-LILIAN-
Alexander had stayed for what felt like an eternity, his voice a low rumble, his presence a suffocating weight. He spoke of me as "my little flower," "my light," words that twisted in my gut. He thought he was being kind. I only felt fear. When he finally left, the silence that followed was a profound relief, like air rushing back into starved lungs. Elara returned, her quiet presence a balm, and I ate the small meal she brought, the food feeling less like a chore, more like a tiny step back towards life.
My body was getting stronger, bit by bit. But my voice remained trapped, a scream in my head that no one could hear. My legs were still useless.
The next day passed, a quiet continuation of my slow healing. I still couldn't speak, but the desperation to do so felt less raw,
