The warmth of Starfania's embrace seeped into Violet's skin, pushing back the icy dread that threatened to swallow her whole. Yet in Violet's memory, the moment shattered—her stepmother had stopped moving. A slow smile crept onto her lips, one that felt more like a threat than comfort. A slow smile crept onto her lips, one that felt more like a threat than comfort. Violet held her breath, every instinct screaming danger. The room thickened with unease, each second stretching into eternity. Would this end in an explosion…or something far worse—quiet, deliberate devastation?
" Do you want to know something?" her stepmother asked, her voice low and sharp, like a blade slicing through ice. Violet hesitated, swallowing hard as curiosity warred with terror.
" Y-yes," she stammered, the words barely audible.
Her stepmother leaned closer. Her face softened into a haunting smile that sent a shiver down Violet's spine. With deliberate care, she extended a hand, her fingers brushing the air between them. What came next—spoken in a chillingly tender tone—cut deeper than any blow. " My dear…you and your brother will never have a place in my heart. To me, you are nothing."
The words struck Violet like a physical weight. Nothing. A cold heaviness settled in her chest as fear and anger twisted together, suffocating her. She wanted to scream, to fight back, to say something—but the words lodged in her throat like broken glass. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in, pressing her beneath the bitter reality of it all. Nothing. The words echoed endlessly in her mind.
" Why?" Violet finally whispered, her voice steadier than she felt. " Why do you hate us so much?"
The question hung in the air, heavy with desperation. Her stepmother's expression flickered—annoyance flashing briefly across her face.
" Your existence is a burden," she replied dismissively, her tone glacial. " You are reminders of a life I never wanted. It's best if you remember that."
Then—the bottle shattered. The impact sent a sickening crack through Violet's skull as glass exploded against her head. She stumbled, her hand flying instinctively to the source of the pain. Blood—warm and sticky—trickled down her temple, mixing with the sharp sting of embedded shards.
Her breath hitched as shock and panic took hold. The room spun. Through blurred vision, she caught the faint outline of her stepmother swaying unsteadily, a cruel smirk curling her lips.
" Why?" Violet choked out again, the word tearing from her chest. Her only answer was a drunken, mocking chuckle. Her stepmother staggered out without a backward glance. The door slammed. Silence crashed down harder than the blow. Violet collapsed onto the edge of her bed, clutching her head as crimson streaked her fingers—so vivid against her pale skin. Every heartbeat sent fresh pain radiating through her skull. She sat frozen, eyes locked on the door, time stretching into something unbearable. She was alone. Alone with the pain. Alone with the echoes of that laugh. Alone with the monster who had done this to her.