Owned? - Chapter 38：Her story

“Does Ayaan know Maria was his mother?” Azalea asked.

“I can’t really say. She said she never told him and that she was too ashamed to call herself a mother. ‘ A mother is there as a protection and I could never protect my son from anything.’” Azalea’s face was filled with sorrow, “She said that once during her treatment.”

“It’s hard to take in. I barely knew Maria but to Ayaan she was his everything. It’s really really sad that she had to abandon her title as a mother for something she wasn’t even at fault for.”

“That’s just how things are. I promised Ayaan Maria would get better but because of that unexpected turn of events I couldn’t even say anything to him. Everything felt like an excuse.”

“Well, I’m still glad you cleared that up.” She said and I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Were you spying at us?”

“W-What?!” She averted her gaze, “Maybe…” She cleared her throat, “That wasn’t my intention but the garden was really pretty and I just ended up there. Why is it hidden by the way?” She asked me with a questioning gaze but I knew she was trying her best to change the topic.

“It’s not hidden.” I smiled, “Everyone knows about it, it just has a unique access. It was a gift for my mother from my father.” As I said those words, all of the sudden it hit me.

Why am I giving out extra information for no reason?

“Oh! That’s nice.” She smiled, “That’s a wonderful gif-” I pulled her in by placing my hand on her back.

“It’s my turn to ask the question.” She gulped as I ran my finger over her back line, “So, how did you get this?”

She pursed her lips together and waited a few moments before she spoke.

“Wanna guess?” She raised her brows at me?

I chuckled, “Was it-” I thought about it, “Some kids from school?” She shook her head in denial, “Your friends?”

She smiled, “I didn’t have friends that bad.”

She shook her head again, this time a bit sadly, “It was the couple I was living with. My distant aunt and uncle.” She took a deep breath, “Some kids from elementary school once tried to hurt me like that but it didn’t work. The homeroom teacher caught them in time.” She nodded slightly to herself, “But there was no one to catch my aunt and uncle.”She scratched the side of her neck, “They weren’t exactly in their right mind and sometimes ended up doing stupid stuff without any proper reason. That day was nothing special, I went to school, took classes, came home, had lunch but skipped dinner and wanted to go to bed. That point annoyed my aunt.”

“Wanting to skip dinner?”

She nodded, “She snapped at many things and uncle just agreed with whatever she did but that day she snapped a bit too hard. She threw the cooking oil at me as I tried running away but uncle held me down. I knew what she was going to do because some kids had done this before. I cried a lot, begged them to let me go but aunt lit the match stick she always kept on the kitchen shelf despite my appeals at mercy. ” She sighed, “I had to bite my uncle’s arm to escape and I bit him so hard it started bleeding but still, I was too late. Flares of fire rose as I felt my back burn. I didn’t know that you had to roll on the ground to extinguish the flames so I just screamed in pain and horror. In the end, out of pure coincidence I fell in the cat’s sandbox while running around and the flames died.”

“How old were you?”

“Twelve, I think.”

“And you still stayed with them?”

She shrugged, “I had nowhere else to go.” She looked into my eyes and I wondered what if I had met her all those years ago? “No one to take me, just them. Even if they would go psycho on me sometimes and throw me out but well, in the end I always went back to that house.”

Seeing people suffer makes anyone a bit sad but when you see so much stuff in life you sort of become used to it. And yet hearing her story is making me feel glum.

“Why would they throw you like that? And where did you go when they did that?”

I have never been this curious about anyone’s life.

“Is that your second question?” I raised my brow at her in question, “I’ve answered the first question completely. So is this the second question?”

Is it? I want to know but I can’t just lose the question like this.

“No.” I shook my head, “I’ll think of something I really want to know some other time.” She nodded.

“Okay. Then same here. I’ll use this card some other time.” She sat up, “I’ll get going now.” She stood up from the bed to leave, “The nurse is going to take off my bandage.”

“Wait.” She looked back, “Where’s Ayaan?” I asked.

“At the castle.” He didn’t come to see me at all. I’m guessing he’s upset about the injury I got., “I think Ayaan and Huang-fei were going to leave today. They were going back to the mansion.” I nodded after hearing that.

“We’ll leave tomorrow as well.”

“Is your back okay?”

“It’ll leave a light scar but I’ve had enough rest.” Besides, I can get another tattoo for this, ” We’ll leave first thing in the morning.” She nodded and started walking when I stopped her again, “Azalea?”

She froze in her path, “Y-yes?” She looked at me hesitantly.

“Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?”

***

Azalea and I both stood at the town square along with the people. Everyone was staring at one thing.

A body, hanging with the pole with a sign around his neck.

‘I’m a rapist and killer. This is what I deserve’

People chattered among themselves.

“Was doing this necessary?” Azalea asked me and I nodded.

“Rapists are the worst scums.” I glanced at her, “They ruin lives, people, dignity and pride. Might as well just kill a person from the start than strip them of all dignity.” I stared at the hanging dead body with my arms folded.

Sirens could be heard, approaching the town square. The police were there after some time and proceeded to take off the body from public display. Some of them began to question the people about the body, asking if anyone knew who did this.

“Is this okay?” She asked and I nodded.

“I can’t force it and many people already saw. It’ll serve enough as a warning.” I looked at her and she was already staring at her with her blue eyes. I think I’m getting sort of obsessed with her ocean like eyes. I looked straight ahead again, “Besides, law and order is necessary too.” It’s just that me and people like me don’t fit in law and order.

“Yea…” She looked ahead, “But I’m not against this.” She said, “Sins done on purpose should have a punishment like this.”

“And mistakes?” We both glanced at each other.

“Rape can never be a mistake.” She said calmly, “Every rapist should be punished. But accidental killings are there.” I noticed she was trying to read me, “Accidents and mistakes are everywhere. They can be forgiven.”

I smiled at her and turned to leave as she smiled back at me.

“Let’s go home.”