Page 86 of Best Kept Secret

"You abused us!" I screamed, my voice cracking, my whole body shaking. "You destroyed us! You—you used me! You used Asha! And you want to stand here and tell me I'mmelodramatic?"

I barely registered the sound of the door opening behind me. I didn't care who walked in right now. I was unraveling, everything I had held in for so long pouring out, all the rage, the grief, the betrayal.

"You ruined Asha!" I shouted, my voice raw. "You destroyed me! And you were going to do the same to Pari. But you know what, you'll never get your hands on myShonabecause Beau won't let you. He knowswhatyou are, and he will fuckyouup."

"Stop screaming," my father scolded.

That voice and those words were like a knife through me.

"She's right, you know. Iwillfuck you up if youevershow up anywhere near Mira again." I turned to see Beau standing in the doorway, lazy, larger than life.

He stepped aside and two men in security uniforms stepped in.

"Thank you, Beau." Nina looked at my parents. "These men will walk you out. Please don't ever come back here again. You're both despicable people and I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to tell you to your faces to go fuck yourselves."

My parents got up. My mother's expression twisted into something cold, cruel. "You're telling lies again, aren't you, Mira?"

"Get out." This time it was Nina who said the words.

The guards ushered my parents out of Nina's office. I didn't know how to feel. Beau was here. Nina was here. They were both onmysideandagainstmy parents. They believed me.

I felt myself sway. Strong arms caught me before I could fall, pulling me back from the abyss. I realized it was Beau, holding me, whispering something I couldn't hear but I could feel his words of affection. I began to shake uncontrollably, my body heaving with sobs I hadn't noticed.

I collapsed to my knees, my body shaking with sobs too powerful to contain. Beau knelt beside me, wrapping his arms around me, whispering, "It's okay. You're safe. You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

But I didn'tfeelsafe. I felt shattered. Exposed. Every wound ripped open for the world to see, every scar laid bare.

"Oh, sweetheart," I heard Nina say. I looked up at her and her kind eyes were moist with emotion.

"You believe me? Over them?"

"Yes," Nina said softly, kneeling beside us. "I believe you, Mira. You don't have to carry this alone."

Beau kissed the side of my head. "We're on your side, darlin'. Always."

Their words disarmed me. Someone believed me. Someone had seen me, had chosen me overthem. For the first time in my life, I wasn't the crazy one. I wasn't a liar. I wasn't alone.

The weight of it broke something loose inside me, something I didn't know was still locked up. I cried harder, clutching at Beau's shirt, letting all the years of pain and betrayal spill out.

I had carried this burden for so long, had convinced myself I could bear it alone. But I couldn't. And now, for the first time, I didn't have to.

I could finally let it go. I could finally start to heal.

Chapter 34

Beau

Mira had to take a few days off after the scene in Nina's office, but it turned out to be a good thing. For a week, she saw Dr. Ryan every day. I took her, waited for her, and then brought her back to her apartment.

Zahra and Nova became close with Mira—and they spent time with her at home when I had to be with Pari. I wished my daughter, and I could be with Mira, but during a session, I had with Dr. Ryan (with Mira's permission), she'd assured me that Mira would come back to Pari, but we had to let her set the pace. She was healing from brutal trauma that had been allowedto fester for years, and it was healthier for her to take her time before she was with Pari again.

I forced myself to be patient.

Mira started talking to Pari every day on FaceTime. She sang to Pari at night. I hated that I was with Pari but Mira was alone in Nova's apartment—but I'd brought this upon myself.

The good news was that Mira believed she could get past what I put her through and find a better way to live her life. Taking Ambien and ending up in the psych ward was a wake-up call for her. It had helped her see how she couldn't just pretend the ugliness in her childhood never happened—that she had to process it.

None of this was easy for any of us, but it was hardest on Mira.

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