Shame Application Novels & Stories

Not for him. But the shame seared me all the same.

I looked down at my bandaged hand, the throbbing pain nothing compared to the shame that was now consuming me whole. The shame was a hot, heavy blanket, smothering me. I leaned back into the chair, my head in my hands. My mind was a war. On one side was this gut-wrenching regret, picturing the look on Sheila’s face when she found out about that other girl. I’d been such a bastard. Such a colossal, stupid jerk.

If Nathaniel had done this, if the man who held power over my job and my future had decided to destroy me for his own amusement, then there was no version of my life that survived it. I could already imagine the whispers, the stares, the looks of pity dressed up as sympathy. I could see people pretending not to know while knowing every detail. I could imagine walking into a room and feeling every eye on me, every mind replaying what they had seen. The shame was so overwhelming that it made me feel as if I wanted to crawl out and die.

Her head hurts so bad from crying. "Apologizing to every one of them is no longer paramount because I'm sure they won't forgive me. I'll still apologize to them but not in person. I'll probably send them letters. They are free to call me cowards because I am a coward. All I feel is shame, I don't have the mind to talk to them or look them in their eyes. It's just best they distance themselves from me."

Only narrow-minded people would feel ashamed of having lesser money than others. “Do you really think you did a good job at hiding your real intentions? Do you really think that no one can see how badly you want to latch on to someone?” Layla sneered. Her deep gaze bored into their eyes making them flustered. Their face turned red from anger and shame. “Do you really think that people will clap happily for you when you jump like a clown in front of them?” Layla’s words were clearly telling them what a big joke they were in her eyes. They clenched their fists as they were trembling from the humiliation they have received today.

Shame was still coursing through her though and I understood why. “I was completely distraught when I saw what you were doing to yourself. I felt helpless, useless, selfish that I couldn’t help you the way you deserved. It didn’t make me see you in a lesser manner. It didn’t disgust me or repulse me in any way, you need to know that. I understood why you were doing this but I refuse to accept it any more and it’s not because it made me ashamed of you at all, it’s because it will hurt me more than it will hurt you if you ever do it again. Promise me Rhea. Promise no more cutting yourself to compensate for your emotional torture. Come to me, seek my comfort, it’s the best thing to help end thi

He had always felt inferior to his younger brother, who had demonstrated exceptional intelligence and business acumen since childhood. Facing Shane's gaze at this moment, he felt like he was stripped naked, with no place to conceal his shame. His cheeks burned with embarrassment. He shamefully covered his face and apologized, "Shane, I'm really sorry. It's all my fault for not managing your sister-in-law properly." Shane knew he was not feeling good either, so he reached out and patted his shoulder reassuringly, "No matter what happens, even if we split up, you'll still be my brother."

“It changed fast. After the first day, I stopped caring about you. I stopped thinking about you at all. I just cared about being there with him.” I still didn’t look at Shawn. I couldn’t. “I’m embarrassed about a lot of things,” I said quietly. “That I went that far. That I went to learn sex from a man just to satisfy another man. It sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud. I was ridiculous.” Shame burned through me, old and familiar. “I’m ashamed of my actions,” I continued. “Of every single one of them.” I closed my eyes for a moment, then finally forced myself to look at Shawn.

I tilt my head, catching a line: “Guilt is a powerful leash. But shame? Shame makes them kneel.” I blink. “You actually use this stuff?” I ask, only half-joking. Mia smirks. “All the time. I made Leo jealous last week using step six. And he doesn’t even know it.” She taps the edge of the book. “It’s not about lying. It’s about controlling the feeling they leave with.” Kiera groans. “Or maybe, just maybe, try being normal.”