Page 179 of Bride By Coronation

Why are they there and not helping my father?

More tears fall, and I try to figure out who the others are, but I've never seen them.

As if in slow motion, one by one, the men all rape my mother as my dad screams for them to stop.

My entire body shakes, and tears fall off my chin and dampen my jeans.

I want to stop watching but can't. Everything is blurry, but somehow, the images are way too clear.

Toward the end, a man takes off his gold chain necklace. It's a crucifix with an emerald in the center. He puts it around my mom's neck and chokes her, yelling at the top of his lungs,"Pray!"

Several times, my mom looks like she blacks out. The entire time, my father screams threats, but he's unable to do anything while strapped to the car.

When my mother blacks out for good, the camera switches back to my father. He's hysterical, screaming,"Bridget!"

The next scene is just as horrific. They kill my dad, and I watch every gruesome moment, feeling like my entire world is collapsing in front of me.

The video goes black, and I don't move. I don't know how much time passes. I can't stop shaking or crying, staring at the black screen.

My phone dings, tearing me out of my haze. As if in a trance, I glance down at it.

A text message pops up.

Unknown: The man with the cross necklace is your father-in-law.

Bile flies up into my throat. I run to the bathroom and hug the toilet.

Kirill booms, "Fiona!" He kneels on the floor next to me and holds my hair back. He rubs my back.

More bile swirls in my stomach. I retch again, then dry heave until my body can't take anymore.

"Oh, little bird," he murmurs.

I slowly meet his eyes, still shaking.

Concern fills his expression. "You're sick. Let's get you into bed."

His father raped my mother and killed my dad.

I push him away. "Get away from me."

He gapes at me, in shock at my outburst. "Fiona?—"

"No! Get away from me!" I shout, pushing at him.

He barely budges. "Fiona?—"

I kick at his chest.

Confused, he jerks his head back. "Fiona, what has gotten into you?"

"Stay away from me," I cry, scooting toward the corner.

He looks horrified. "What's going on, little bird?"

"Don't," I say, and begin sobbing uncontrollably.

"I don't understand what's happening here," he confesses.

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