CHAPTER 38
“ Now you’re trying to seduce my friend too?” Rafael grabbed Amara by the neck and slammed her hard against the wall as soon as Anna and Abigail left.
Amara felt her windpipe breaking as her eyes automatically watered. She tried to shake her head only for him to grab her by the hair as he pushed her down on the floor. Her head hit the sharp corner of the coffee table and she winced.
Before she could process, Rafael crouched down and grabbed her by the neck once again. His eyes screaming at her with so much anger and jealousy.
Fear gripped Amara's eyes, widening them in terror as Rafael's hand closed around her neck tightly, a stark realization of danger etched across her face.
“Rafael…it’s not like…” Rafael raised his hand and struck her across the face.
A momentary silence engulfed her. The flickering lights above her cast shadows around her and with trembling hands, she slowly touched her cheek where he hit her.
Her heart shattered so did her life. Every comforting word he had ever said was a faint lie echoing in her head.
“Shut up! You slut!” Rafael struck her again and this time, Amara felt her lungs constricting. Her chest was heavy as if something was pushing her down. Tears flowed down her eyes in both shame and misery as she felt Rafael seething like a wild animal.
He didn’t give her a second to register before he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up.
She yelped at the pain. His strength was no match to hers.
Overtaken by rage, Rafael started storming towards his bedroom.
Amara suddenly began hyperventilating realizing where this was going.
“A-Rafael!” She thrashed in his hold but he was a lot stronger than her.
Opening the door, he fisted her dress and ripped it. Sharp tearing noises resonated with her cries as she quickly shielded her dignity with her arms.
He grabbed the remaining pieces of the back of her dress and pulled them down with force. Amara shuddered as the cold air hit her skin. He pushed her down on the floor and started unbuckling his belt.
“I was a fool to give you a chance knowing you were just a pretentious little whore!” Amara shook her head looking at him with pleading eyes. Her lips wobbled as she pressed her hands together begging him.
“Don’t...don’t do this! Please!” On her knees, hands joined in an earnest plea, she looked upward with a vulnerability that spoke volumes.
The weight of the moment rested on her bowed shoulders, and the clasped hands conveyed a silent prayer or a desperate plea for understanding, creating a poignant scene of humility and longing.
She tried to move back only for him to press his foot on her thighs as she screamed.
“Why are you shying away now, huh? Kaelith saw all that didn’t he? You spend all day with him, didn’t you? Did he touch you? Did he fuck you good?” Rafael snickered as he wrapped the buckle of the belt around his fist and whipped the belt in the air.
The terrifying crack of the belt had her bones chilling in fear.
Amara looked wide-eyed at him. He wouldn’t hurt her this way, would he?
Rafael scoffed at her fearful expressions. “Now you’re scared? Just because of a belt?” His words hung in the air as her eyes stared at the belt in disbelief.
Rafael took a threatening step towards her as she crawled back shaking her head.
She watched in trepidation as he raised his belt and with a chilling crack in the air, the belt hit her arms. A blood-curdling scream left her mouth as she rolled over in pain.
Her hair was disheveled and her back was fully exposed.
“Stop it, please! You’re hurting me!” She cried out as the second whip hit her back with the same force.
“And what about I hurt I feel! I’ll show you what pain truly feels like.” He seethed with hatred and anger as he recalled Abigail coming out from her room.
“N-No…not this…I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I will not do it again!” She begged on her knees.
“Oh, I know you will be, little wife. You’re so eager to spread your legs, don’t you?” He chuckled darkly.
Amara's anguished screams echoed through the air, each one carrying the weight of deep pain. The raw, visceral sound revealed not only the physical agony but also the emotional turmoil as if her very soul was echoing with the intensity of suffering.
Rafael belted her continuously till he was panting as his arm was aching. Till her cries died down and what was left was just her aching body and soulless heart.
“Rafael—” she struggled to keep her eyes open as she tried to reach out to him. Hoping he’d stop, but he did not.
“DON’T SAY MY FUCKING NAME!” He shouted and she instantly shut her eyes and winced as his belt struck once again. She could feel the wetness of blood painting her skin, the burn like thousands of bees were stinging her and someone just rubbed salt on her wounds—both outside and inside.
She clenched her eyes in agony as his belt struck with her bare back once again.
She waited for it to end, for this agony to subside but it never did. The strikes became more intense, and her heart shattered with each one.
She didn’t know when he stopped or when he kicked her once again before yelling at her. Amara didn’t know when he left.
She stayed like that for the whole night. Whimpering in pain and agony. Tears streamed down her face nonstop. She couldn’t tell which part of her hurt most—her body or her heart.
The belt whips burned her skin, but her legs were numb.
She couldn’t drag herself to the bed even.
Losing the battle of her emotions, she let the pain overwhelm her.
She let it hurt her, she let it drown her, all while thinking she’d see a light at the end of this endless tunnel of darkness.
She held onto the hope that maybe. Or maybe one day she’d find the solace.
Knowing full well the solace could never be achieved.
A startling irony hit her as a humorless chuckle escaped her trembling lips. Amara fisted her hands on the floor as the tears rolled down her eyes and onto the floor leaving a chilling sensation behind.
Before she could close her eyes, grey eyes flashed before her eyes. She let out a small faint smile despite the pain.
Where she found hell in one brother, the other brother brought heaven in his arms. Knowing full well that the one showing her hell was once an angel, and the one bringing her heaven was a devil.