Beyond The Fairy Tale: A Monster

s hands, the same hands I once believed would protect

hispered, his breath

ctly still, a statue of complian

owed with a flicker of annoya

a faint, empty smile.

o placate a difficult pet. He believed my spirit was broken, that I was just a sad

st the wall, her soft, triumphant laughter. It was a soundtrack to my humiliation. I lay in my bed, staring at the ceiling, and methodic

so intense it sent me rushing to the bathroom. I retched until there was nothing left

k with sweat, Mrs. Sterling was waiting for me at the br

id, not looking up from her new

ed up the heavy silver pot, my hands trembling slightly. As I poured, Scarl

pot. It clattered lou

hrieked, jumping up. "You clums

oice barely a whisper, c

room. He didn't even look at me. He went straight to Scarlett,

asked her, his voic

hurt me," Scarlett whimpere

ace a mask of cold disappointmen

ed. It wasn't loud, just

air, small but solid.

" Liam' s voice wa

m directly in the eye. "I will not

n who had once defied his family for me. But it was gone as quickly

your room. You'll have plenty of time to think

e, my hand throbbing, my stomach empty, but my heart was beating with a strange,