Chapter 54 54
She didn’t respond, though she could feel the heat of his gaze lingering on her face. Sofía pretended she hadn’t heard him, focusing instead on her food, lifting her fork with deliberate calm.
Fernando rose quietly from his seat, reached for the bowl of salad, and returned to his chair. Without a word, he began serving himself casual, unbothered. Sofía froze, staring down at her plate in disbelief.
He didn’t just do that.
Her jaw tightened as she ate faster, each bite forced. Once she was finished, she deliberately excused herself, hoping needing to catch his attention. She got none. Fernando continued eating as though she didn’t exist at all, completely absorbed, deliberately indifferent.
Her plan had backfired, folding in on itself.
With an irritated huff, she retreated to the lounge, grabbed her books, and shut herself away in her room.
The next day passed quietly. She buried herself in her studies, losing track of time because tomorrow was her exam. When the day finally came, she was prepared focused, determined. The exam turned out to be manageable, and she finished within the allotted time, relief washing over her.
Back home, the house was empty. He was always out, God knew where.
She slipped back into her routine reading endlessly, filling the silence with stories. They barely crossed paths now. He was present at the academy, but beyond that, distant. He didn’t disturb her, didn’t engage her, didn’t linger. Then came her final exam.
Fernando dropped her off and drove away without pause.
It shouldn’t have bothered her. But it did.
She stepped inside and collapsed onto the settee in the lounge, releasing a long, heavy sigh. For days, he had been consumed by his studies, and she’d been too busy to think much of it. Now that she was free, her mind betrayed her conjuring countless dark possibilities.
What if he was bored of her?
That would explain it. The silence. His absence. The way he barely stayed in his own house anymore.
What if he was tired of approaching her tired of always being the one to try, tired of chasing someone who never quite met him halfway?
The thought squeezed her heart painfully, making it hard to breathe.
If that was the case, she wouldn’t stay. She wouldn’t be a burden. After their confrontation if there ever was one she would leave his house.
But why would he get tired of her?
Didn’t he like her?
The question surfaced innocently in her heart, and her eyes burned, glassy with unshed tears.
She walked quietly to her room. After changing into her pajamas, she lay down, intending only to rest.
Instead, the past swallowed her whole.
Thirteen-year-old Sofía crouched inside the cupboard, one hand clamped over her mouth to muffle her sobs. Her heart thundered wildly, slamming against her ribs as though it might burst free. Through the narrow crack, her wide blue eyes peered out.
She could only see her father’s legs. The rest of him was hidden on the other side of the bed, where that monster stood growling, striking down again and again with a long, pointed knife. Her father’s legs jerked with each blow, trembling… until they didn’t move anymore.
In the corner, her mother sat bound to a chair, forced to watch. Horror filled her eyes raw, helpless, unending.
The man turned toward her.
In two swift strides, he reached her mother. The knife flashed through the air, slicing her throat open. Blood splattered onto him, but he watched with sick delight as her mother’s body convulsed, life draining away.
Sofía couldn’t move. Her hands shook violently, yet no sound escaped her lips.
“Come out, little one.”
The man’s voice echoed through the blood-soaked room, and Sofía’s body went rigid.
“I know you’re hiding somewhere.”
He sounded amused. As if this were a game.
His footsteps passed the cupboard. Sofía pressed her palm tighter against her mouth, holding her breath, remembering her father’s whispered instructions stay quiet, don’t make a sound. Her eyes squeezed shut, every sense focused on his steps… until she couldn’t hear them anymore.
The cupboard doors burst open.
Her scream ripped free.
She stared into the most vicious pair of eyes she had ever seen. His left eye was milky white, ruined, a jagged scar slicing from his scalp through the eye and disappearing beneath the black mask. His right eye glowed a dark, blood-red shade. Bald. Inhuman. Horrific.
“Let’s play, little one,” he murmured, reaching in to drag her out.
“NO!”
Sofía screamed as she jolted awake.
Her heart slammed to a stop when she felt strong arms wrapped tightly around her.
Panic exploded inside her. She thrashed violently, sobbing, clawing to break free.
“P-please… d-don’t h-hurt me!” she begged, her voice breaking as she fought against his hold.
“Ana. Shhh… it’s me.”
Fernando’s voice reached her through the chaos, grounding her. She froze. Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the room, the familiar presence, the warmth.
She was safe.
Her body went limp, and a broken sob tore from her chest. Fernando turned his back slightly, pulling her against him, his grip tightening protectively around her trembling frame.
“Shhh, baby… it was just a bad dream,” he murmured into her ear, his voice gentle, soothing.
If only he knew it wasn’t just a dream. It was the worst fragment of her past.
Her sobs grew harsher, wracking her body, each one tugging painfully at his heart until it felt tight in his chest. He turned her carefully until they were face to face.
Cradling her cheeks in his rough, calloused hands, he wiped away her tears and pressed a kiss to her forehead, then another to her temple.
“It’s okay, doll,” he whispered. “You’re safe.”
One strong arm wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her into his chest as he held her close, murmuring soft reassurances hush… it’s okay… you’re fine over and over.
“You’re safe, my doll,” he said quietly, rubbing her back in slow, steady motions.
Gradually, her trembling eased, her breathing slowing as she melted into the warmth of his embrace.