I barely registered the pain as the metal struck my head. My vision went blurry, and the world around me seemed to slow down, but my mind was sharply focused on one thing: Maya. My sweet, innocent daughter, who was caught in the middle of a nightmare. Her eyes widened in fear, her small body pulling closer to mine as though she understood the chaos unfolding around us.
As I stumbled backward, I felt the wall against my back, the impact jarring but grounding. I clutched Maya tightly, instinctively shielding her from harm. The room was silent, the echoes of the accusation and violence hanging heavily in the air. I could feel blood trickling down my forehead, warm and sticky, but it was Maya’s frightened cries that pierced me deeper than any physical wound could.
Evan was at my side in an instant, his arms steadying me, his voice firm and reassuring. “Tara, are you okay? Let me see.” But I couldn’t look away from Maya’s tear-filled eyes. I could only nod, trying to convince myself as much as him.
