Flashback #8
The silence in the house had grown eerie, almost deafening, in Rowan’s absence. I sat curled up on the couch, still weak from my hospital stay, my hand resting absentmindedly on the now-empty space where life once grew.
I hadn’t seen Rowan in days, nor had he called. It didn’t matter, I told myself, but the ache in my chest screamed otherwise.
I was alone.
Maybe now he realize that I wasn't worth it.
When the sharp sound of the door opening broke through the silence, I looked up, startled. Rowan’s grandfather stepped in, his face hard as granite, followed by his mother. Their presence sucked the remaining warmth out of the room.
My stomach tightened as I tried to stand, but the weight of their glares pinned me to my seat.
"Remington," his mother began, her tone dripping with disdain, "what is the meaning of this? Losing the baby... How could you be so careless?"
I blinked, the words slicing through me like glass. "I didn’t—"
“Enough,” his grandfather barked, his voice echoing like thunder. He hobbled toward me with his cane, his movements deliberate, his stare cold and unyielding. "Do you know what you’ve done?"
"I— I didn’t mean for this to happen," I stammered, my voice trembling. "It wasn’t my fault."
“Wasn’t your fault?” His grandfather slammed the cane onto the floor, the sound making me flinch. "Do you know how much was riding on you? How dare you fail us like this? Useless, just like I always suspected."
Tears filled my eyes as I tried to speak. "Please... I didn’t want this. I— I loved the baby."
His mother scoffed, folding her arms. “Loved? You don’t even know the meaning of the word. You’ve brought nothing but shame to this family. Do you think we married Rowan to you out of kindness? No, you were a responsibility, and you couldn’t even fulfill your only purpose. You hid the pregnancy from us. And now you have lost it.”
Her words crushed me, but before I could respond, the cane struck my side. The force sent me sprawling to the floor. Pain shot through me as I clutched my ribs, gasping.
"You think you deserve pity?" His grandfather sneered, raising the cane again. "You’re nothing but a leech, draining this family dry."
“Stop!” I cried, but the next blow landed on my back, stealing the air from my lungs.
“Silence!” his mother hissed. “You brought this upon yourself.”
The room spun as the strikes continued, my cries drowned out by their anger. Blood dripped from a cut on my lip, staining the pristine floor beneath me. I tried to crawl away, but his grandfather’s cane struck my hand, sending agony shooting through my fingers.
"Guards!" his mother called, and two men entered the room.
"Teach her a lesson," she ordered, her voice ice-cold.
“No, please!” I begged, but the guards grabbed me roughly, dragging me to my knees.
They shoved me back down, one of them twisting my arm behind my back. The pain was unbearable, and I screamed as they kicked me, each blow a cruel reminder of my helplessness.
“Enough,” his grandfather finally said, his voice calm, as though ordering the weather to change. “Let her stew in her failure.”
The guards released me, and I crumpled onto the floor, my body trembling. I heard the sound of their footsteps as they left, but I couldn’t move.
For what felt like hours, I lay there, bloodied and broken, staring at the ceiling. My chest heaved with silent sobs, tears streaking down my face. Every inch of me ached, but the pain in my heart outweighed it all.
With shaky hands, I reached for my phone, praying Rowan would pick up. Maybe—just maybe—he’d come home and end this nightmare.
The line rang once, twice, and then a girl’s voice answered, soft and playful.
"Hello?"
I froze, my heart sinking into the pit of my stomach.
"Rowan can’t talk right now," she added, giggling.
I hung up before I could hear anything more, my hand trembling as I dropped the phone. My head fell back against the cold, hard floor as the truth settled over me.
He wasn’t coming.
I’d been beaten to the ground, and the one person who should have been there to help me was with someone else.
Another woman.
"Why?" I whispered, the word breaking as it left my lips. My voice grew louder, the despair boiling over. "Why? Why? WHY?"
I screamed until my throat burned, my cries echoing in the empty room.
Tears blurred my vision as I pulled myself up, leaning against the couch for support. My body protested with every movement, but I didn’t care. The pain was nothing compared to the betrayal that had been carved into my soul.
I stared at the phone, anger bubbling up beneath the sadness. How had my life become this? How had I let it?
And most importantly, how much more could I endure before there was nothing left of me?
The house remained eerily quiet, my cries fading into the shadows. I was alone, more alone than I’d ever been, and the realization was suffocating.
Somewhere, Rowan was laughing, kissing another woman, and living without a care. And here I was, bleeding, broken, and utterly lost.
Something inside me hardened at that moment, a part of me vowing that if no one else was going to save me, I’d have to save myself.
The phone buzzed weakly on the floor where I had dropped it earlier, the screen lighting up with my aunt’s name.
For a brief moment, I considered ignoring it. What good could she possibly have to say? The mere thought of her voice felt like another weight pressing down on my already fragile state.
But something inside me shifted. Hesitantly, I reached for the phone, wincing as my bruised arm protested the movement. I swiped to answer.
“Hello?” My voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
There was a pause, followed by a small, familiar voice.
“Remi? It’s me... Jules.”
My heart stopped for a moment. “Jules?” I sat up straighter, ignoring the sharp pain in my ribs.
“I had to hide to call you,” he said in a hushed tone, as though afraid of being caught. “Mum said you were busy, but I really wanted to talk to you.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. The sound of his innocent, childish voice pierced through the darkness that had engulfed me.
“How are you, sweetheart?” I asked, my tone softening despite everything.
“I’m better now!” Jules chirped, his excitement bubbling through the phone. “The doctors said I’m doing really good with my treatment. I even got to eat pudding today!”
I couldn’t help but laugh, a small, genuine sound that felt foreign in my throat. “That’s amazing, Jules. I’m so proud of you.”
“Are you okay, Remi?” His voice grew quieter, almost unsure.
I swallowed hard, trying to push back the tears. “I’m fine, baby. Don’t worry about me. Just focus on getting stronger, okay?”
“Okay.” He paused, then added, “I miss you, though. When can I see you again?”
His words sent a pang through my heart. How could I explain that I wasn’t even sure if I could leave this place? That the life I was trapped in felt more like a prison every day?
“Soon,” I promised, even though I wasn’t sure if it was a lie. “I’ll see you soon, Jules.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
He giggled, the sound filling the emptiness around me with a warmth I hadn’t felt in so long. “I love you, Remi.”
“I love you too,” I said, my voice breaking slightly.
“Okay, I have to go before mum finds out I took her phone.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Take care, okay?”
“I will!”
The call ended, leaving me sitting in silence once again, but this time it felt different. For the first time in weeks, I felt a flicker of something other than despair—a faint glimmer of happiness.
I leaned back against the couch, my lips curving into a small smile. Knowing Jules was okay, hearing his voice, gave me a sliver of hope I hadn’t realized I needed.
But as I sat there, the reality of my situation crept back in like a shadow. The bruises on my body, the betrayal from Rowan, the cruelty of his family—it all loomed over me, threatening to swallow that tiny spark of joy.
I closed my eyes, clutching the phone to my chest. Jules was better, and that was enough for now. I would hold on to that. I would hold on to him.
Because if there was one thing I couldn’t lose, it was the bond I had with my little cousin, the only bright spot in a life that felt so dark.
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