Chapter 7 7 – The Escape and the Disgrace

Chapter

The garden was empty, but Maya didn't feel free. Each step she took felt heavier than the last, her white dress-now dirty and torn-dragging along the ground like a mantle of shame.

Tears streamed down her face, mixing with cold sweat and the dirt that stained her skin. She just wanted to leave, to run far away from that place where the memories of what had just happened wouldn't haunt her.

When she reached a more secluded corner, trying to hide in the darkness, a strong hand violently grabbed her arm. Her scream was muffled by the rough grip, and her body was yanked backward with force. She tried to break free, but the pressure intensified, and soon she found herself being dragged forward.

"What do you think you're doing, huh? Trying to escape?" Her father's voice sliced through the night like a sharp blade. He was there, furious, his eyes glowing with rage. "You ungrateful girl!"

Maya looked at him, her eyes swollen from crying, but the words wouldn't come out. She was so scared, still in shock, that she couldn't process what was happening. The weight of what happened in the garden hit her hard, and she could barely stand.

Her father gripped her even tighter, but when his eyes fell on her state, a heavy silence fell between them. Maya's hair was messy, her face pale and smeared with dirt. The dress, once a symbol of purity and celebration, was now torn and stained with blood. Something was wrong-and for the first time, he felt a chill run down his spine.

"What happened?" he asked, his anger giving way to concern. "What... what did you do, Maya?"

Still in tears, Maya didn't know what to say. The pain was still so vivid inside her-the memory of what Samuel had done, the confusion and terror in his eyes... But without thinking, the words escaped her lips, as if desperate to relieve the weight she carried.

"Someone... someone abused me," she whispered, her words dragged by sobs and pain as she stared at her own trembling hands.

The silence that followed was crushing. Maya's parents looked at her, and for the first time, she saw them in a way she never had before. There was no empathy, no comfort. They exchanged a look that said more than a thousand words.

"What are we going to do about this?" her mother asked, her voice as hard as stone and laced with disdain. She wasn't worried about her daughter's suffering, but about what this meant for the wedding-for the plans she had for her daughter. "How are we supposed to let this happen and still go through with the ceremony?"

"What do you think?" Maya's father asked, staring at her with growing contempt.

They blamed Maya. They didn't care about her pain. In that moment, she realized they only saw her as a tool, a pawn in a game that had nothing to do with her. The shame, the disgust-it all came from them. And now, she was the one to blame. She had "ruined" their opportunity.

"You ruined everything, Maya!" her father shouted, his face twisted with rage. "You ruined the dress! Ruined the wedding! Ruined everything!"

"Father... please..." she begged, grabbing the lapel of his suit, but he pulled away from her like she was something filthy.

"Sweetheart..." her mother sighed, sitting beside Maya. "You carry a curse that could kill you if anyone touches you. How are you still alive?" she asked, and Maya's sob caught in her throat.

"What? So... you're saying I was supposed to be dead?"

"Of course not!" her mother replied quickly, looking away toward her husband, as if asking for help.

"You've lost your honor. Think of it as an even greater curse. Who will want to marry you now?"

Maya felt like she was drowning. The weight of her parents' words crushed her-stronger than any physical pain. She had been used by everyone, and now, it seemed like even her own existence no longer held value to them. They didn't see her pain, didn't see what she had gone through. They only saw a flaw-an obstacle.

Then, something even more cruel happened.

Her mother, with the same cold indifference as always, gave her daughter a frosty look. Maya trembled, her eyes wet, her chest rising and falling with silent sobs. There was no compassion. No hesitation. To them, Maya was just a problem to be eliminated-a nuisance unworthy of consideration.

"Lana will take your place at the wedding," her mother announced, her voice icy and devoid of emotion. "She cannot be tainted by your failure."

Maya barely had time to process the words before the bedroom door opened, and Lana stepped in. Her sister didn't need to say a thing for Maya to feel the weight of her contempt. The slow, venomous smile, the triumphant expression. And then, the final blow:

"You were never good enough, were you?" Lana mocked, tilting her head slightly, her eyes filled with scorn. "I always knew you'd mess everything up. Just like always."

Each word pierced Maya like sharp blades, cutting deep. She wanted to fight back, wanted to scream, to beg someone-anyone-to see her as more than a mistake. But no words came out. Her chest tight, her body weakened by the weight of helplessness. Everything around her seemed to collapse, crumbling like sand slipping through her fingers.

Suddenly, cold, firm hands grabbed her. She tried to resist, but her movements were weak-useless. Without a shred of hesitation, her own parents dragged her down a hallway to a secluded room. The place was small, suffocating, the shadows closing in like sharp fangs.

"Stay there. We don't want any more problems," her father said, his voice deep and cutting before slamming the door shut.

The silence that followed was deafening. Maya stood still for a moment, her eyes wide in the dim light. Her heart pounded, her mind spiraled in despair. Her legs gave out, her body collapsing onto the cold floor. Alone. Forgotten. As if she had never mattered to anyone.

She didn't have the strength to get up-her body was still processing everything that had happened all at once.