Every family has its secrets. Unfortunately for Harlequin Jones, everyone knew her family's nasty little secret. For eight years, Harlequin and her mother had tried to forget the truth and bury the horrors of their past, but when Harlequin's grandmother begs for her to come and stay, the truth refuses to stay dead. Returning to the home of her grandparents brings back many happy childhood memories for the thirteen-year old Harlequin; memories of home-made apple pie, playing pretend-horses in the yard and fishing down at Bitter Creek. But the visit brings back something else, something Harlequin thought had ended eight years before and she is about to learn that her family's nasty little secret is far worse than she could ever have imagined. Blood is thicker than water and family is everything. There's no place like home.......

THANK YOU, Wattpad, for the HQ Love Watty Award! Concept: A mysterious young woman flees from her troubled past only to discover it is impossible to escape THE SECRET that haunts her. *PLEASE NOTE: This story was originally inspired by the movie "Sleeping With the Enemy". * * * * * "I would never, Steven," she promised, turning away from him in an attempt to protect herself. "I know you wouldn't," he screamed. Cupping her chin in his hand, he forced her to look at him. "Because I would kill you." His words hung heavy in the air. Sarah's heart sank into her stomach. No matter how many times she'd heard the menacing phrase, she could never get used to it. It had the same affect on her as the first time he'd thrown the ugly words in her face. The familiar sting of bile rose in her throat, and she knew she would deplete the contents of her stomach once she was locked in the safety of their master bath. 'If I make it through this time,' she agonized. Her biggest fear was that one day he would really lose his temper with her. Who knew what would happen then? *This story is an unedited first draft. Top Ranks: Action #1, Mystery and Thriller #1 *This story contains scenes of abuse and may be disturbing to some readers. While the characters are fictional, domestic violence is a serious issue that many people across the world face. If you or someone you know is the victim of abuse, please seek help immediately. Notice: This document is not authorized for upload or use with artificial intelligence systems or platforms. Any attempt to upload, analyze, or process this content using AI technology is strictly prohibited.

Please note that only an amateur wrote this story. This story may also contain violence and profanity or strong language. Highest Ranking: #𝟷 𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 (20160506)