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I frowned at the dainty face contorted in so much grief and pain. Before I could press further. Wanting to know the reason, she sat up on the bed. She was still covering herself from me as if she was afraid—not afraid of me, but of something else.
“I… I was assaulted when I was sixteen,” she whispered, still holding Khalid’s large palm on her lap. His warmth and tenderness reminded her of everything good in this world.
She couldn’t hide the secret any longer. She had to tell him.
Taking a deep breath, she spoke, “I was forced. Held against my will when it happened.”
Even though she wanted to say it in a firm tone, her bottom lip quivered and warm tears slid down her cheeks, remembering that horrid night. The cold, rough touch and the pain. So much pain and hurt. She would never wish it upon anyone, not even to the person who had done that to her.
I was frozen with shock. My pupils were dilated, my body clenched with anger, sympathy, and grief. How could someone dare think of hurting another being was beyond me. But I had seen it with my own eyes while growing up. I had done it myself and didn’t regret it. I was hearing it again. Someone had touched my sweet one without her consent. Forcing her.
My body was shaking with anger. I shook my head, focusing on how soft the skin of her palm was. I stood up from the floor and gently sat beside her on the bed, rubbing her hands with mine, trying to hold her shaking hands.
“I am sorry, Khalid. I… I got nervous and thought of him when—”
I shushed her. “You don’t have to apologize, sweet. If I had known, I would have been more careful. Is he rotting in jail?”
I wished he was. So that I could face him one more time before getting him executed publicly in Azmia. I would find a way to do that. I wouldn’t let that man live. He didn’t deserve it after what he had done to my Valeria.
Just like my father didn’t deserve to live after wanting to hurt my sister.
I snapped out of my cruel thoughts when Valeria leaned on me, sighing in relief and tracing the veins on my arms with her fingers.
“He died a year later,” she whispered.
“Who was he? How did he die?”
“A close friend, or so I thought. He pursued me to go to a party with him, I got drunk and he...” I stroked her back with my other hand, kissing her head for being strong enough to tell me about it.
“I was blind, but I trusted him. He was my only friend. The golden boy of our high school. Yet he… When I woke up, he pretended that it never happened. Even fooled me to trust him to take me home. It wasn’t until Mabel saw the… saw the blood on my dress and asked me about it.”
“Did you report him?”
“I couldn’t.” She shook her head. “I thought it never happened for a few months until the nightmares started and I had to get therapy because Mabel and Mr Benjamin were worried that someone had taken advantage of me. When I finally faced the truth and confronted him… his car crashed and he died.”
I rubbed her back when her hand tightened.
“His name was Mark Bennett.”
I had heard his name. Then it clicked. “The lead singer in the boy band? The news of his death was all over the world.”
Valeria nodded. “I thought I might get the chance to prove to the world that he wasn’t a good person. But the cops didn’t want to believe it, he was already dead.”
She shook her head and looked at me. “That day in the desert, I panicked because his song was playing on the radio. That same song was playing in his car when he took me home after that night… I should have told you then, but I was afraid, I am sorry, Khalid.”
That is why she asked to stop the car and reacted in such a way. Fuck. If I had known back then, I would have made sure she was alright. But I acted like a fool.
“Don’t apologize for what that asshole did, Valeria.” I kissed her forehead.
“I know it isn’t right, but that is why I wanted or I still want my sight back. I kept thinking that only if I wasn’t blind, if I had my sight, it wouldn’t have happened. It is pathetic, but I hated that I couldn’t see his intentions or even fight him. I am weak for even admitting that, aren’t I?”
“Don’t say that.” I cupped her face. “You are not weak, Valeria. You are one of the strongest and kindest women I know. I am honored to know you, be here with you.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to control my anger towards him. “I wish he was alive just so I could kill him.”
Valeria took a sharp breath. “Don’t say that, Khalid. I know you could never hurt someone.”
I smiled sadly at her. She was too innocent and pure for me.