by B Truly
“I hate the card we’ve been dealt. I feel like we didn’t get a fair chance.”
“My mother used to tell me everything happens for a reason. Maybe someday we’ll understand why.”
That would be the day.
“Can we still keep in touch?” he asks.
“You better if you know what’s good for you.” His lips curl up into the lop-sided grin I love.
“I’ll text you every week.”
“Me, too.” He wraps his arms around me. I hug him as tight as I can.
“I guess this is good-bye. I’ll be flying back to Houston tonight, so I don’t get too behind in school.”
“I will miss you, Diego.”
Justin inhales deeply, and then he plants a kiss on my forehead. “I’ll miss you, too. Take care of yourself, Dora.”
His eyes sear me with too many emotions to comprehend. My face must mirror his with all the conflict that’s coursing through me. I feel like sobbing and begging him to stay. I’m barely holding it together. Having to part ways is inevitable. There’s no sense in prolonging the torment. Hoping we can work things out is unrealistic. How can I ever be with him if I can barely look him in the face? The same face that still haunts my dreams, triggering my darkest memories to unfold.
No matter how much it hurts, the right thing to do is to let him go. Justin leans down, pressing a soft kiss against my lips. Part of me wants the kiss to turn into much more. The other fears if it does, those images will resurface. I don’t have to dwell long. As I open my eyes, Justin pivots on his heels, and then he’s gone.
Life is full of heartache. I don’t understand why I went through what I did. People go through terrible situations every day for no good reason. I think what I experienced is just part of my fate. Ripples in a pond that will hopefully make me stronger. It may be a difficult journey ahead, but I’ve been taught to fight for what’s right.
My biggest fear had been Justin’s reaction. His opinion mattered the most. I think I’ve blamed myself for being naive—not knowing it was Jackson. If Justin doesn’t feel I’m at fault, then I need to stop blaming myself.
This revelation gives me hope for a better tomorrow. The outcome is yet unknown, but I will weather through the storm. There’s no turning back—no regrets. The door has been unlocked, unraveling the confession of my darkest secret, and I am the one who holds the key.
Thank you for reading!
Keep your friends close and your family closer. Stay tuned for the next chapter of secrets in the sequel, Thorn of Secrets (My Darkest Secret #2)
Author Notes
Dear readers, I want to share some background with you about Scorn of Secrets. It is the first novel I ever wrote, over twenty-seven years ago, when I was fifteen. At the time, V.C Andrews was my favorite author—inspiration for the family secrets theme that came into play in Scorn.
I probably shouldn’t have been reading Andrews at that age, but what can I say, my aunt recommended the Ruby series to me. I devoured it, as well as the Dawn and Heaven series, which is my favorite. I was beyond thrilled last year when Lifetime made five movies for the Casteel series. They did very well with the adaptation.
Now that I’ve become self-published, I’ve been able to bring Scorn of Secrets to light. I’ve been hesitant about releasing the book because of its dark undertones, but I wanted to be true to the story.
Scorn is meant to deliver a positive message by helping young women to not be afraid of standing up for themselves. From personal experience, I’ve been in an abusive relationship. I found myself in situations I never thought would happen to me. I had to learn to love myself first in order to get out of the situation.
For young women going through any difficult situation, I hope Scorn has empowered you. Talk to a family member or someone close you can trust. We’re all in this together. Please remember it’s not your fault. Above all, don’t be scared to fight for justice.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the story or just in general. I’d love to hear from you. Until the sequel of Madison’s story, be well and stay strong.
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