Chapter 524
Chapter 524:
Bonita’s sobs were so intense that she could barely catch her breath. Fernanda sat beside her, her hand gently resting on Bonita’s, offering a small comfort as she struggled to breathe.
It felt like an eternity of crying before Bonita’s body finally began to relax, her senses muddled, as though she were barely aware of the world around her.
However, the flood of emotion had lightened the weight on her chest, allowing her words to come through with a bit more clarity.
“My parents won’t care about me,” Bonita whimpered, her voice shaking. “They… they’ll only blame me for not keeping Beckett happy.”
Fernanda furrowed her brow in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Bonita’s eyes burned with resentment as she shot back, her voice bitter, “They don’t care at all about my well-being. Our family only has anything because of Beckett’s family. My father has been following Beckett’s father for over twenty years, climbing the ranks with him. Without him, our lives wouldn’t be as they are. Since I was little, I’ve watched my parents grovel before Beckett’s family. Our families are so intertwined that Beckett and I have known each other since childhood. Beckett likes me, and my parents think it’s a good thing. If I marry Beckett, our families would be even more connected.”
Tears started to fill Bonita’s eyes once again. “But Beckett… he’s not right inside. He’s obsessive, consumed by darkness. He thinks I can only belong to him because he likes me. I can’t be kind to anyone else or even smile at another guy, or he’ll punish me. When we were children, he used to hit me. I told my parents, but they dismissed it as harmless roughhousing. As we grew older, his actions only became worse. But my parents didn’t see it as a problem—they thought it was great. They saw Beckett’s obsession as a means to an end, a way to get ahead by using me as leverage with his family. To them, I’m nothing but a pawn. So what’s the point in telling them?”
Her words trailed off as Bonita crumpled into Fernanda’s embrace, her sobs uncontainable. “Fernanda… I honestly don’t know what to do anymore. Some days, I wonder if disappearing would be the easiest way out.”
Bonita had always known Beckett, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly when his affection for her had taken root, as he had been a constant in her life for as long as she could remember.
In her earliest memories, Beckett stood out as the boy who rarely smiled, showed little interest in other children, and always chose to stay indoors, playing with her instead.
While Bonita meticulously arranged her blocks, Beckett would occasionally sweep them down with a swift kick. Devastated, she would complain to her father, who would suggest that Beckett knocked over her blocks because she hadn’t built them properly, encouraging her to try again.
From these interactions, young Bonita developed the notion that Beckett’s displeasure was somehow her fault.
As they grew older and attended the same school, Beckett’s jealousy became apparent. He would start conflicts with any boy who seemed friendly with her. Despite the ensuing problems, Beckett’s wealthy family meant he never worried about the consequences.
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