< Chapter 31
+8 Points?
Chapter 31
Mira’s POV
I stepped inside, leaning heavily on Killian as my parents rushed toward me. Their faces were full of worry but I couldn’t tell if it was real or fake. My legs felt like jelly and I wanted nothing more than to lie down and block
out the world.
“Mira!” my mother said, her voice trembling. “You are so pale. What happened to you?”
She slipped an arm around me, helping Killian guide me to the stairs. My father was close behind, his brow furrowed with concern. “You should have called us sooner, Killian,” he said, his tone sharp.
“I did what I could,” Killian replied, his voice calm but tense. “She needs rest.”
As we reached the stairs, I looked up and froze. Sophia stood at the top, her arms crossed and her lips curled in a sneer. Her eyes flicked over me as if I were dirt on the bottom of her shoe. I knew that look too well–it
was full of hatred and disgust.
She didn’t say a word, but the message in her glare was clear. “Why did you come back?”
I didn’t have the energy to deal with her. I didn’t want anything to do with her or Killian. My problems were
bigger than her jealousy. I needed answers–real answers. Why did Aaron want to hurt me? What had my parents been hiding all this time?
“Let’s get you to bed,” my mother said, her voice soft but hurried, as if she wanted to avoid a scene with
Sophia.
I nodded weakly, not trusting myself to speak. My body felt heavy, and my mind was spinning with questions. My parents helped me up the stairs, past Sophia, who didn’t move aside. I brushed past her, pretending she wasn’t there, though her gaze burned into me.
When we reached my room, they helped me sit on the edge of the bed. My mother fussed over the blankets,
tucking them around me as if I were a child. My father sat in the chair by the window, his face tight with
worry.
“Mira,” my mother began, her hands wringing together. “We are so glad that you are home. We have been so
worried about you.”
I stared at her, trying to read her face. Her tone sounded sincere, but where was this concern when Killian
rejected me? Where was this love when I needed them most?
“You didn’t care before,” I said, my voice hoarse. “Why do you care now?”
My mother’s eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. “That’s not true, Mira. We have always cared about you.”
“Then why didn’t you stop Killian?” I asked, anger creeping into my voice. “Why didn’t you fight for me when he chose Sophia?”
My father sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. “It wasn’t that simple, Mira. You don’t understand everything that was happening back then.”
“Then explain it to me,” I demanded. My heart was pounding, and my exhaustion was making it harder to
+4
x+
x+
то
1/2
R
|||
O
<
< Chapter 31
* Ports.
control my emotions. “Explain why you let me be humiliated. Explain why Aaron wants to kill me. What aren’t you telling me?”
Both of them went silent. My mother glanced at my father, and he looked away, his jaw tightening. The air in the room grew heavy and I could feel my frustration boiling over.
“Tell me the truth,” I said, my voice shaking. “What are you hiding?”
Before either of them could answer, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Sophia was peeking through the doorway, her face half–hidden but her smirk unmistakable. She was spying on us, no doubt hoping to gather something she could use against me.
I clenched my fists, trying to stay calm. Whatever my parents had to say, I didn’t want Sophia listening in. I had already lost so much because of her lies. I wouldn’t let her take anything else from me.
“I’m tired,” I said abruptly, lying back against the pillows. “I need to rest.”
My mother opened her mouth to protest, but I shook my head. “Please. We can talk later.”
She hesitated but finally nodded, rising from the bed. My father followed, giving me one last worried look before he left. Sophia lingered in the hallway, but when I glared at her, she finally disappeared.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I exhaled shakily. My body ached, my heart felt heavy, and my mind wouldn’t stop racing. I stared at the ceiling, the old woman’s words echoing in my head.
*A spell has been cast on you…*
*Your parents did it to protect you…*
*From the man who wants to sacrifice you.*
What had my parents done? Why hadn’t they told me about Aaron? They had let me walk blindly into danger, and now I was paying the price.
Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I had cried too much over Killian, over everything I had lost. Now wasn’t the time for tears. It was time for answers.
But first, I needed to gather my strength. Whatever came next, I couldn’t face it like this–weak, broken, and unsure. I closed my eyes, willing myself to rest, though the weight of unanswered questions pressed heavily on my chest.
Tomorrow, I would demand the truth. From my parents, from the old woman–whoever had it. I would find out why Aaron wanted to hurt me. I would uncover the secrets my family had kept hidden for so long.
And I would do it on my own terms. Without Killian. Without Sophia.
Because if there was one thing I had learned, it was that I couldn’t rely on anyone but myself.
2
E
Vote
226
Comments
