Page 34 of Trial of Deceit

More strange than her not remembering why or how she got there, but knowing that there was nowhere out there for her.

Not anymore.

It’d been almost six months.Six long months!She wasn’t sure what she’d been waiting for in the first place.If anything was out there for her, it would’ve come back for her already.

She lay in the bed and pulled the blanket up to her neck.She wanted to cover her face so the distant voices would become more muffled.Curiosity shouldn’t have hauled her little feet out of the room after the man had tucked her in.

Something rolled down her cheek as she thought of the man.He wasn’t scary, but he wasn’t the face she was used to seeing.That face was a blur now, but it must’ve belonged to a person who took care of her before this man did.

In this house, she didn’t get bedtime stories or goodnight kisses.

In this house, this man firmly told her, “It’s bedtime.”

She sniffled and wiped at her cheek.Coldness crippled her muscles as wetness seeped into her skin.

Ashari bolted upright with a scream.She stopped furiously rubbing at her face as the distant memory faded and her new reality came into view.She was panting hard, her skin slick with sweat despite lying on the cold floor.

Oh.

She’d finally managed to get some sleep this time.

Ashari ran the back of her hand across her forehead as she pulled herself closer to the wall.She pressed her back against it, then brought her knees closer to her chest.

She gritted her teeth as a car sped off somewhere in the distance.“Five minutes… Three… Sixty seconds…”

A clatter came.

Ashari turned her head to the side, barely catching a glimpse of a hand as it retreated before the door slammed shut.

Today was the same meal as yesterday.

The day before.

Beforebefore.

However long ago before was.

She sobbed and brought her hands to her face.Hot tears soaked her palms while her body shook from the ferocity of crying.Her stomach grumbled, desperate for a taste of fried eggs, sausages, avocado toast, and a piping hot mug of chocolate tea.

‘Let me out!’Ashari wanted to scream, but she didn’t.

That was too close to begging.

And she’d never beg Jediah.

Not today.

Yesterday.

The day before.

Beforebefore.

Chapter eight

Acaciatookunsteadystepsinto the restaurant.

Jediah glanced at her.“Are you good?”

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