Seraphina’s POV
The familiar weight of old grief settled over like a suffocating blanket. I recognized this feeling instantly - the sa crushing sensation that used to steal my breath when I lived under my adoptive mother’s roof.
Perched on the edge of the bed, I felt the sudden rush of mories I had buried deep. It was that horrible feeling of being insignificant and worthless. Roxanne’s cutting remarks and blatant disrespect today had pried open a door I had sealed shut years ago.
The past crashed over without warning.
I was eight years old again, my bony knees pressed against the freezing kitchen linoleum. The threadbare fabric of my pajamas did nothing to shield from the cold seeping through the floor. My small hands gripped the rough scrub brush as I worked tirelessly to clean every inch of that worn surface. The acrid scent of Pine-Sol stung my nostrils, but I welcod it - it ant I was doing sothing right.
I watched the murky water disappear down the drain, my arms trembling from hours of scrubbing. Sweat trickled down my temples despite the chill, but I pushed through the exhaustion. The stubborn corner by the heavy wooden table demanded extra attention, and I attacked it with determination that only a desperate child could muster.
When I finally stood back to admire my handiwork, pride swelled in my chest. The floor glead under the dim overhead light - a masterpiece in the eyes of an eight-year-old. I turned toward the doorway, ready to call for my mother’s approval, when the back door exploded inward.
Her voice sliced through the air like a blade. "What kind of disaster is this?"
My mother never spoke with gentleness. Every word was weaponized, designed to wound.
My heart hamred against my ribs as I spun around. "Mama, I finished everything. I scrubbed every single inch-"
She never glanced at the spotless floor. Her gaze fixed solely on , those dark eyes burning with an icy rage that made no sense to my young mind. The bucket I had just emptied dangled from her grip, remnants of grimy water and debris still clinging to the bottom.
Without hesitation, she upended the container.
Freezing dirty liquid cascaded across my pristine floor, soaking my bare feet and splashing up my legs. A wave of the foul mixture struck my face, seeping into my eye and trickling down my chin. The stench was overwhelming - rancid grease mixed with sour milk and gri.
I stood paralyzed, stunned by the sudden assault of cold filth.
"You dare call this clean?" she snarled, dropping the bucket with a crash that made flinch. "Look at this ss, Seraphina. Look at all the dirt you missed. You didn’t even attempt to do it properly."
I stared at the destruction she had created, then back at her face. My hours of careful work were destroyed. My effort ant nothing.
"I tried so hard, Mama," I whispered, my voice breaking with defeat.
"Hard?" Her laughter was cruel and hollow. "You are completely worthless. A burden on this household. You cannot even handle the simplest task correctly. You will never amount to anything, Seraphina. You will never be worthy of anything good."
Those words burrowed into my soul like poison, destroying the fragile hope that lived in my small heart.
"No one could ever love such a useless child," she continued, stepping closer until I could sll the staleness on her breath. "No one loves a child who cannot accomplish basic chores."
That was when I shattered completely. The realization that my own mother found unlovable, that I was a total failure, ripped through my innocent spirit. I did not simply cry - a wild, desperate anguish erupted from my throat. I covered my face with my arms and dissolved into hysterical sobs, the sound of a child’s world collapsing.
The outburst lasted only seconds.
A vicious slap exploded across my cheek. The sharp crack echoed through the kitchen, stealing my breath completely.
My head jerked sideways, and the tears stopped instantly, replaced by a terrified whimper. Stars danced across my vision.
"There will be no dramatics in my ho," she hissed, her face re inches from mine. "Stand up. Clean it again. And if I hear even the smallest sob, you will spend the entire night on this floor."
The sting of that slap still burned on my skin.
I gasped, jerking back to reality. My body trembled as I clutched my knees against my chest. The bedsheets felt coarse beneath my palms, and the room tilted dangerously. I was no longer that helpless child, but the terror remained just as raw and consuming. Silent tears stread down my cheeks - not the loud wails of childhood, but the quiet kind that revealed deep wounds.
I despised how Roxanne’s casual cruelty today had triggered this avalanche of pain, another confirmation that I would never asure up in this pack.
My throat constricted painfully. Breathing beca a struggle.
The door burst open without warning.
Julian strode into the room, freezing when he spotted . His face, typically set in determined lines, softened montarily before hardening with confusion.
"Seraphina? What happened?" he demanded, moving toward with urgent steps. His presence offered the comfort I craved, and I felt ready to share my painful past.
"Roxanne," I managed to whisper, her na catching in my throat.
His expression darkened imdiately, his eyes flashing with anger. He did not wait for further explanation.
"Listen carefully, Seraphina. You need to keep your distance from her," Julian declared, his tone cold and commanding. "And you need to stay away from my mother as well."
Relief flooded through that I would not have to explain everything - he must already know what transpired, and his presence here ant everything to .
"Your mother?" I understood avoiding Roxanne given her toxic nature, but his mother confused .
"Do not pretend ignorance. I am referring to the things you said directly to my mother," he accused, a low growl creeping into his voice. His stare was glacial, completely devoid of the compassion I desperately needed. "I know exactly what occurred, and I know what you told her."
My heart sank into my stomach.
"I never said anything to your mother," I stamred, shaking my head frantically. "I would never show such disrespect. I would never-"
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