AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Please forgive me, Aelina.” The hurt is apparent in his voice, and he doesn’t come across as the sort of man who would wear his emotions on his sleeve.
A battle wages within me. To let him in or pull away, but in the end, this is all too much, and the risk of letting him in isn’t worth it. “Leave, Hunter. You’ve done enough for now.”
I sigh and step around him, trying to conceal the pain with each movement, causing shooting stabbing pains up my back. I don’t watch to see what Hunter does.
I can’t believe the last twenty-four hours. That’s how long it’s taken for my world to fall on its axis once again, thanks to one man who decided I was better off knowing the truth.
Well, they weren’t wrong when they said the truth hurts, and the same goes for ignorance is bliss.
10
My mouth drops open at the size of the bathroom. It’s triple the size of the one in my apartment, and I thought it was a good size, but this is something out of a designer magazine.
A spa bath is in the far corner of the room. On the other side is a shower with a large showerhead the size of a huge-ass dinner plate hanging from the ceiling. White tiles shine on every side. It’s stunning, and I feel special having the privilege to use these amenities.
A dark cloud settles above me as I consider what this luxury could mean.
The underworld has sure been nice to my grandmother.
Was all this bought and built with blood money?
Giving my head a quick shake, I push that thought clear from my mind and debate between the shower and the spa bath. The shower wins this time.
I turn on the hot water and place my clothes on the basin countertop. Looking up, I stare at my reflection in the mirror—dark hair and dark rings under my dark eyes from lack of sleep last night. My grandmother’s words, “You look like your mother,” come to mind, and I wonder if that’s true.
The girl before me is a broken piece of who she once was. Six months ago, I was sleeping under a bridge with nothing going for me. I couldn’t seem to get a job to support myself. In some way, I think I should be thanking Hunter. He gave me a second chance at life.
Only it’s not the life I wanted.
“Who are you?” I ask the girl in the mirror.
I stand there for a moment, the steam fogging up the mirror. Slowly, my reflection fades away until I’m just a blurry figure. A nothing. No one. Yet, Hunter thinks I’m someone important.
I step away from the mirror, not wanting to face any more truths, tug my shirt over my head, and strip off my pants. I open the shower door and test the temperature—scalding and perfect.
As I move under the large showerhead, the droplets heat my skin. The clear water runs over the lines and curves of my body.
I glance around the stall until I spot a pink bottle. Picking it up, I see it’s a cherry blossom body wash and get to work, lathering my body with it. The smell is divine and fresh. Never have I used anything so beautiful.
As soon as I finish scrubbing away all the dirtiness, I don’t have the energy to wash my hair, so I sit on the tiled floor under the flowing water. It’s refreshing and cleansing. I pull my legs up to my chest, wrap my arms around them, and place my head on my knees.
After what feels like a lifetime, the door flies open. My head flicks up, and Hunter stands there.
“What do you want? Can’t you just leave me alone?” I mutter, my tone deadpan and eerily calm.
Hunter quickly turns around to face the door. “Oh, sorry. I knocked, and you didn’t answer. I thought something had happened to you.”
My head swims a little when I stand, but not enough to make me off-balance. “I didn’t hear you. I’ll get out now.”
I watch him walk out, and as the door shuts, the moment it clicks, a familiar feeling weaves its way through my soul. An emptiness has settled into my mind, like a dark storm cloud has purposely taken away what light I had there. It reminds me of my childhood.
The homes I stayed in, the foster parents who had me, who never wanted me. I was just a money pit for them. I was nothing. My bed was a thin camping mattress while their own kids would reap the rewards of my care money with fancy new toys and gadgets they didn’t need, even though I suffered.
It wasn’t just me, though. There were more kids in those houses in the same position. I wish I could change that part of this country’s government. Not all are bad, but some don’t know any other way to make a difference so no more kids will suffer like I did. I wonder if my grandmother thought about the ramifications of her actions.
Did any of my sisters end up with a bad family?
I can’t help but wonder what their lives have been like.
