[COMPLETED]
"Life doesn't get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient."
― Steve Maraboli
She has experienced more pain in her 15 years of life than many people do in their lifetimes. Her life has always been filled with pain, em...
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ARABELLA'S POV
"Mom—" I whispered out, completely stunned, as I stared at my not-so-dead mother.
Seeing her sitting in front of me elicited a wide range of emotions, the majority of which I couldn't even pinpoint.
Shock was however the most dominant of them all, it was as if I had been struck by a thunderbolt, giving me a shock of a probable lifetime.
I could see exhaustion, somewhat mixed with annoyance but the emotion I wanted to see on her face was regret, which I clearly couldn't decipher.
My whole body was rigid because of the state of shock my brain had put me into. At this moment, everything else faded away and the only focus I had was on the lady who had tormented me for years.
I had always wanted her to accept me and to stop calling me an 'ungrateful brat'.
But it never worked because no matter what I did or how I behaved, it never was good enough for her. I've spent my entire life trying to gain her acceptance and love.
But looking at her today, I felt nothing.
No want for her approval.
No love.
No respect.
No hatred.
I wasn't sad, nor was I happy to see her.
I wasn't even angry or scared.
At this point, I was feeling completely drained out of energy.
I had given her more power over myself than she ever truly deserved. I gave her the power to control and dictate my life and direct my future.
What I had forgotten to acknowledge was that truly it was never really up to her, it was, still is, and will always only be up to me.
And seeing her today didn't make me want to win her affection, which I had always yearned for.
"So I see you're still alive huh—" She said bitterly, as her eyes stared right back into me.
"I think I should be the one to ask that question." I replied, causing her to let out an unamused chuckle.
"Why? Aren't you happy to see me?" She asked more like taunted me while I just stared back at her blankly.
When she realised I wasn't going to respond, she let out a sigh and her expression softened to one of hope.
"Can you please help me in getting out of these?" She while shifting her gaze back and forth between the chains that wrapped her and me.
"How are you still alive?" I asked, not moving from my place as my gaze bore into her.
Instead of answering she again looked at her chains and then back at me, but I remained rooted to my place, not having an ounce of willingness inside my heart to help her, at least not until I knew the answer.
