Brighton’s lying in the hospital bed, pale as death.
The doctor says he’s not in mortal danger, but needs to stay for observation.
“Why did you save me?” My voice trembles.
Brighton slowly opens his eyes, full of guilt: “I owed you.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” I shake my head, but warmth floods my heart.
“I do.” He struggles to turn his head, voice choking up. “All these years, I watched her torture you and never tried to stop it. I’m a coward.”
My eyes instantly fill with tears.
This once–cold teenager has been carrying those memories all along.
Garrett pushes through the door, face dark as storm clouds: “Marlena’s been arrested. Attempted murder.”
I nod, but don’t feel the satisfaction I expected.
Instead, there’s this weird emptiness.
Three days later, the police come to see me.
Marlena wants to see you one last time.”
hesitate for a long time.
Finally, I decide to go.
Maybe I need complete closure.
At the detention center, Marlena sits behind the glass.
he’s lost a lot of weight, hair all messy, eyes full of venom.
The moment she sees me, there’s a flash of something complex in her eyes, but it’s quickly replaced by rage.
Rozanne!” She starts cursing the second she sees me. “It’s all you! You little bitch destroyed everything!”
quietly listen to her rant, thinking: Will she say one word of apology? Just one?
You’re nothing but bad luck! My biggest regret was ever taking you home!”
You ruined everything! My marriage, my son, my life!”
The gets more worked up, tears and snot flowing together.
My heat sinks it by bat
wad for ber to get tired of screaming, then ask the question that’s been buried in my heart for twenty years: “Three years ago, at the docks, when you told me o wait for you Were you sincere in that moment?
Mariena freezes
Her eyes start darting around, lije trending
Maybe, maybe she’ll say yes.
Maybe she’ll say that in that moment, she really couldn’t bear to leave me
Then she suddenly starts laughing hysterically: “Sincere? Rozanne, do you deserve that?
My heart sinks,
22:22
From Beloved Daughter to Dood word.
Chapter 8
“I never once thought of you as my daughter! You were just a tool! A prop to make Garrett feel sorry for me!”
Every word stabs into my heart like a knife.
“You think I could love you? Some random street kid?”
She’s laughing so hard tears are streaming: “I wish you’d died years ago! Then nobody would know about my past!”
My world completely collapses.
For twenty years, I’ve been waiting for an answer.
In answer about love.
Now I have it.
t was all just wishful thinking on my part.
stand up shakily. Marlena’s still laughing and cursing maniacally.
Roxanne! You’ll always be an unwanted bastard!”
You’ll never have a family! Nobody will ever love you!”
turn and leave, tears finally breaking free.
ler voice gets fainter and more distant behind me.
Valking out of the detention center, the sunlight’s so bright I can’t open my eyes.
touch the scar below my collarbone–it doesn’t hurt anymore.
he last trace of obsession with the word “mother” finally disappears from my heart.
m no longer that little girl desperate to be loved.
m Roxanne.
Roxanne who survives on her own.
Rozanne who finally learned to stop begging for love.
he day of the court verdict, I sit in the gallery, gripping my purse strap tightly.
Marlena gets sentenced to three years in prison. Uncle Zander gets fined and detained for perjury.
is she’s led away, she looks back at me one last time, eyes full of hatred.
thought I’d feel relieved, but my heart feels emply instead, like something important has been hollowed out.
waited twenty years for this moment–so why don’t I feel the satisfaction I expected?
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
