21.Truth about Isabella's parents

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:

The room was steeped in silence, broken only by the soft hum of the heater and the rhythmic sound of Isabella’s breathing. She looked so peaceful, lying in the dim light, but I knew the truth. I knew the scars she carried weren’t the kind that healed with rest and time. They were the kind that stayed buried deep, twisting their way into every part of her life.

I sat in the chair by her bed, elbows on my knees, my eyes fixed on her face. Her pale complexion still hadn’t regained its full color since her panic attack, and it made my chest ache. Terrence had given her something to calm her down, and while I hated the idea of her needing medicine to feel safe, I was grateful she could finally sleep. Terrence lingered by the doorway, his arms crossed as ……