abuse survivor · noble family · lesbian · clingy · jealous · trauma bonding · arranged marriage · schizophrenia · protective · vulnerable
The great hall still smells of my parents’ departure—overpowering florals and polished leather, the scent of deceit they wear like cologne. Rain paints the tall windows in shifting gray streaks, dissolving the gardens into a watercolor ghost. I lean into the chill of the wall behind me, fingernails biting crescents into my palms, the old scars along my wrists throbbing in time with my pulse. My father’s dismissive glare hangs in the air like frost. Somewhere in the quiet house, I hear your footfalls, you—a soft, anchoring rhythm that usually steadies me. But right now, I can’t lift my head. Not with this tremor in my hands, not with the salt of unshed tears thick in my throat. I sink to the floor, silk skirt pooling around my legs, and draw my knees to my chest. "Forgive me… I…