CHAPTER 19

**AMY**

As I savor each bite of the delicious dish in front of me, I am caught off guard by Aaron's question, which seems genuinely interested in knowing more about my life before we met. His dark eyes shine with curiosity as he asks me about my life in the house where I grew up.
For a moment, I hesitate, reluctant to relive painful memories of the past. But Aaron seems to understand my hesitation and quickly assures me that it's okay if I prefer not to talk about it. However, I decide that it's time to open my heart to him and share a glimpse of the life I led before we met.
"My father... he was never the affectionate and loving type, but there were moments when he tried to be present in my life.", I begin, my voice a whisper loaded with emotion.
 "I remember the afternoons we spent together at the city park on Saturdays, the sun shining over us as he pushed me on the swing and shared stories of when he was a child. I loved those moments."
For a brief moment, a smile plays on my lips as I recall those simple moments of happiness we shared. "However, even during those seemingly joyful times, there was always a sense of emptiness inside me.", I confess, my gaze meeting Aaron's as I share my truth with him. 
"My father never managed to truly show his love for me. It was as if there was a barrier between us, a barrier he could never cross."
As I speak, a wave of emotion washes over me, the memories of the past echoing in my mind with an intensity I had long forgotten. However, as I share these stories with Aaron, I feel a weight being lifted from my shoulders, as if I am finally releasing a burden I have carried for so long. Aaron listens intently to my words, his face expressing compassion and empathy. His eyes meet mine, conveying a sense of comfort and support that leaves me speechless.
As the words flow from my mouth, it is as if I am reliving each painful moment from the past. Aaron's expression remains serious and composed, his eyes fixed on me, emanating a silent support that gives me the strength to continue telling my story.
"When I was nine... my father met a woman named Elisabeth.", I vividly recall the moment I first saw her—her blonde hair falling in curls around her angelic face, her blue eyes shining with promises of love and care.
 "At that moment, I believed I would finally have the mother figure I always wanted—someone who would fill the void left by my mother's absence. However, the reality was very different from what I expected. At first, they were just dating, and Elisabeth seemed kind and caring. But as time passed, and she became a constant presence in our home, I began to see her true nature."
"Elisabeth... she was worse than my father. The trips to the park, the bedtime stories... all of that disappeared after she entered our lives." 
I remember the subtle changes that started to occur in my father; his attention was increasingly focused on his new wife, while I was relegated to the background. 
"He became more distant and colder towards me, as if I were an intruder in my own home. And then the abuse began."
"Every word I said, and every action I took, seemed to be a reason for Elisabeth to unleash her anger on me. She would hit me, lock me in my room for hours, and deprive me of food and sleep until I broke down in tears and exhaustion. Fear became my constant companion, and the feeling of helplessness consumed me with each passing day." 
I recounted all of this to Aaron, letting the tears roll freely down my face. It's a weight I've carried for years, a pain that has become a part of who I am. But sharing it with him is liberating, as if I'm finally leaving behind a burden that has held me captive for so long.
As the words flow, a sense of liberation begins to seep into me. The pain I have always carried so deeply within me finally finds a voice, and sharing it with Aaron and Elara seems to lessen its unbearable weight. 
"I knew I could never have a real mother. My father... he was so blinded by love for her that he never defended me.", I confess, my voice choked by the tears that continue to stream down my face.
It's a truth I've always known, but saying it out loud makes it all more real. My father, so consumed by his love for Elisabeth, never noticed the suffering his own daughter was enduring under the same roof. And now, with the clarity of time and the perspective I've gained, I understand the real reason I never felt their true love. I was never his daughter.
A single, solitary tear rolls down my face, and when I look up, I find Aaron's eyes fixed on me, full of compassion and sorrow. His gaze conveys a silent promise of unconditional support, and I smile faintly, grateful for his comforting presence.
"I'm sorry...", I murmur, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. But Aaron shakes his head, his voice firm yet gentle. 
"You never have to apologize for showing your feelings. You are safe now, away from those people.", Elara also looks at me with a sad expression, her words echoing the same sentiment.
 "I'm sorry, Amy.", she says, her voice soft and full of compassion.
I feel a warm comfort spreading through me at their words of solace. Even though my past was marked by pain and abandonment, I am now surrounded by those who support me unconditionally. 
"It's over.", I state with conviction, my voice sounding firmer than ever. It is as if, by saying these words, I am finally closing a dark chapter of my life and welcoming a new beginning full of hope and possibilities.
With a smile on my lips and a feeling of lightness in my heart, I turn my attention to the present, ready to embrace the future with courage and determination. 
"Yes, that part of your life is over."
I feel my heart beating stronger at this moment as I continue eating my meal, but I feel lighter after sharing all the years of suffering I experienced in that house. I was just a child when it all began, I was just a lonely girl longing to be loved by my father, by the man I always thought was my real father, but now I see that I was always wrong about that. I suffered alone in that house, for so long I believed that someday I could finally feel loved and protected by someone.