The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 256

Liora’s POV

“Here. Sit here. You want some water?” Callum gently lowered me onto a stone bench in the hallway and crouched in front of me. I shook my head, too choked up to speak. I hadn’t been able to walk out of the room on my own; I’d collapsed, knees buckling out from under me, the moment I’d said those words.

Ambrose is a rapist.

My own cousin… Had taken advantage of me. It felt surreal, like a distant dream I could barely remember, but I knew it was real. I knew I wasn’t imagining it.

The images were still flowing in, one after the other. I remembered Ambrose climbing on top of me. I remembered him covering my mouth with his hand. I remembered yanking on the ropes as hard as I could until I got free.

I remembered hitting the side of his head with a candle holder. There was blood on his chin. He’d been so angry…

The rest was nothing but darkness. I wasn’t sure if he had knocked me out and continued to have his way with me or if he dragged me back to my room, but it didn’t matter. He had hurt me. And how many others had he hurt in that very bed?

“He—he a-assaulted—me,” I choked out, but the words were scattered and incoherent. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Could only hold that rope in my hands and wish it was just a bad dream.

“Breathe,” Callum said, cupping my face in his hands. “Breathe with me. In… Out.” He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, the scent of his toothpaste washing over me. “In and out. There you go…”

I did as instructed. Inhale for three, exhale for three. I did that until I could see straight again.

Callum’s face swam back into focus in front of me. He was on one knee, dark hair partially illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the windows. His expression was full of concern.

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