Page 43 of Eternal

“What do you mean you were afraid of the retaliation of your family?” Soren sits forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

I shift on my feet. “I was disowned when I moved away. I was told I’d never see them again, nor would I have a part in my family’s company again. While I was going through what I was going through with Tristan, I did manage to call my parents to come to get me only one time. It fell on deaf ears. I never heard from my parents in those five years. That was until my mother showed up one day after I tried moving on, building a new life for myself, and she told me I couldn’t run even if I tried. She said the incident with Tristan was a life lesson to never turn your back on family because family is all that I had. All I would ever have. The first time I’ve seen them in years was at the party where I met you.”

Soren’s mouth is firmly lined, his eyes raging with revenge. He doesn’t ask another question. He knows I’ve hit my limit about answering questions about Tristan. I let out a shaky breath and try to hold back the panic attack that’s setting in. The tears threatened to spill over my red cheeks. He has no idea how much those three years haunt me.Daily.

Soren notices and leans forward, dragging me to his chest. He sits with me on his lap and gently strokes my hair.

“Freya, let it all out," He whispers.

And I do. I let out my emotions and sob into his shoulder until I could hardly breathe anymore. Soren carries me into the bedroom and me into bed before climbing into his side, and while he doesn’t cuddle me, he does keep a hand on my side.

"I'm sorry I grabbed you," He whispers into the dark.

"Soren, please don't ever do it again."

"I won't, I promise."

I fall asleep, lost to another nightmare.

“You stupid whore! Do you think you’ll ever amount to anything? I am the reason you are where you are. And you dare to leave me? You can never leave me. I own you for the rest of your life.” Tristan screams in my face, gripping my hair so hard, I swear he’s ripping the hair out of my scalp.

The moment I was attempting to leave Tristan. The first time.

“Tristan, let go of me!” I cry out, my hands clawing at his wrists to ease the ache in the back of my head.

“Oh, does this hurt?” He mocks my tears, but his grip tightens. He’s lifting me at this point, dragging me to the stairs. “Let me show you how much you’ve hurt me.” He growls menacingly.

My scalp gets relief for a moment until his foot connects with my abdomen, and I’m kicked down the stairs.

“Tristan! No!” I scream out, throwing my arms out in hopes of catching something that will stop my bruising descent down the stairs. I come up empty-handed. With each stair I hit, another bruise forms, and I just wish for death at this point. Fuck, I might’ve even broken my arm.

“You deserve every bruise and broken bone, you fucking dumb whore. It’s how I feel on the inside. So think long and hard about that.” Tristan says, gripping the back of my head again, lifting me.

I’m so weak it hurts to breathe.

“Just kill me.” I cry.

“Kill you? Do you think you’ll get it that easy? No. You will suffer because if I’m suffering, you are too. Do I need to remind you of what you just told me?” He lands a blow on my face.

Blood smears his knuckles, and I give up. The pain was so unbearable. I hope some God will take mercy and just kill me. And the lights go out the moment his fist connects with my temple.

If only I were so lucky to be able to die so early on.

Chapter nineteen

Soren

“Freya.”

“Freya.”

“Freya, darling, wake up.” I shake her awake.

Her cheeks are wet and flushed. Her breath ragged like she’s been running a marathon. Freya’s eyes fly open, and she starts wailing.

Her restless sleep is startling to me. She looks scared. I can’t tell if she’s afraid of me or of whatever dream it was.

Has this happened during the nights I was gone?

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