Semua Bab FINDING ELENA : Bab 1 - Bab 9

The City Hall was almost empty. Sunlight filtered through tall glass panes, making the terrazzo floor gleam too brightly. It smelled faintly of polish and stale paper. To me, it was the scent of signatures and quiet tragedies, like the one in which I was now the unwilling main character. A woman stood by a wooden counter, holding a folder. Beside her, an officiant in a dark suit adjusted his spectacles, looking faintly uneasy. Brad guided me forward with a hand on my back, the gesture mockingly gentle. My arm still tingled where he’d gripped it earlier. My father followed a few steps behind. I stood there, in my white dress, that suddenly felt like a curse. My hair fell loose over my shoulders - the way Mom liked. The thought of her seeing me like this broke my heart all over again. “Let’s get this over with,” Brad said, his tone light and almost cheerful. The officiant hesitated, glancing briefly at me, then at my father. “Is this… an arranged marriage?” Brad's smile didn’t

I slid off the bed, clutching the sheets around me like armor. Every step toward the bathroom hurt my private area. Inside, I turned the lock. Steam filled the small space as I turned on the shower. The first touch of water stung, slicing through bruises and scratches I hadn’t yet noticed. The ache spread, slow and deep. It was everywhere. When the water finally ran clear, I stood there, staring at my reflection in the fogged mirror. The girl who stared back wasn’t me. She had hollow eyes, pale lips, and a faint bruise darkening her collarbone. There was no trace of the girl who dreamed of Paris and the smell of bread baking. Then a sharp, heavy bang sounded against the door. “Elena!” Brad’s voice thundered through the wood. “Open the damn door!” I froze, my heart jumping to my throat. “What the hell do you think you’re doing locking me out?” he shouted, his voice laced with fury. I pressed my back to the door, water still dripping from my hair. I clutched the sheet tight ar

ELENA Brad stormed in all bloodied and sweaty, grabbing his side. In spite of my predicament, I was concerned for him. “Brad- what happened? Are you-?” “Grab some towels and the first-aid kit,” he growled. “Now!” I obeyed. He grabbed a bottle, slumped onto a couch, and gulped some drink while I fetched the first-aid kit. I returned to see him struggling to take off his jacket. I leaned in to help. When the jacket came off, a wallet - not his - fell to the floor, and he didn't seem to notice. At that same moment, my eyes caught the wound. “Uh,” I gasped. “Is that glass?” Slowly, he began to pull it out, clenching his teeth hard. “Towel,” he groaned as the glass slipped out, blood pumping out. I shrieked, turning away for a moment. He dropped the glass on the floor. “Not good with blood, huh?” he said, smiling through the pain. My fingers trembled while I pressed the towel, which was turning red fast. “Shouldn't you be seeing a doctor?” I asked. “I should, sweethea

I clutched the test in both hands, pressing it to my chest in a silent prayer.Maybe this would change things. Maybe it would remind Brad that I was more than property. That I was human. And now, a mother to be.Maybe.That night, after dinner, I shared the news with him.“Brad,” I said quietly, my voice betraying my anxiety. “I’m pregnant.”He looked up from his phone, his finger pausing mid-air. Then, a slow smile spread across his face.“Well…” he said, leaning back in his chair, his expression cold. “Isn’t that something?”I felt like I was standing on a tightrope. “Yeah. How do you feel about that?”He rose from his seat.“Wait for me,” he said, patting my hair lightly. Then he grabbed his keys. “I’ll be right back.”For half an hour, I washed the dishes and tidied up while waiting.When he finally returned, his footsteps sounded louder than before. He held a small whiteoʻ paper bag, which he set on the dining table.Opening it up, he took out a pill. “Take this.”I frowned. “W