Chapter 64
Chapter 63: Hurting
“You’ll just get tired, Liam. Because I will never, ever stop running
running away from you”
He stilled as I pressed my hands against his chest, trying to push him away, but he wouldn’t budge. His grip tightened like he feared fd disappear the second he let go.
“No I won’t get tired. Never, Camille
1 pushed harder, trying to break free, but I didn’t know if I was just this weak or if he was just this strong-
Of course, it was the latter. Liam Anderson had always been strong.
I
“Let me go!” I hissed, struggling against him. “And I told you to stop calling me Camille! How dare you?”
“Camille, please-
“You don’t get to do this, Liam! You don’t get to beg like this because I won’t even give a damn!” 1 snapped. “Do you think I’ll pity you” Hell no!“.
Still, he refus
he refused to let go until
“You’re hurting me, Liam…” I said, my voice dropping.
In an instant, his arms loosened–just enough for me to step away from him.
But before I could fully put distance between us, the door burst open.
You have to stop this, Mr. Anderson, We already talked about this. Mia can’t be stressed
“Who did that to you!”
My breath came out in shallow gasps as I looked at Gavin standing in the doorway.
He had a cut on his lip, and a fresh bruise darkened his right cheek.
Before Gavin could answer, my gaze dropped to Liam’s hands.
His knuckles–red, raw, bruised, like he hit someone.
I tumed my gaze back to Gavin. He was about to say a word when I started shaking my head.
No
My breathing grew uneven as I lifted my eyes back to Liam. “You-“My voice trembled. “You hurt him, didn’t you?*
Dian didn’t answer
But that silence is enough for my question to be answered.
“You bastard”
My hand few before I could think. A sharp slap echoed through the room. His head barely moved from the impact, but my palm stung, the pain grounding me.
But it wasn’t enough.
With a ragged breath, I shoved at his chest, my fists landing against the solid wall of his body. “How dare you!! How dare you hurt Gavin!”
Liam let me. He stood there, unmoving, his expression unreadable as I hit him again. And again.
“Do you even understand what he means to me?” I choked out, my fists trembling as I pounded against him. “Gavin is the one who helped me! The one who helped my children! The one Rylie called Daddy! The one Ryker trust after me! Unlike you, so how dare you!!
Liam flinched at the mention of them.
Feel the pain, Liam Anderson
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Chapter 61
But it’s not enough. This kind of pain will never suffice for everything I suffered because of you.
“He’s the reason we survived” My voice cracked. The reason I could breathe when I was drowning–when I had no one! Do you think I’ll just let you bun him“! Do you think 111 let you main him too!
“Mu stop, he’s not-
Tcouldn’t
Gavin’s voice was tight and concerned as he reached for me, but I didn’t stop, even when he hugged me from behind
I kept hitting Liam, even when the ache in my hands became unbearable, even when the pain spread to my arms, my chest–everywhere.
Until it wasn’t him I was seeing anymore.
It was them
The ones who hurt me. The ones who nuned me.
The days and nights I was in that room trying not to lose my mind
My vision blurred. My breaths came ja short, panicked gasps. The walls felt like they were closing in
My body was burning, my skin crawling.
“stop” Liam’s voice was hoarse now, pained–but not for himself. “Camille, stop–please-
I couldn’t.
I couldn’t breathe
My hands trembled as I swung again, but my strength was fading. My body felt like it was shutting down, consumed by something dark and
Lium caught my wrists.
“C–Camille It–told you she’s dead you killed her. You killed me.”
“M–M please” His voice broke. “You’re hurting yourself”
His words didn’t make sense. I was hunting him, wasn’t I?
But then I looked down
My hands–were shaking and red
My naús had dug into my palms, leaving crescent–shaped wounds. My arms were weak, my chest rising and falling too fast.
I felt lightheaded
I felt sick.
Liam was still holding my wrists, his grip firm but careful, like I was something fragile. Like I’d shatter if he let go.
“Breathe. Mia,” he whispered, his forehead pressing against mine. “Just breathe”
But I couldn1.
I was drowning all over again.
A small, broken sob woke me up. My head felt hravy, and my throat felt dry
“Mommy… please wake up”
kyl
I forced my eyes open, my vision blurry until I saw my baby girl curled beside me.
“Kylie.” I called her, barely above a whisper, as my d
throat ached
She gasped and looked up at me. “Mommy! You’re awake!” she sobbed, and I noticed the puffiness of her eyes. Her little nose is red, and so are her
checks
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Chapter 61
“Have you been crying, baby?”
She sniffed. “I woke up without you after a nightmare. Grandma brought us here, but you weren’t waking up, I was scared that you wouldn‘
I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head. I stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. “I’m sorry for scaring my baby girl, but Mommy’s right here. I won’t go anywhe
“But why wouldn’t you wake up. Mommy? Are you that sick?“
The memory of what happened earlier flashed through my mind–the fight, the panic, the way Liamn begged me to stop, not because I was hurting him, but because I was hurting myself
Then I felt the familiar sting on my an
I realized then I’d been sedated. That must also be the reason why Rylie couldn’t wake me up
what Uncle Gavin said, Rylie Mommy needed rest. But look what you did–you woke her
her up by being too loud”
Didn’t you hear i
Rylie frowned at her twin. “I was just scared? Why are you being so mean?
“Im not being mean, just telling you the truth. Momany is strong. She wouldn’t leave in. Right, Mommy?” Ryker said, climbing onto my bed and hugging me from the side.
“Never.” I whispered, peaching out and ruffling his hair…
“See I told you!”
“Hiph! Mommy loves me mare, Rylie said, as she always did whenever she had nothing else to say to tease her brother.
No, she doesn’t
“Yes she does!”
“Mommy, tell her
her you love
us both the same!
I laughed softly, pulling them both close. “I love you both the same. Now, stop fighting before I tickle you?
“Oh no, no tickles, please!” Rylie giggled, followed by Ryker slowly getting up from hugging me
Then suddenly, the loud bang of the door crashing open sent a jolt of panic through the room
Kylie screamed and gripped my hospital gown while Ryker threw his arms around me, hugging me tightly. My heart pounded at their reaction, and I pulled them even closer.
Gavin appeared, his arms full of bags, his face frozen in guilt. “I
He walked toward us after setting the brown bags on the table.
“Come, baby, le Daddy hold you.
“No!” Rylie cried, still scared.
“Damn, I’m sorry, I wasn’t being careful,” he muttered, his voice filled with regret.
“Hush, baby, you’re safe. Nothing had is happening,” I soothed, rubbing slow circles on their backs “Remember the breathing we always do when we can’t stop crying”
“Y–yes. Mommy,” Ryker answered first. Like this, right?” he asked in his shaking voice, then started the deep, controlled breaths I had taught them.
My daughter, on the other hand, was still trembling. “Baby, with me,” I whispered, gently cupping her cheek. “Inhale… count to three… hold.. and
exlule.”
The three of us did it together until I felt them calm down in my arms. I kissed the tops of their heads, my heart aching that they had to go through
“Mommy. I had a dream. It was a nightmare, I mean,” Rylie sniffed, looking up at me.
“Can you tell Mommy
She nodded. “I saw Eunice. She was on the ground. Mommy. Her mommy was
- ry. Her mommy was crying, and there was blood all over them… She but she wouldn’t wake up. She wasn’t moving!”
wer them. She kept c
calling Eunier
She buried her face in my chest. Ryker hugged his sister. “It’s okay, Rylic… it’s just a nightmare…”
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Chapter 64
“No I saw her. It’s r–real”
Rylie’s words sent a chill down my spine. Eunice is lying on the ground, covered in blood.
My arms tightened around my children as a memory crashed into me–the deafening explosion, the thick smoke, the panicked screams
I had momentarily forgotten. I had been consumed by everything–my breakdown, my own demons, Liam…….
I forgot to ask about it.
My mind raced, searching for details, but all I could remember was chaos. My babies were safe, but what about the others? What about the children who weren’t as lucky!
Eunice
I thought of Elise, the woman who had spoken to me and even teased me about the family she thought I had.
My gaze lifted to Gavin, seeking the answers 1 feared. The moment our eyes met, my stomach dropped.
A sad smile appeared on his lips.
I was so close to asking him what had happened to the other kids, but I knew this wasn’t the right time,
I hugged my children tighter. T–it’s okay, baby. I know she’s okay.”
Twant to see her, Mommy!”
We will-
I looked up at Gavin, but he avoided my gaze this time, making me stop before I could answer Rylie.
AD
