William and Maya were already waiting in the hall.Petal and Chase arrived. The moment Petal stepped through the door, William's face lit up, and he rose, eager to greet her. But as his gaze landed on her face, his joy faded. Her cheeks were streaked with remnants of dried tears.

"Petal..." he called softly, his voice tinged with concern as he moved forward. But before he could reach her, Petal took a step back, her expression distant, and a lone tear slipped down her cheek. Without a word, she turned and bolted up the stairs.

"Petal!" William called after her, worry now evident in his tone. He shot a questioning look at Chase, who could only return his stare, his face mirroring William's confusion and worry.

Then they heard it-the soft, rapid gasps from upstairs. It was Petal. William's heart lurched, and he hurried after her, with Maya and Chase close behind.

She had rushed into her room, and before they could reach her, the sound of the bathroom door clicking shut echoed down the hall.

"Petal?" William called again, his voice gentle yet desperate, as he approached the closed door. The faint sounds of running water mixed with Petal's muffled sobs on the other side.

William pressed his hand against the door, his voice pleading, "Petal talk to me. What's going on?"

Inside, Petal's cries grew louder, each sob heavy and broken. Maya and Chase exchanged a look, both shaken. William, growing more distressed with every second, pounded gently on the door, " open the door petal."

But all that came was more crying, a steady stream of heartbreaking sounds that seemed to fill every corner of the room.

William turned, frustration and worry etched on his face as he looked at Chase. "What happened to her?"

Chase hesitated, not wanting to add to William's distress, but he finally spoke. "She... she fell asleep on the way here. And then..." He trailed off, but William's clenched fist against the wall he already got it, she saw him again her nightmare.

Realizing the depth of her fear and knowing what she must have seen again, William pressed his forehead against the door, his voice breaking.

......

As soon as Petal entered the washroom, she stripped off her clothes and stepped under the cold stream of the shower, hoping the icy water might somehow wash away the horror clinging to her. Her body shivered, but she didn't care. Trembling fingers reached for the soap, and she began scrubbing her skin with a desperation that bordered on madness.

"Get off," she whispered at first, scrubbing harder. "Get off!" she cried, her voice rising, raw with anguish. Each stroke grew more violent as she raked the soap over her skin, scratching at every inch as though trying to rid herself of an invisible stain. The water mingled with her tears, both pouring down her face as her sobs echoed off the walls.

Meanwhile, Chase, Maya, and William sat in her room, listening helplessly. Chase leaned against the wall, his mind racing in circles, unable to make sense of what was happening. His fingers fidgeted nervously as he gnawed at his nails, tension twisting his expression. William sat tensely on the edge of the bed, hands covering his mouth, eyes fixed on the bathroom door, while Maya stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder, silently offering comfort.

An hour passed, her voice echoing the same heart-wrenching words. "Get off! Get off!"

William couldn't take it anymore. "Petal! Come out! What the hell are you doing?" he called out, his voice cracking with desperation.

Still, Petal didn't respond, her sobs only intensifying. In the silence that followed, each second felt like an eternity, until finally, after what felt like an age, they heard the bathroom door click open.

Chase turned quickly, and William rose to his feet, his voice soft but urgent. "Petal..."

She stepped out, her skin raw and red with rashes, proof of her frantic attempt to scrub herself clean. Her eyes were vacant, distant. She stood there, hollow, lost in a world of her own pain.

"Peta_," William repeated, but before he could even finish her name, they saw her sway, her body weakening. Her knees buckled, and before she could fall, Chase rushed forward, catching her just in time. He held her gently in his arms, feeling the burning heat of her fever radiate through her skin. She was fragile, too fragile, her small form almost weightless as he lifted her.

The sight shattered his heart. "She's burning up," he murmured, barely able to voice the pain tightening his throat.

Maya was already moving. "I'll call the doctor," she said, rushing out of the room.

Chase carried Petal over to the bed, carefully laying her down and pulling the blanket over her. Her breaths were shallow, her face pale against the feverish redness of her skin. William sat beside her, reaching out to take her hand, his expression devastated as he looked down at his daughter, lost in her agony.

......

The doctor finished checking Petal, administering an injection before packing his things. Turning to William, he gave a solemn nod.

"What happened to her?" William asked, worry heavy in his voice. He couldn't tear his eyes from his daughter's pale face.

The doctor sighed, choosing his words carefully. "She had a severe panic attack," he explained. "Not the kind that fades easily-this was extreme. An attack like this can lead to serious effects, from deep depression to complete shock." He paused, observing William's stricken expression. "You'll need to be cautious. Keep an eye on her, especially when she wakes up. It's best if someone is by her side, so she doesn't feel alone."

William nodded, his gaze still on Petal. "I'll stay with her."

The doctor patted his shoulder reassuringly. "I'll take my leave then."

Before he could go, William called out, a lingering question in his voice. "Doctor...what could have triggered this?"

The doctor hesitated, glancing back at Petal before meeting William's gaze. "It's hard to say for certain, but something deeply troubling. It would be best if she tell you herself." With a sympathetic nod, he left the room, leaving William to sit in silence by his daughter's side.

....

As night deepened, Maya and Chase settled in their room, sitting at the edge of the bed, tension filling the space between them.

"Petal's in a worse condition than we could've imagined," Maya murmured, concern etched on her face.

"What happened, Chase?" she pressed gently. "You two just went to get art supplies for her. How did it end up like this?"

Chase's expression tightened, her questions clearly wearing on him. "I already told you, Maya. She fell asleep on the way back and probably had another nightmare." His tone was flat, avoiding eye contact.

Maya raised an eyebrow, sensing the wall he was putting up. "Did she say anything?" she asked softly.

"Nothing," he replied, staring straight ahead. But deep down, he knew he was hiding the truth; there hadn't been any nightmare, at least not one he could explain. Something else had triggered her breakdown, and he hadn't processed it himself.

Abruptly, he rose to his feet. "I need to step out for a bit," he muttered.

"Where are you going?" Maya asked.

"I need to make a call," he replied, his tone dismissive as he left the room.

.....

Chase hadn't planned to stay, but as worry gnawed at him, he found himself standing outside Petal's room, trying to catch any hint of how she was doing. Through the slightly open door, he saw William still sitting beside her, holding her hand while she lay silent, asleep-or unconscious-he wasn't sure.

Just as Chase was about to leave, he heard William's gentle, "Petal," as she began to stir. She blinked awake, attempting to sit up, but her father placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Easy, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice thick with relief.

"Water?" he asked, offering the glass beside him, but she shook her head, eyes cast downward.

A heavy silence filled the room as a quiet sob escaped her. Chase's heart sank. Her pain, raw and exposed, tugged at him relentlessly.

"He did it again, Dad," she whispered through her tears, her voice trembling. Her words hit Chase like a wave, the reality setting in deeper than he'd anticipated. He clenched his fists, feeling anger rise as he watched her pain.

"What did he do, Petal?" William asked gently, his own face a mix of sorrow and restrained fury.

Petal lifted her eyes to her father's, a single tear tracing down her cheek. "He made me say things again...things I don't mean. He has this way, Dad-this way of making me believe his lies, believe he loves me, that I love him too..." Her voice cracked, and William wrapped his arms around her protectively.

"I don't, Dad. I don't," she sobbed, clutching onto him as if he were her lifeline. "His touch... it terrifies me. The possessiveness in it, the way he holds me like he owns me... it's suffocating. Please, Dad, make him leave me alone." Her voice was barely a whisper now, pleading, desperate.

"Shh, Petal," William soothed, holding her close, trying to shield her from the invisible storm that haunted her.

He touches me as if he owns me," Petal

said, her voice trembling with despair.

"He says he owns me. He makes sure I

know it- the way he holds me, the way

he talks to me. It's suffocating."

William's jaw tightened, his heart

pounding in anger at the thought of

anyone treating his daughter like

property. "He doesn't own you, Petal," he

said firmly, trying to infuse his words

with strength and reassurance. "You are

not his possession. No one has the right

to make you feel this way."

Petal shook her head, tears streaming

down her cheeks. "His touch disgusts

me. I want to shake it off, but I can't. No

matter how much I wash myself, I still

feel his hands on me. I feel his touch all

over me," she cried, her voice breaking.

William's heart ached for her, every sob

piercing through him like a knife.

Petal clung to him, her body trembling

with the weight of her fears. "l want

it to stop. I want to forget," she sobbed,

burying her face in his shoulder. "But his

voice, his touch... it haunts me.'

William stroked her hair gently, trying to

soothe her.

As she cried in his embrace, William felt

a fierce resolve building within him. He

wouldn't let her suffer alone. He would

fight for her peace, for her freedom, and

for her right to reclaim her life from the

grip of the man who dared to think he

could own her.

Outside the door, Chase's heart pounded, her words seeping into his bones. He felt a pang of regret, bitter and cold

Chase leaned against the doorframe, the weight of his actions crashing down on him like a tidal wave. He had been so caught up in his desire , that he hadn't considered how fragile she truly was.

"So in the end, it was too early," he whispered to himself, regret lacing every word. He felt like a fool, thinking he could rush in and fix things when she was still so vulnerable. The way Petal cried in her father's arms, the fear and pain etched on her face, replayed in his mind like a haunting melody.

"I pushed her too soon," he murmured, shaking his head as anger and frustration roiled within him. He had acted without understanding, without considering the shadows that lingered over her heart.

Author note: vote only if you enjoyed , comment something , it feels so bad to beg for comments , whatever hope you enjoyed reading ❤