Scars Of A Broken Bond by Calv Momose

The trio fell silent and turned their attention to her, their expressions reflecting curiosity.
Sabrina smiled and inquired, “Is Sierra really Blayze’s cousin?”
The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow, responding, “Why would I lie to you?”
Intrigued, Sabrina pressed further, “How did you find this out?”
“One of my relatives has business dealings with the Fowler family,” the middle-aged man explained.
“You’re aware of Blayze’s occupation, right?”
Angela’s Library
While the bespectacled man and the young photographer only knew Blayze as a photographer and a competition judge, the
middle-aged man seemed to know much more about Blayze.
His words lent credibility to the claim that Sierra was both Blayze’s cousin and the niece of Blayze’s stepmother.
With this new information, Sabrina began to piece together the puzzle.
She considered that if Sierra was Blayze’s cousin, then Blayze’s stepmother must be...
She was struck with a sense of foreboding.
She remained seated for an extended period, mulling over her thoughts.
Then, she retrieved her phone and sent a message to Blayze, saying, “Blayze, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend
the award ceremony. I have an urgent matter to attend to. Please find someone to accept the award on my behalf. Thank you.”
After sending the message, Sabrina powered off her phone, collected her bag, and rose from her seat.
She began to walk aimlessly along the streets.
Although it was early spring and the weather was warm, she felt an unrelenting chill that seemed to permeate her very being.
The coldness wasn’t merely a result of the weather. It emanated from deep within her heart. She couldn’t help but reflect on her
childhood when some insensitive adults had questioned her about her mother’s departure.

They had implied that her father might not be her biological parent.
She also remembered the occasions when, during New Year gatherings, some relatives had attempted to persuade her father to
remarry, suggesting that she might not be his child.
She had overheard these conversations, fearing that her father might abandon her, but she could only pretend not to hear them.
Her primary school years were no easier, as her classmates, aware that her mother had left her, had shunned her. She had
formed a close bond with a boy next to her, but when her peers found out, they had bullied that boy. Eventually, he distanced
himself from her as well.
Even when Sabrina stood up for the boy when he was bullied, the outcome remained unchanged.
She recalled the sympathy in her primary school teacher’s gaze when learning her family situation.
She had lowered her head and remained silent, growing accustomed to her solitude as she grew older.