Chapter 26: Rosaluna’s First Treatment [R-18 Contents!]
After dinner, Mom claimed she had a headache and excused herself almost immediately, retreating into her room with a forced calmness that didn’t fool me. The way she pressed her fingers to her temples and avoided my gaze—yeah, that wasn’t just physical pain.
Guilt was gnawing at her. I could see it written across her face, behind her tired eyes. Her dreams—no, her desires—were becoming too much for her to bury anymore. And they were about me.
It was almost admirable, in a twisted way, how she’d kept herself together all these years. Always composed, always restrained, even when life kept pushing her closer to the edge of some emotional cliff she never let herself fall from.
I lay on my bed staring up at the ceiling, arms folded comfortably behind my head. A faint smile played across my lips.
Still... I couldn’t help but wish she would finally let go. See things from a different perspective. Understand that I wasn’t just her son—I could give her something no one else ever had: real happiness. Not the fake kind that came with responsibilities or sacrifices.
Anyway, she’d had a nightmare yesterday. That meant she wouldn’t get one tonight—because I had already taken care of it. I had treated her, soothed the tension coiled within her, and gave her some peace.
It had been a long day regardless, and I was starting to feel the weight of it pressing down on me. My eyes fluttered for a moment, tiredness creeping in.
Still, one thought kept poking at the back of my mind.
Arlos.
I regretted letting him live.
I really, really should have killed him.
I was still turning that over in my head, considering whether the damage was already done or if I could fix it later, when I suddenly heard my door creak open—quietly, almost cautiously.