Chapter 5 Shattered Silence

One hour later, the sound of the approaching bus was music to Serenity's ears. She boarded with a heavy heart, clutching her mother's parting words and the stranger's business card. The ride home was a blur of stolen glances at the card and the bruises hidden beneath her sleeves.

Back at the house, Serenity threw herself into chores, trying to outrun the echoes of her mother's voice. Cleaning became a form of punishment, every swipe of the mop and wipe of the counter a silent admission of defeat. Her back screamed in protest, a constant reminder of Cole's cruel grip from the night before. Yet she pushed on, hoping the physical pain would somehow dilute the emotional turmoil.

Just as she was about to tackle the dusty living room, her phone rang, the screen displaying a person which caused her to sigh. It was Liora, her sister-in-law. Serenity sighed, already bracing for the impending drama.

"Good afternoon, Liora," she answered, her voice laced with forced cheerfulness.

"Serenity! Thank goodness you picked up!" Liora's voice, as usual, dripped with entitlement. "It's an emergency! I need your help – right now!"

"Are you alright?" Serenity asked, a sliver of genuine concern cutting through her annoyance.

"Ugh, don't even ask!" Liora scoffed. "I needed you in La Maison Éclat like, ten minutes ago!"

Before Serenity could even stammer a question about the two-hour bus schedule, the line went dead.

Serenity stared at the phone, frustration bubbling over. They knew about the bus situation, yet Liora's world revolved around her and only her. Flinging her cleaning apron onto the counter, Serenity raced out the door. A quick glance at the bus stop schedule confirmed her worst fears – the next bus wasn't for another hour.

With a resigned sigh, Serenity settled onto the cold bench, the warmth of Liora's "emergency" already fading. The next hour and a half crawled by, punctuated only by Liora's increasingly frantic calls. Each time, Serenity explained her predicament, her voice growing more strained.

Finally, the bus arrived, its arrival a small victory. As she boarded, Serenity checked her phone – 2:30 pm. She just hoped Liora's "emergency" could be dealt with quickly. After all, Kaia would be getting out of school soon.

Serenity practically burst through the doors of La Maison Éclat,a desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, Liora's "emergency" would be something she could handle quickly. The boutique was a stark contrast to the world outside its walls, it was a place of luxury, filled with the latest fashion and the scent of expensive perfumes. The walls were painted a soft blush pink, with chrome fixtures that gleamed under the bright lights. Racks of clothes whispered sweet nothings of designer tags and wealth.

A young sales assistant walked up to Serenity, her eyes scanning the bruises peeking out from beneath Serenity's hastily applied makeup. The girl's smile was forced, but her eyes held a spark of genuine concern. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

Before Serenity could even stammer a reply, a voice cut through the air. "We don't need any help, honey," Liora sailed in from the back, her voice dripping with condescension. "I've got everything under control."

Serenity spun around, her heart sinking at the sight of fifteen identical shopping bags piled in the corner, each one covered with the La Maison Éclat logo. "Liora, what's going on?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Liora gestured dramatically to the bags, her perfectly manicured nails flashing in the light. "These, darling! My new wardrobe. Now, grab a few of those and let's get out of here." Serenity stared at the mountain of shopping bags, her jaw clenching. This? This was Liora's emergency?

"But... why did you call me here?" Serenity forced the words out, her voice tight with frustration.

Liora rolled her eyes, her perfectly manicured nails tapping impatiently on the counter. "To help me carry them out, duh! Now come on, slowpoke. My car is double-parked, and I'm already late for my next appointment."

Serenity bit her lip. This was it. She'd wasted precious time, time she could have spent at home, time she could have used to rest, to hide. But instead, she was here, at the mercy of Liora's whims. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed four bags, the weight digging uncomfortably into her already sore arms. With a forced smile, she followed Liora out of the shop. The walk to Liora's car, a few blocks away, was a struggle. Serenity juggled the bags, her back screaming in protest with every step. Finally, she reached the car, a gleaming silver sports car that looked completely out of place on the dusty backstreet.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Serenity carefully placed the bags into the trunk of the sports car, her muscles protesting with each one. Serenity collapsed against the car for a moment. A glance at her phone confirmed her worst fear – 2:50 pm. Kaia would be getting out of school any minute.

"Alright, that's the last of them," Serenity announced, straightening up and hoping that Kayal would drop her off in front of Kaia's school. Liora, however, seemed oblivious. She was completely engrossed in her phone, scrolling through some social media app with a bored expression. "Uh..." Serenity began, her voice hesitant. "Liora, I was wondering..."

Liora finally looked up, her perfectly arched eyebrows raised in question. "What? What do you want?"

"Could you maybe... drop me off at Kaia's school? I need to pick her up." Serenity blurted out, trying to keep the desperation from her voice.

"Pick her up?" Liora scoffed, a laugh escaping her lips. "You're kidding, right? You want to take your... dirty self... into my car? To pick up your... mistake?"

Serenity's eyes widened in shock. How could Liora call Kaia a mistake? She was her niece, Cole's daughter, blood of their blood. "Liora, that's not..." Serenity started, but Liora cut her off with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"It's not my responsibility to take care of your child, Serenity," she said, her voice clipped. "Besides, the time you've wasted here talking to me, you could have caught the bus already."

"But... the bus comes every two hours! I can't... I need to pick up Kaia!" Serenity pleaded, panic rising in her chest as she glanced at the clock again. It was 2:55 pm already.

Liora rolled her eyes dramatically. "Are you shouting at me, Serenity? You really are a mess, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not..." Serenity stammered, her voice cracking. "It's just... it's already 2:55 pm, and I need to pick up Kaia."

Ignoring Serenity's pleas, Liora simply climbed into her car, slammed the door shut, and started the engine. Serenity's hand shot out, gripping the door handle, desperation etched into her features. "Please, Liora! Just this once! I can't be late!"

Liora's eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror, her expression a cold mask. "Get. Away. From. My. Car." Each word was punctuated with a gunshot-quick tap of her heel on the gas pedal.

Serenity's grip tightened; her knuckles white. "Liora, please!" she begged, her voice cracking.

The engine revved, the vibrations traveling up Serenity's arm and into her chest. "I said get away," Liora spat, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Serenity stumbled back, the engine's growl following her as the car peeled out, leaving her standing in a cloud of dust and exhaust. She watched as the silver car disappeared around the corner, her mind racing. How was she going to get to Kaia's school in time?

Taking a shaky breath, Serenity wiped her tears and walked towards the bus stop. Liora might have treated her like dirt, but Kaia needed her, and that was all that mattered. As the minutes ticked by, Serenity couldn't help but wonder why they treated her this way. Was it because she wasn't one of them? Or was it because she didn't have the same financial security?

5:55 pm. Serenity rounded the corner towards Kaia's school, her feet aching from running. She had waited 2 hours for the bus and got the bus but she had to run from the bus stop to the school, which was 20 minutes away from the stop.

There, standing anxiously outside the locked gates, was Kaia, her tiny frame illuminated by the fading sun. A teacher, her face etched with concern, stood beside her.

"Kaia!" Serenity cried, rushing towards her daughter. Relief washed over her as Kaia's face lit up, her eyes swimming with unshed tears.

"Mommy!" Kaia shrieked, running into Serenity's arms. Serenity held her tight, burying her face in Kaia's hair, inhaling her scent. Tears welled up in her own eyes, a mixture of relief and guilt.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, honey," she whispered.

Turning to the teacher, Serenity offered a sheepish smile. "I apologize for the delay. Something unexpected came up."

The teacher sighed, her gaze lingering on Serenity's weary face. "We understand that parents can get busy, Ms. Vale ," she said pointedly. "But this is quite late."

Shame burned in Serenity's cheeks. "Yes, you're absolutely right. This won't happen again."

The teacher softened slightly. "Let's hope not. School ends at three, Ms. Vale ."

"I promise," Serenity murmured, her voice thick with emotion as she held Kaia closer. "I'll never leave you waiting like this again." She knew the teacher was judging her, could feel the weight of her gaze on her bruises. "Thank you for staying with her."

As they turned to leave, the teacher's voice stopped them. "Ms. Vale ?" Serenity turned back, a flicker of apprehension crossing her face.

"Did Mr. Vale , perhaps, travel out of town?" the teacher asked tentatively, her eyes flicking to the bruises on Serenity's face.

Serenity's eyes widened. "No, no, he's here," she stammered.

"We called Mr. Vale six times today," the teacher continued, her voice laced with concern. "There was no answer."

Serenity's breath hitched. Cole had ignored six calls from Kaia's school? A cold knot of fear tightened in her stomach. "He must have had his phone on silent," she lied, forcing a smile. The teacher's eyes searched hers, looking for the truth, but Serenity looked away.

The teacher placed a reassuring hand on Kaia's shoulder. "It's not your fault, dear. Just be careful, alright? And Kaia," she turned to her student, "remind Mommy that school ends at three, okay?"

Kaia nodded solemnly, clutching Serenity's hand tighter as they walked away from the school. As they walked, Serenity tried to focus on Kaia's chatter about her day. But her mind kept wandering back to Cole's silence. Had he even noticed Kaia was missing? A sinking feeling grew in her stomach.

Reaching the bus stop, they saw the bus pulling away from the curb.

"Darn it!" Serenity cursed under her breath.

"Mommy, can we just walk home?" Kaia asked, sensing her mother's distress.

"No, sweetie. We'll just have to wait for the next one." Serenity forced a smile, her eyes never leaving the bus as it disappeared down the road.

The next "one" didn't arrive for two long hours. By the time they finally reached their doorstep, it was close to nine o'clock. Exhausted but relieved, Serenity unlocked the door, expecting the house to be dark and silent.

⚠️Content Warning: Abuse.⚠️

Instead, a harsh voice startled her. "Serenity! Where the fuck have you been?" Cole's voice was a thunderclap in the quiet night, echoing through the house. There, standing in the living room, his face a mask of rage, was her husband. His eyes, usually cold and empty, were now ablaze with a fury that sent a shiver down her spine.

"I...I went...to pick up Kaia," Serenity replied, her voice trembling. She braced herself for the storm she knew was coming.

"School finished at three, Serenity!" Cole's fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white. "What took you so fucking long?"

Serenity took a deep breath, the scent of his rage thick in the air. "Your sister called me to help her carry her shopping," she began, her voice shaking. "There was no way to get back here in time."

"So that was more important than our daughter?" Cole spat out the words like venom, his eyes never leaving Serenity's face. Each syllable was a knife, cutting into her already bruised soul.

"Cole, Kaia's school called you six times today," she blurted out, unable to hold back her frustration any longer. "Six times! Why didn't you answer?"

"Bullshit!" he roared, taking a step closer. "Don't you dare blame me for your fuck-ups!"

Serenity's eyes widened at his sudden movement, and she took a step back, her hand instinctively reaching out to shield Kaia. "I'm not," she protested weakly, her voice trembling. "I'm just saying..."

Sensing the tension, Kaia whimpered. "Mommy, I'm scared."

"It's okay, honey," Serenity reassured her daughter, forcing a smile. "Why don't you go get cleaned up for bed?"

Kaia, scurried up the stairs, her tiny footsteps echoing in the tense silence.

As soon as Kaia was out of sight, Cole's hand flew through the air, connecting with Serenity's cheek with a sickening crack. The force spun her around, and she stumbled, her vision swimming with stars. The pain was immediate, searing hot, and she felt the bruise bloom.

"What about my fucking dinner, Serenity?" Cole's voice was a whip crack, lashing out at her. "I told you to have it ready by the time I got home!"

"Actually, Cole, I was going to..." Serenity began, but the words barely left her mouth before his hand met her cheek again, the sound echoing through the room. She crumpled to the floor, her eyes watering.

"Stop making excuses, you worthless bitch!" Cole's words were a slap in the face, his rage palpable as he towered over her. Serenity's body trembled on the cold tiles, the taste of copper filling her mouth. She knew better than to argue; it would only make things worse.

"You spend all day lounging around, and you can't even manage to get dinner on the table?" Cole's voice was a snarl, "You don't fucking work, Serenity. This is your job! This is all you're good for!" He kicked her ribs, and Serenity felt them crack under the force. She couldn't hold back the scream that tore from her throat.

The sound of Kaia's footsteps on the stairs stopped abruptly, and Serenity's heart clenched in fear for her daughter. "Kaia, go back to your room," she choked out through her tears. "Everything's fine."

But it wasn't fine. It hadn't been fine for a long time.

⚠️End of Content Warning: Abuse.⚠️