Miray's Pov

I blinked against the dim light, the warmth of a blanket around me unfamiliar after the night's events. The ache across my body was raw and constant, but even more unsettling was the presence of all four of my brothers around me, their faces filled with worry and pain that I'd never seen so clearly before.

"You're safe now," Lorenzo said quietly, his voice steady, though his eyes betrayed the turmoil underneath. I tried to nod, to say something to reassure them, but I couldn't force the words out. It was too surreal, feeling all of them so close, so determined to protect me.

The weight of that protection was both comforting and terrifying.

Maxim's gaze didn't waver, his jaw set as he crouched beside me. "Miray, you're not going through this alone anymore," he said, almost like a vow. "Whatever it takes, Adrian isn't coming near you again."

Ethan, his arms crossed and tension radiating from him, added quietly, "We'll take care of this. You don't have to carry this by yourself."

The intensity in their eyes, the certainty in their voices-it should have brought relief. Instead, it cut through me with a bitter ache. They'd pieced together enough about Adrian to intervene, but they didn't know the rest. They didn't know about the control Dad held over me, the fear that twisted tighter each time he was near.

Elijah, always the one to notice too much, leaned closer. "We're here for whatever you need." he said softly, his voice steady but eyes searching. "No matter what you're dealing with, we'll face it together."

I looked at each of them, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude but also guilt, the two emotions tangled up inside me. They believed Adrian was the only danger, that getting rid of him would end the nightmare. And maybe I'd let them keep believing that-for their sake.

For now, I gave a small, shaky nod, trying to let them feel the gratitude I couldn't voice.

___

I'd just returned from the park, where I'd gone to clear my head, to shake off the heaviness that had lingered ever since Adrian left. The day was supposed to be peaceful. My brothers had taken off to get groceries, and I thought I'd have the house to myself. But when I unlocked the door and stepped inside, an uneasy silence filled the room, settling like a weight on my shoulders.

I pushed the door shut, stepping carefully down the hall, hoping I'd misread the silence. But as I rounded the corner, I saw him. My father, standing in the doorway of his office, watching me with a calm that felt anything but safe.

"Miray." His voice was quiet, too quiet. He took a step forward, blocking my path. "I think it's time you and I had a talk."

"Is now a good time?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I just got back."

"I know where you've been," he replied, his tone flat. "And I know what you've been telling your brothers. All your little secrets."

I stiffened. I thought I'd been careful, that he hadn't noticed my brothers' new protectiveness or how I'd started drawing lines to keep him out. But his eyes stayed locked on mine, his stare unblinking, cold.

"Dad, I haven't told them anything," I lied, forcing my voice to stay calm.

A flicker of a smile crossed his face, humorless and knowing. "You think you can lie to me?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know where you got this idea that you can keep things from me. You belong to this family. You know what that means, don't you?"

I took a step back, glancing over my shoulder, looking for a way out. But he noticed and cut me off, his voice hardening. "Oh, you're not going anywhere. This little rebellion of yours stops here."

Before I could respond, his hand shot out, gripping my wrist. I twisted, pulling back, but his hold tightened, his fingers digging into my skin. "I don't want to see you tearing this family apart with your little stunts," he said, the anger barely contained beneath his calm exterior.

"Let go," I said, yanking my arm as I tried to break free. His grip tightened, and panic surged in my chest.

"I've been patient," he muttered, his voice cold, "but you need to learn how this works, Miray. You don't make the rules here."

The edges of my vision blurred as I twisted sharply, breaking free for just a second. But before I could make it to the door, he caught my shoulder, forcing me back against the wall. "There's no point fighting," he hissed. "You're staying right here."

I felt the impact as my back hit the wall, the pain sending a jolt up my spine. My mind raced, and I searched for any escape. I could barely breathe under the weight of his presence, but I had to try. I pulled back, shoving him hard, and managed to stumble out of his reach, darting toward the hallway, toward the stairs, my pulse pounding in my ears.

I'd barely reached the bottom of the stairs when the front door swung open. Maxim stepped inside, his expression shifting from confusion to alarm as he saw me-disheveled, my face flushed, fear written across every part of me.

"Miray?" he said, his voice sharp with worry as he moved toward me. "What happened?"

Before I could answer, footsteps sounded on the stairs. I froze as Dad appeared at the top, his face shadowed with anger that barely masked his calm facade.

"We were having a private conversation. It doesn't concern you." Dad said, his voice clipped and controlled, but there was a hard edge in his tone that made my stomach twist.

Maxim stepped forward, putting himself between me and our father, his voice low but firm. "I think it does concern me, actually. Because whatever you were doing, it doesn't look like she wanted any part of it."

Just then, the door opened wider as Elijah, Lorenzo, and Ethan entered, each of them stopping short when they saw the tension, saw my face. Elijah's expression hardened immediately, his gaze moving from Dad to me, piecing together what must have happened.

"What did you do to her?" Elijah demanded, stepping up beside Maxim, his voice vibrating with anger.

Dad's eyes narrowed, but his face stayed calm, unreadable. "I don't appreciate being questioned in my own home. You need to respect me." he said coldly, his gaze flicking between my brothers as if daring them to push further.

But Lorenzo stepped forward, his fists clenched. "We're not just going to stand by and let you hurt her," he said, his voice shaking with barely contained fury. "We've had enough of this."

Maxim moved in front of me, his stance protective, unyielding. "You want to talk respect? Start by explaining why she's terrified every time she's alone with you."

For a moment, Dad's calm facade cracked, anger flashing in his eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but Ethan cut him off, his voice thick with rage. "We've been blind to this long enough," he said, his eyes blazing. "You're not going to keep hurting her. Not anymore."

Dad's face tightened, the anger giving way to something colder, something calculating. "Be careful, all of you," he warned, his voice dropping. "This is my house. And as long as you're here, you follow my rules."

Maxim stepped forward, his voice dangerously quiet. "If your rules mean hurting her, then consider them broken."

The silence hung in the air, thick with tension. My brothers didn't move, forming an unbreakable wall between me and Dad, their faces set, their bodies taut with fury and protectiveness.

Dad's gaze swept over each of us, his expression controlled, but his eyes cold and assessing. He was calculating, I could tell, deciding on his next move.

"You're out of line," he said slowly, his voice like ice. "All of you. Whatever you think you know, it's meaningless."

Maxim took another step forward, his eyes blazing. "Out of line? That's rich, coming from the man who thinks he can terrorize his own daughter and get away with it."

Dad's face tightened, but Elijah wasn't done. "We've seen the bruises, the way she flinches every time she's around you. Did you really think we'd just stand by and let you keep hurting her?"

A flicker of anger crossed Dad's face, and he straightened, his voice cold as steel. "I've done what's necessary to keep this family in order. But if you can't see that, then maybe you're the ones who don't belong here."

Lorenzo stepped forward, his face twisted with disgust. "You call this 'keeping order'? You're nothing but a monster, and we're not letting you do this to her anymore."

A flash of anger crossed Dad's face, and he took a single step forward, but Maxim didn't flinch. "You're done, Dad. Whatever power you think you have over her, it's gone. We're not afraid of you anymore."

For a moment, Dad's calm facade faltered, a flash of rage breaking through. But as he looked between us, calculating, the anger faded, replaced by something else. "You'll regret this," he said, his voice low and venomous. "You think you're protecting her, but you're making a mistake."

Lorenzo's eyes narrowed, his stance unwavering. "The only mistake we made was not paying enough attention and letting this go on for so long. But that ends now."

"You are going to pay", Dad's gaze hardened, and he turned, disappearing down the hall, leaving a chill in his wake.

As soon as Dad stormed down the hall, leaving us in tense silence, I felt the strength drain from me. My brothers stayed close, but I couldn't bring myself to look at them. The anger and worry in their eyes was too much.

Elijah finally spoke, voice tight. "We're not staying here."

I looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"

"He means we're moving out," Lorenzo said, his tone sharp but protective. "You're not staying under his roof another night."

Elijah nodded, jaw clenched. "We've been looking for a place. We didn't plan on rushing, but after tonight..." He exchanged a look with Ethan. "It can't wait."

I blinked, still trying to process their words. They'd been talking about moving out, but I hadn't realized they'd made it this far. "You mean-now?"

Maxim nodded, his expression hard. "Pack what you need, Miray. We'll get the rest later."

"Let's go," Elijah said, his voice full of finality as he headed toward the stairs. "We'll grab your things first, Miray, and get out before he realizes we're gone."

Ethan gave me a reassuring nod, his voice gentle but firm. "Yeah. We're not giving him another chance."

And just like that, the decision was made.