Valencia stared in the mirror and examined the latest of Phul’s violent outbursts of fury. He was unhappy and… she was paying the price. Every night was the same, and she accepted it. She didn’t know why she accepted it, but she accepted it. He would come into their bedroom and take out his anger on her then ravage her body. She hadn’t told him she was pregnant. He may have wanted the child but… She just wanted to keep the baby away from him, as far away as possible, and that meant that she couldn’t tell him, at least to her. She had even sent her three sons off to boarding schools- Tagas and Jael went to Military school and Ruman decided he wanted to go to the school of love and peace. He was a romantic. She needed to keep her children safe.
She had to cover this up. Valencia didn’t know what Phul would do if anyone knew what he was doing to her- Georgia was a spit fire and might decide to take Phul on… but maybe that would be for the better, after all, Georgia worked out. Valencia knew that she would have to come clean, and soon. The farther she got in her pregnancy the more dangerous it would be- with her baby being out in the open as her womb expanded. She needed to go to Georgia… So she didn’t cover the bruise with makeup.
Georgia was receptive, and in the end Valencia crumpled and cried. It was hard to bare, all this guilt and the weight of bruises. She couldn’t fight him alone. Georgia promised she’d take care of Phul, she’d make sure that no one ever bothered Valencia, or the safety of her children, again. Georgia promised. And Valencia trusted Georgia to keep her word.
And Georgia would.
The Legacy of Angels 