Page 195 of Legacy
That’s how I survived. How I rationalized the wreckage he left behind.
Angelo Amato didn’t leave Adriana Castillo.
He left Scarlet.
Broken. Defeated. Tossed away.Used.
I push the blanket back, slow.
My bare feet touch the floor, cool and grounding.
I sit there for a moment, staring ahead without seeing, letting the ache settle in my bones.
I close my eyes.
And breathe.
Really breathe.
When I open my eyes, I feel it.
A shift beneath my skin.
Finally, I stand.
The motion feels heavier than it should. Like pulling free from something sticky and invisible.
I cross the room quietly, every step deliberate, and make my way to the bathroom.
Inside, the mirror greets me.
And the woman staring back?
Not Scarlet.
Not Adriana either.
Someone caught somewhere in between.
I reach for my toothbrush, grounding myself in the small, mechanical motions.
The simple rituals of care.
I brush my teeth. Comb my hair.
Stare at my bare face.
I hesitate over the makeup bag.
No hiding today.
Just me.
I breathe again, a little steadier now.
I take another breath.
Anchoring myself.
