She frowns, but amusement lingers in her eyes. Digging her phone out of her pocket, she presses a few buttons, then turns the screen to me.
My stomach falls through the floor when I see the security camera footage, and terror rips through me. “Y-you installed cameras at the house?”
She scoffs, like I have no reason to be upset with her, “At my house, which I own? Yes, I did. And you”—she takes a step closer to me, and my body tenses—“lied”—another step—“to”—she’s only three feet away now—“me.”
My back is nearly against the door when she takes one more step. She reaches out and grabs my throat, her nails sinking into my skin as she towers over me.
“How dare you, you child?! It seems this recent freedom has made you forget who you are.Ashin the fireplace. Worthlesstrash. The only thing you’ve ever been good for is complicating my life. I’ve kept you housed, fed, nurtured, andthisis how you repay me?”
Her grip tightens, and real fear strikes my core.
I fight to get the words out past the sting. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have gone! I’m sorry!”
Tears well in my eyes, and the bag of fabric in my hand falls to the floor as my throat catches on fire. Gus stays tucked away, and I keep enough distance between her and me so that he doesn’t get squished.
This isn’t the first time her hand has met my throat. But it’s never been accompanied bythiscrazy look in her eye. The combination is horrifying.
“Whose house is it?” she spits.
I can barely breathe, and my head starts to pound intensely. “Y-yours.”
“That’s right. It’smyhouse. You’re lucky I don’t have you arrested for trespassing,” she sneers, pure hatred in her gaze.
She tightens her grip, and I try to cough, but it gets lost somewhere along the way.
“P-please,” I beg, terror taking over.
She wouldn’t really hurt me, right? I mean, she still raised me for years. She couldn’t do that. Some part of her deep down must care for me.
My vision starts to spot, and she releases me suddenly, pushing me back into the door. I reach for the handle for stability and grab my neck with my other hand, gasping for air.
She stands back, smirking. “You know, I was going to give you a gift today, something I know you’ve been excited to see again. You had done such a decent job with my engagement party dress.”
Reaching into the bag, she pulls something out, and the first glimmer of blue and yellow glass I see makes my stomach churn.
It’s a piece my mom had, one of her favorites. Glass tulips in a bouquet.
“But then you pulled a stunt likethis. Blatantly disrespecting me after all I’ve done for you over the years.” She drops her bag to the ground and turns the glass flowers over and over in her hand. “Clearly, I haven’t punished you enough lately. Let this be a reminder of what happens when you lie to me.”
I hold my breath, and I swear time slows down completely as she lifts her hands above her head. A smile stretches across her lips, one of malice and cruelty.
“I figured seeing one break in person rather than a still picture of the fragments in that house may do you some good.” She opens her hands, letting the tulips slip between them and plummet straight down to the hard floor below.
“No!” I shout, reaching for them.
But it’s too late.
I crash to my knees, not feeling the pain, at the same time the beautiful glass art explodes into a thousand little pieces, my heart along with it.
My stare is blurry, struggling to focus on nothing and everything at the same time. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. The walls around me are closing in.
I want to scream at her, hit her like she has hit me a thousand times over … but I can’t, not while she still has the deed and keys to the house. I can’t. I won’t let her take anything else from my parents or me.
Glancing up at her, I find her smug smirk as she says, “Be a good girl, Cirella. Or I’ll have to make another visit.”
Stepping over me like I’m a bug on the ground, she strolls from the room, whistling a tune with Duke right on her heels.
Gus pokes his head up, and I wipe my tears, not wanting to worry him. “It’s okay, buddy. They’re gone.”
