Venessa left her old life behind to avoid the pain – and the rumours that comes with it. She flew across the country to find the answers for the questions she never had until a secret letter fell into her mail, shattering her fragile peace, letting her past resurface. But she was too late, by the time she reached her destination, it was filled with his anger and the ashes of revenge he was planning to impose on her, the guy she once loved no longer her best friend anymore, but the man that's going to shower hell upon her. Ashton Parker is the most wanted in his high school with the greek god looks and mysterious attitude, but he couldn't fall for anyone other than the one girl he can't forgive. The monster inside him craved for her, but the heart he has denies her for the scars she carved on him. He didn't want to have her, but she wouldn't give in... Just when he thought he had it all figured out, she came back with a storm. Which not only affected his present but reopened his past too. Jealousy and love were the last thing on his mind when it came to her, but Venessa charmed everyone around her, including him until he was seething in jealousy when he thinks she's falling for someone else. When the secrets of the past come to life, it's time for them to face everything with a head high, or the secrets are big enough to drown them to death.
Chapter 1 No chance to Grieve
"Did you lie to me, mom?" Venessa asked, her eyes narrowed and her lips set in a thin line, clearly expressing her disappointment as she held a letter up in her hand.
"What are you talking about, Sweetie?" Alyssa asked with a sweet smile, taking a step closer to her daughter, to comfort her.
"Ashton, his parents are dead?" Venessa snapped, annoyed at her parents for hiding something so big from her. They were her godparents after all.
Alyssa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. How did she find out? This was supposed to stay a secret until Venessa became normal.
"So it is true huh?" Venessa shook her head sideways, her stormy grey eyes brimming with tears of anger and betrayal as she realised her own parents took a big part away from her.
"What is true, darling?" Aiden, her father asked, removing his shoes as he came back after a tiring day of work and conquering three contracts.
"Aunt Isabella and Uncle Matthew are dead" Venessa scoffed, denying the truth until she saw her father's face turning pale, like he encountered her a ghost and that was all the answer she needed to know.
Her face morphed into horror as she saw a guilty expression on his face. No way.
"I hate you guys" She screamed, tears spilling her eyes as she didn't spare another second and ran back to her room, her steps heavy and loud, just like her heart was in that moment.
Slamming the door shut behind her, she pressed her back against it, blinking her tears away.
"No, this is not the truth, this is not supposed to happen, not now, not ever" Venessa muttered to herself, looking at the crumpled paper in her hand, her breaths turning quick as the reality hit her like a wave.
"This is fake" she whispered, opening the letter to read it again, hoping the words in it would magically change so that she can go back to her life, pretending everything was fine even when she was falling apart.
Her hands shook as she tried to straighten the paper, a sob escaping her lips.
---
Dear Venessa,
I am telling you something that you were never supposed to know.
This was a secret everyone tried to hide from you, especially your parents. It was supposed to protect you from getting hurt, but it was never their secret to hide.
And hiding it didn't erase the truth, but it did erase your godparents.
It sucks to tell you the reality through a letter, but I am left with no choice.
If you want answers, you have to come back to where it all started.
Where he resides, the man you've been trying to reach out to for so long, yet were never able to do that. I don't think you have a lot of time to think.
Be careful who you trust, not everyone you know is worth trusting.
– A friend who couldn't stay silent anymore.
----
She looked at the envelope that was on her bed and checked it again to see if there was any address or name.
None.
"This has to be fake," she repeated to herself, taking a deep breath as she collected herself and walked to her study table, opening her laptop.
She should have done this a long ago, she should have checked on them, instead of only him.
Clicking on the internet, she searched for their names, 'Matthew and Isabella Parker,' secretly wishing that this was the worst idiotic prank.
'Dead on Aug 18" her heart dropped its beat as she saw the year and date. It will be two years exactly in a week.
They mean a lot to her, but it's been two years since she talked to them, including him.
And she misses them so much that even the words won't be enough if she starts speaking.
But now she can't. She can't talk to them anymore.
"Sweetie, open the door" Alyssa pleaded, her voice cracking as she realised the blunder that happened.
"Go away, woman. I don't want to see your face" Venessa gritted her teeth, snapping her laptop shut. That was all she needed to know. The regret in her mother's voice is clear that they knew it for a long time and hid it from her.
"Princess, please" Aiden requested, knocking on the door gently, not to startle her. He knows how Venessa easily gets startled even by little things.
"Why did you guys lie to me?" Venessa asked from the other side of the door, slipping on to the floor helplessly as she pocketed the letter, her eyes turning glossy.
They are no longer alive. She can never meet them, talk to them or hear their voices. Her heart constricted in her chest, refusing to let her breath.
"Oh no, not now" She whispered to herself as she looked around frantically, wrapping her hand around her throat, spotting her inhaler on the side of her bed.
"Baby we'll tell you everything, just come out" her mother's voice didn't reach her ears as she felt the room spin faster when she crawled to the bedside table, opening the inhaler with her shaky hands and pumped the air into her mouth, her nerves calming down after a few moments.
"Did you get an attack right now?" Aiden asked, his eyes widening as he heard her gasping for air loudly.
Venessa stayed mute, not answering him.
"Princess, I beg you, I'll tell you everything, just let me in" Aiden promised, helplessness clear as a day in his voice.
"I don't want to talk to you, you lied to me" Venessa whispered, her voice cracking.
"We had to, your situation was fragile, sweetheart, we had to do that for your own good, we are sorry. I'll tell you the truth, just let us in" Her mother said, a tear slipping down her cheek, feeling guilty for her daughter's condition.
"You say that about everything. I AM NOT FRAGILE" Venessa shouted at the end, clutching on to the inhaler tighter, hoping it won't be triggered again.
Silence followed as her parents knocked on the door repeatedly as she sat on the floor, her back pressing against the wall with inhaler in her hands motionlessly, feeling more betrayed than ever.
They didn't take away her truth, they took away her chance to grieve.
Chapter 1 No chance to Grieve
Today at 21:23
Chapter 2 Leash on my neck
Today at 22:54
Chapter 3 Lots of hate, Ashton
30/04/2025
Chapter 4 Strawberry creme Frappuccino
30/04/2025
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