Silent Scars

CHAPTER 32

Flashback:-

The room was dark, lit only by the faint glow of a streetlamp filtering through the curtains. Her stepfather’s voice cut through the silence, slurred and heavy with menace.

“Come here, honey.”

He said, his tone deceptively gentle.

Ariana, barely eight years old, froze, her small frame trembling as she clutched the edge of her bed.

“I said come here!”

He barked, his tone snapping from fake sweetness to anger.

She didn’t dare disobey. Slowly, she shuffled forward, her head bowed. His rough hand gripped her wrist, and the sharp sting of his slap burned against her cheek. The pain burned, but it wasn’t the slap that stayed with her.

It was the word.

Honey.

Her mother sat in the corner, silent and unmoving, as if she were nothing more than a shadow.

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Ariana gasped as she came back to the present. Her chest heaved, her breaths ragged and uneven. She clutched her arms tightly around herself, as if holding her body together could keep the memories at bay. She struggled to ground herself, to remember where she was.

𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.

𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳.

𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦.

𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦.

She repeated the words like a mantra, each one an anchor pulling her away from the flashback. Her breaths began to even out, but the phantom sting of the slap still lingered on her cheek.

After what felt like an eternity, she managed to push herself to her feet. The mirror reflected a pale, shaken version of herself. She rinsed her face with cold water, hoping the icy shock would chase away the lingering shadows.

As she stepped out, her hands still trembling slightly, she nearly jumped when she saw Domain standing there, leaning against the wall.

His expression was different, his usual coldness replaced by something unreadable.

Concern? Doubt?

Domain frowned as he noticed how pale she still looked, the faint redness in her eyes. But instead of asking what was wrong, he shook his head.

“Took you long enough.”

He muttered, his tone sharp.

Ariana flinched, lowering her gaze as she walked past him.

Back at the main area, Kendric greeted her with a grin.

“Hey, let’s grab something to eat! I’m starving.”

Luca looked at Ariana, his gaze steady.

“Are you okay with that?”

She nodded hesitantly.

They went to a cozy diner nearby, the warm scent of coffee and baked goods filling the air.

Kendric led the way to a booth, practically bouncing with energy.

“This place has the best milkshakes ever!”

He exclaimed, sliding into the seat.

Ariana hesitated before sitting down, choosing the corner seat furthest from Domain.

Kendric’s enthusiasm filled the air as he scanned the menu.

“What are you gonna get, Aria? You have to try the fries here!”

Ariana glanced at the menu, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve.

She hadn’t eaten at a restaurant.

Domain leaned back in his seat, his eyes flicking to her.

“Are you even going to eat? Or are you just going to sit there like a statue?”

He said, his tone dripping with skepticism.

“Domain!”

Luca cut in, his voice calm but firm.

“That’s enough.”

“What? I’m just saying.”

Domain said, shrugging.

“She barely eats anything at home. Maybe she’s just trying to get attention.”

Ariana’s head snapped up, her wide eyes filling with alarm.

“Domain, stop!!”

Luca said again, this time with an edge to his voice.

Kendric, oblivious to the tension, jumped in.

“Aria, try the chocolate milkshake! You’ll love it.”

Ariana hesitated but nodded, her hands tightening around the menu.

As the food arrived, she nibbled on a few fries, avoiding Domain’s gaze. His words lingered in her mind, stinging more than she cared to admit.

Luca noticed her discomfort and leaned over slightly.

“You don’t have to finish everything.”
He said softly, his tone reassuring.

Ariana gave him a small nod, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly.

Domain watched her from across the table, his sharp eyes catching every movement. He didn’t trust her, and he wasn’t sure he ever would. But for the first time, he couldn’t ignore the cracks in her facade. The trembling hands, the haunted look in her eyes, they didn’t align with the manipulative image he had painted of her.

For the first time, he wondered if there was more to her story than he had allowed himself to believe.

Kendric’s cheerful voice broke through the heavy silence.

“The milkshake’s good, right? Told you it’s the best!”

Ariana nodded hesitantly, her fingers tightening around the glass. The sweetness of the chocolate barely registered, her mind too clouded by the storm swirling within her.

But then she felt it, a light, fleeting moment of peace.

Kendric’s grin, Luca’s quiet support, and even Domain’s sharp eyes despite the mistrust, it was all more than she’d ever had before.

The warmth of the diner felt distant, like something she wasn’t sure she deserved.