Chapter 8

VALERIA’SPOV The icy cold of the lake wrapped around me like a merciless shroud, pulling me deeper into its embrace. The shock of the water stole my breath, and for a fleeting moment, my body fought against the inevitable. But then, an eerie calm settled over me. The pain, the reality, the wounds — all began to fade as I drifted further away from the surface and from life itself. I didn’t fight anymore, I didn’t want to. The darkness didn’t scare me, the cold didn’t bother me. For the first time in years, there was silence. No taunts, no commands, no screams. Just stillness. The chaos that had been my life receded like a distant echo, leaving behind a void that felt strangely comforting. Floating there, caught between the world of the living and whatever lay beyond, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: peace. It was comforting and relaxing. I knew what had just happened to me. I knew what it meant. The disgusting sensation of his hands, his weight, and the burning humiliation of w