath hitched. Anger surged through her. “You left me,” she spat, trying to mask her fear with fury. “You abandoned me!”

Phyna stepped closer, her eyes wide with a mix of relief and remorse. “I didn’t have a choice, Liv. I thought—”

“Thought what? That I could handle it alone?” Livia’s voice cracked, tears threatening to spill. “You were supposed to protect me. You were my sister!”

“I was scared too!” Phyna shouted, desperation lacing her words. “I thought it was for the best—”

“For who, Phyna? You? Look at me!” Livia gestured to her belly, the swell of her pregnancy a stark reminder of everything she had to lose. “I’m trapped, and I have no idea what they want. You could’ve helped me!”

Phyna's eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I didn’t know this would happen. I thought I was keeping you safe by leaving.”

“Safe?” Livia scoffed, shaking her head. “This is safety to you? You left me to fend for myself!”

Phyna’s eyes shone with tears as she listened to Livia's accusations. The weight of silence hung heavily in the air as she struggled to find her voice. “Livia,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, “I... I didn't mean to hurt you. I never wanted to leave you behind.”

Livia's laughter was bitter, an unsettling sound that echoed through the room, filling the air with despair. “You didn't mean to hurt me?” she repeated, her voice rising in pitch. “You didn’t want to leave me behind? Is that supposed to make everything better? Is that supposed to erase all the years of pain and loneliness you caused?”

She recalled shared moments from childhood—laughter ringing through the hallways and secrets exchanged under starlit skies—now tainted by betrayal. “We were supposed to be a family, Phyna. We were supposed to stick together, no matter what. But you chose to walk away. You chose to leave us behind.”

The two sisters engaged in a fierce back-and-forth exchange where every word revealed layers of trauma and hurt. Phyna tried desperately to justify her actions while Livia countered every plea with anguish-laden retorts. “You didn’t just leave, Phyna,” Livia shot back, hurt radiating from her words. “You abandoned us! You left us to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives.”

As emotions ran high, Livia accused Phyna not only of leaving but also of inflicting further pain upon their broken family after their mother’s death. “You weren’t there when she needed you most! You weren’t there to help us grieve! You chose to walk away, and you left us to deal with the pain alone!”

Phyna’s tears flowed freely now; Livia’s words hit her like a physical blow. “Livia, I’m so sorry!” she cried out in desperation. “I never meant to cause you pain! I never meant to abandon you! Please, believe me!”

The rawness in their conversation painted a vivid picture of grief and estrangement—each word a brushstroke on the canvas of their shared past. The living room felt small and suffocating as echoes of their pain filled the space around them.