Chapter 16 - My Mother's ConfessionMy mother finally broke.
She confessed that she had signed the original agreement.
But she had believed it would save Lena temporarily.
The family promised the ritual would end after Lena recovered.
They lied.
When Lena escaped, they transferred the debt to me.
My mother tried to stop them.
She failed.
“That is why I let everyone believe I was dead,” she whispered.
“You were hiding all this time?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you come for me?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because they were watching you.”
Lena stepped closer.
“And because she was afraid.”
My mother nodded.
“I was.”
I couldn't hate her.
Not anymore.
But I couldn't forgive her either.
Not yet.
The chapel door suddenly slammed shut.
My husband's mother appeared behind us.
She was holding the red book.
“Enough.”
She tore out the final page.
The black mark on my wrist immediately darkened.
I screamed.
My husband lunged at her.
She pushed him aside.
“You don't understand what your mother started.”
She looked at Lena.
“And you should have died twenty years ago.”
Lena raised the knife.
“You first.”
Then my father-in-law appeared.
Barely standing.
He looked at his wife.
“You're finished.”
She laughed.
“No.”
She held up the torn page.
“The family needs a son.”
Her eyes moved toward my husband.
“And the only way to produce one is through the bride.”
I felt sick.
My husband stepped in front of me.
“You'll never touch her again.”
His mother smiled.
“Then the thing beneath the chapel will.”
She threw the page into the fire.
The flames turned black.
The chapel began shaking.
May you like
And from beneath the floor...
came a baby's cry.
