Locked in Silence

Phoebe had been in a coma for nearly a month. Before her accident, she had asked to meet me.I had already been unnerved by her manipulative behavior in the past and wanted to refuse, but under Stephen's disdainful gaze, I found myself unable to protest. Instead, I lowered my head and silently acquiesced.This was always how it went. Years of ingrained self-doubt followed me like a shadow, especially when Stephen was involved.No matter how much I tried to stand tall, I felt like a balloon—fragile and ready to burst. The closer I got to Stephen, the sharper his edges became, always puncturing my resolve.…Phoebe arrived wearing a white dress, her gaze gentle, her voice as soft as her appearance."Raelynn," she said, her tone calm and understanding. "I know you once saved Stephen, and I'm grateful for that. But he's my boyfriend. Please, stop interfering with our relationship, okay?"I clenched my fists, my palms slick with sweat. I had no idea what Phoebe's real intentions were

Stephen was the Linnells' only son and heir to their immense fortune and doting affection. His life had been smooth and glittering in every way—except for that one day, ten years ago.That day, Stephen and Phoebe had their first major fight at school.Out of spite, Stephen decided to shake off his ever-present bodyguards and maids, determined to rely on himself to find his angry childhood sweetheart.Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.The moment Stephen stepped out of the school gates, he was abducted by a group of men who had been lying in wait.It wasn't random. These men had a vendetta against the Linnells and had been watching for the perfect opportunity.That day, they finally got their chance.Stephen was silently whisked away to a run-down neighborhood—a place he would never have ventured into otherwise.It just so happened to be where I lived.The neighborhood was slated for demolition, with most of its residents long gone. The only ones left were me, a homele

When the incident of me pushing Phoebe into the water spread through the school, Stephen stopped shielding me as he had before. For the first time, I truly felt the unfiltered malice of my peers.Previously, out of respect for Stephen, my classmates had refrained from openly mentioning my disability. Now, I wasn't even referred to by my name—everyone simply called me "the mute."I gestured frantically, trying to convey that I had a name—Raelynn.All it did, though, was provoke a wave of laughter."Mute, huh? What good could her name do? She couldn't even pronounce it. How ironic!""Exactly! Bet she pushed Phoebe because she's jealous and wants Stephen all to herself. Talk about a bumpkin coveting what wasn't theirs."I wanted to scream, "No, it wasn't like that!"My parents gave me this name. To me, it was the most beautiful name in the world.I wasn't always mute. I used to speak—until my parents passed away in a car accident when I was three. After that, my voice disappeare

My mind wandered back to the day I met Harvey.He was a transfer student who had just joined our class. Apparently, he'd been studying abroad but returned with his parents when they moved back.In a class where I usually sat alone, Harvey asked the teacher if he could sit next to me.When we first met, he introduced himself with a big smile, "Hi, I'm Harvey Joslin. What's your name?"Unused to such friendliness, I fumbled awkwardly, pulling out my notepad to scribble my response.The room filled with stifled laughter."She can't talk! She's mute!" someone blurted out.For a brief moment, Harvey looked stunned, even a little regretful. He scratched his head sheepishly, unsure of what to say.A girl sitting in front of us turned around and added loudly, "Not just mute—she's a wicked mute. You sure you want to sit with her?"I nervously twisted the paper with my name in my hand.Harvey shot her a sharp glare before sitting down beside me. He grabbed the note from my hand, read i

The Joslins weren't an ordinary family, either. If they had been, Harvey wouldn't have ended up at this school.Harvey and Stephen's parents were called to the school, and under the administration's guidance, the tension between the parents quickly eased.However, Stephen and Harvey remained stubborn, refusing to apologize to each other.Phoebe took me into the office and gave a detailed account of what had happened.The conclusion was clear—their fight had been because of me.I raised my hands, intending to sign something, but eventually let them drop.What was there to argue? It wasn't exactly wrong.Harvey frowned and began to speak, but his father silenced him with a stern glare.Stephen's mother crouched in front of me, her tone warm and kind. "Raelynn, you're a good girl. I know that. Why don't we go home tonight and have a little chat, okay?"I nodded silently.The afternoon classes proceeded as usual.Harvey, determined to cheer me up, kept cracking jokes and talking