The silence lingered in the room, heavy and suffocating, as Damien let his words settle. Maya’s chest ached, the weight of his confession pressing on her heart, each revelation a cut she couldn’t ignore.
Damien continued, his voice low, tinged with both sorrow and restraint. “Eventually, her father left, taking her back to Russia, hoping that distance would give her a chance to heal. For a while… it seemed to work. Life grew quiet, almost peaceful. We even heard she had recovered, that she was doing better. Until… seven years ago.”
He stopped, exhaling sharply, letting the weight of the next words settle in the room. Every eye followed him, the tension thick, the silence almost painful.
“She came back,” he continued, voice low, almost grim. “Worse than before.”
He paused, a flicker of
