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Theresa stood in the hall of her childhood home, the familiar warmth she once associated with it feeling warped and twisted.

The air was cold, suffocating, as though the walls themselves were pressing in, silent witnesses to the shame her parents now leveled against her. Her mother's voice sliced through the heavy silence first, sharp and dripping with contempt.

"You really thought you could hide it from us?" Her mother's face was pale and taut, her lips curled in a sneer that made Theresa's stomach twist. "A Muggle, of all things. Do you know what people will say? Do you understand the disgrace you've brought upon us?"

Theresa's throat tightened, her words refusing to form.

She wanted to explain, to say something—anything—that might bridge the chasm that had opened between them. But her father's cold, steady gaze pinned her to the spot, rendering her voice useless.

"You are no daughter of mine," he said, each word slow and deliberate, as if he were condemning her. "Do you think I sacrificed everything so you could throw it all away on a whim? A Muggle. Our family's bloodline tarnished by your foolishness."

She flinched as he took a step closer, his shadow falling over her like a shroud. "You've destroyed everything. You've made a mockery of us, of everything we stand for." His voice grew darker, his gaze hardening into something more chilling. "You don't deserve the life we gave you."

Theresa felt a burning in her eyes, her heart pounding, but she forced herself to stand her ground, to hold his gaze.

"I...I love him," she managed, her voice trembling but defiant. It was the truth, and she clung to it, hoping it might soften them, might bring back some hint of the warmth she'd once known.

But her mother only laughed, a cold, brittle sound that echoed through the hall. "Love? Love is an excuse for the weak. Love is what fools cling to when they have nothing else."

She stepped forward, grabbing Theresa's chin with iron fingers, forcing her to look into her face. "You have brought nothing but shame upon us. Do you understand? You are filth, Theresa. Filth that needs to be wiped clean."

Her father's hand shot out suddenly, striking her across the face, the impact so hard it blurred her vision. Pain exploded in her cheek, and she stumbled, only to be yanked back by her mother's unforgiving grip.

"I gave you everything," her mother hissed, her eyes blazing. "The best tutors, the best upbringing, the best of everything—only for you to squander it all on some... nobody."

Theresa tasted blood in her mouth, but she forced herself to swallow it, trying to push past the sting, the throbbing ache in her face. "Please... I didn't mean..." But the words sounded hollow, even to her.

"Didn't mean to?" her father sneered. "Do you think that matters now? You've made your choice, Theresa. And now you have to live with it."

Her mother released her, shoving her back with such force that she almost fell. She barely had time to catch her balance before her father was gripping her arm, his fingers digging into her skin. "You don't deserve the name we gave you," he spat, dragging her toward the front door, his grip relentless. "You've tarnished everything it stands for."

Theresa's heart pounded, panic clawing its way up her throat. "Please... don't do this," she whispered, the weight of what was happening pressing down on her, cold and final.

Her mother's face was an impassive mask as she held open the door, her voice devoid of any hint of softness. "You are no longer welcome here, Theresa. You wanted to be with him so badly? Then go. Find out what your love will get you."

Her father shoved her over the threshold, her feet stumbling as she tried to catch herself. She turned back, her chest tight, her hands reaching out toward them, desperate for a sign that this was some kind of nightmare she could wake from.

But they stood there, shadows against the light of the hall, unmoving.

"You are worthless to us now," her mother said, her voice quiet but laced with a finality that cut deeper than any scream. "We have no daughter."

The door slammed shut, the sound echoing through the night as Theresa stood there, frozen, her body trembling. The warmth of the house, the security, the life she had always known—all of it had been ripped away in an instant.

The wind bit at her skin, and as she turned away, feeling the weight of their rejection settle over her, a voice echoed in her mind—her father's voice, quiet and cold.

Worthless. You are worthless.