Silent Scars

CHAPTER 23

The next morning came too quickly, the faint light filtering through the curtains signaling the start of another day Ariana didn't feel ready to face.

She woke with a start, her body stiff and sore from spending the night on the floor by the door. Her hands throbbed with a dull ache, her bruises serving as constant reminders of the chaos from the night before.

For a moment, she stared blankly at the room around her, disoriented. The events of the previous night played on a loop in her mind, the shattered glass, Domain's grip, Leonardo's voice cutting through the tension. It felt surreal, like a fever dream, but the pain in her chest and the marks on her arm reminded her it had been all too real.

She pulled herself up slowly, wincing as her ribs protested the movement. Her steps toward the bathroom were hesitant, each one punctuated by the quietness of the house. The silence felt oppressive. She splashed cold water on her face, watching as droplets trailed down her pale cheeks. Her reflection stared back at her, rimmed with exhaustion, her eyes haunted and shadowed by sleeplessness.

From her room, muffled voices filtered up from the dining room below. The sharp, rising tones of frustration and anger carried through the quiet, making her chest tighten. She sat on the edge of her bed, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around herself. Her trembling grew as she pressed her forehead to her knees.

She couldn't handle this anymore. The bruises weren't just physical marks, they were symbols of her displacement, of how unwanted she felt in this house, in this life.

𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦?

The question burned in her mind. There was nowhere to go, no one to turn to. Yet the idea of leaving, of disappearing from this suffocating place, felt like her only escape.

------------------------------------------

Luca woke early, a sense of unease settling over him. After getting dressed, he went straight to Ariana's room. He knocked softly on her door. The sound made her flinch, but she froze when she heard his voice.

"It's Luca. Can I come in?" His tone was gentle, patient.

She hesitated, torn between ignoring him and opening the door.

𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵.
But something in the softness of his voice made her pause.

Slowly, hesitantly, she stood and walked to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open just enough for him to step inside.

"Good morning" Luca said with a warm smile as he entered.

Ariana didn't respond. She kept her head low, nodding faintly. Luca immediately noticed how pale she looked, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. Something was clearly wrong.

He sat down on the chair by her desk, trying to start a conversation.

"I thought we could head down for breakfast." he suggested.

Ariana shook her head, her movements slow and hesitant.

"You're not hungry?" Luca asked, leaning forward slightly.

He had been hoping she would communicate with him more, even if just through her notes. But when she remained silent, he pressed gently,

"Are you feeling okay?"

Still, she didn't reply. Luca waited, his patience unwavering. After a long pause, Ariana moved to the nightstand, pulling out her notepad. Her hands trembled slightly as she wrote,

𝘐'𝘮 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘵.

Before she could hand him the note, a small, involuntary whimper escaped her lips, causing Luca to look at her sharply. His concern deepened, and he didn't even glance at the note.

"Are you hurt?" he asked gently, his eyes searching her face.

Ariana didn't move, her head lowering further.

"Aria" Luca said softly, trying again, "Where does it hurt? Can you let me see?"

She shook her head quickly, willing him to leave. She wanted to hide, to curl into herself and keep everything buried. But there was something in Luca's voice, a gentleness and care she wasn't used to, that made her chest ache. Tears threatened to spill over, but she held them back.

When she didn't respond, Luca slowly reached out and took her hand. His touch was light, hesitant, as if afraid she might pull away. When she didn't, he gently rolled up her sleeve.

The sight of her arms made him freeze. His breath caught as his eyes fell on the burns covering her forearms. Some areas were healing, but others were raw and red, as though they had been irritated again.

"What happened to your arms, Aria?" Luca asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She didn't move, her silence speaking louder than words.

"Won't you tell me?" he tried again, his tone soft and coaxing.

Still, there was no response. Luca sighed quietly, lowering her arm with care.

"Okay" he said gently, "but let me at least bandage them so they don't get infected."

He stood and left the room, heading downstairs to grab the first-aid kit. His mind raced with questions as he descended the stairs.

Luca's thoughts churned as he moved toward the kitchen.

The burns... they're old. At least a week or more. She must have had them before coming here. But why haven't they been treated? And how did she get them in the first place?

The questions wouldn't leave his mind.

And why do they look irritated again? They were starting to heal. Maybe she accidentally bumped them or scratched them?

The possibilities swirled, making his chest tighten with concern. He couldn't shake the image of her fragile form, her pale face, and her trembling hands.

Luca grabbed the first-aid kit, but the raised voices of his brothers shattered his train of thought.

Domain is back.