Page 27 of My Only Luna

“Papa got it for me.”

My stomach twists. “Di-did he hurt you?” I ask, sick thoughts making me tremble as I pray nothing happened to her. I search her body for any mark, any sign that he hurt her or- or raped her. I can’t put anything past him. I drag myself to my knees, my heart thudding. “Did he touch you? Tell me if he did something to you?” I whisper, cupping her face. “If he- if he…” I sob in fear as I caress her face. There are no bruises, but what if he did something else?

She glances up the stairs as if he might appear before she smiles at me. “No, Mama, don’t worry, he didn’t touch me.”

“Did he hurt you?” I ask fearfully.

She observes me before she shakes her head, reaching up and wipes my tears tenderly. I don’t flinch despite the burning pain in my cheeks from the cuts I have. “No, Mama, he is training me to be strong. So my other clothes got ruined. I’m ok.You don’t need to worry about me.”

“No, I don’t believe that. Let me check your legs, may I?” I whisper.

“Yes, Mama, but I told you I’m ok, look,” she answers, pulling up her skirt to show me her legs and holding out her arms. “See?”

I stare at her. Can it really be possible that he’s decided to train her to be his heir?

“Ok… but remember, if he ever hurts you, you tell Mama, ok?”

“Ok!”

“Promise me, Scarlett,” I whisper with urgency. I need her to understand. She nods vigorously.

“I pinky promise, Mama.”

I pull away from Amelia the moment we reach home, the snap of the door yanking me from my thoughts. She lied to protect me! What kind of mother am I?

“Jessica! Oh dearie…” I raise my arms warning Amelia to stay back as I run up the stairs and into my bedroom and lock the door rushing to the bathroom before I drop to my knees, twisting my fingers into my hair as I break into gut-wrenching sobs.

I failed her; I failed her!

My entire body hurts from the revelation. All my life I believed that only Indigo suffered, and because I knew she’d suffered and thought Scarlett didn’t, I was harder on Scarlett, wanting her to be mindful of Indigo’s trauma. Oh, how stupid I was?

I wrap my arms around myself, digging my nails into my waist, drawing blood as my claws come out as I fight against the onslaught of a panic attack that is just waiting to happen.

Why did you not tell me, Scarlett?

I asked her, every single time she went to this so-called training, but she never let on that something was happening. I checked her for bruises every single time, to make sure she was ok. Even worried why there were no bruises on her, and she’d reassure me it was because she wore protective gear.

If there had even been a sign, I would have realised – no, I should have realised!

“I’m not worthy of being her mother. I should have been the one to suffer. The one to protect them, but she instead protected me and suffered all alone!” I cry in agony.

It’s becoming harder to breathe, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t deserve to live, not after my failures. Oh, how I wish I could turn back time.

“I want him dead!” I scream, choking on my tears. “I hate you! I hate you Zidane for what you did to her! I hate you!”

“Jessica!” The door opens, and I scream at Amelia not to come closer.

“Stay away!”

“Child, this is not your fault.”

“It is! She suffered in silence! Alone! She’s been through Goddess knows what!” I scream, my stomach churning as I lurch forward and vomit.

“Oh, this is not on you dear.” Amelia tries to soothe me, but it is. It is all my fault!

My hands are braced on the floor, covered in my own blood,as I empty the contents of my stomach onto the bathroom floor.

“Sleep child…” Amelia murmurs, and I suddenly feel myself losing consciousness before everything goes dark.

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