Chap-9*He Wants Me To Follow Him.*

Cynthia Dion: Mr. Holt dropped me off at home late that night. Thankfully, my father wasn't present, sparing me from another round of his abuse. However, it had been a few days since I turned 18, and I was biding my time, trying to save enough money to buy myself a cake and celebrate my birthday with my persistent sister, who had been pestering me for a cake. Flora had always regarded me as her role model, and that terrified me because I felt far from worthy of such admiration. Standing in the bathroom, I heaved a sigh as I regarded my reflection in the shattered mirror, offering a silent birthday wish to myself. Sadly, the funds I had managed to gather fell short of what I needed for the cake, forcing me to abandon the idea of celebrating my birthday altogether. "All I wished for was to be accepted by my mate on my birthday," I whispered to the reflection in the mirror. Whenever I thought of him, a shiver would run through my body as I recalled the loathing in his gaze. He used to be