Chapter 93 Please Believe Me Flashback: 8 years ago. (TW: Mentions of sexual assault. Proceed with caution) Savannah “Mom!” My scream tore through the kitchen as I burst through the back door, the hinges rattling from the force. My throat burned from crying, but I couldn’t stop calling her. “Mom! Where are you? Mommy!” Every step was agony. My legs wobbled, my thighs rubbed against torn, stinging skin. The ache between them was unbearable, raw in a way I couldn’t make sense of. My chest heaved, lungs dragging in air that wouldn’t reach deep enough. My eyes itched, bloodshot, swollen from hours of tears. “Mom! Dad!” My voice cracked as I stumbled further inside, clutching the counter like I’d collapse if I let go. “Where is everybody?!” “Shhh! Savannah, keep your voice down.” The sound startled me. I whipped around, heart thudding painfully against my ribs. It was Alyssa. Her brows pinched together, lips pressed tight. “Why are you screaming like that? What happened?” Relief slammed into me, so heavy I nearly fell into her arms. “Where’s Mom? I need her—I need to see her now.” She held up a finger to silence me, her eyes flicking nervously toward the hallway. She wasn’t even looking at me. “She’s in a meeting with Dad. Important people. Wealthy people. If you keep yelling, Dad will flip. You know how he is.” Panic surged, clawing at my insides. “But this is important!” My voice cracked. “Please, Alyssa, I have to see her. Right now.” Finally, her gaze landed on me. And she froze. “Oh my God, Savannah.” She hurried toward me, grabbing my hand, making me turn around. “You’re bleeding. What happened? Why do you look like this?” The tears came harder, blinding me. I clutched her hand with all the strength I had left. “You have to believe me. Please, you have to believe me.” Her eyes darted frantically over my face. “Of course I’ll believe you. You’re my sister.” But her voice trembled, cracking under the weight of panic. “Just tell me. Tell me what happened.” My chest squeezed so tight I could barely breathe. Still, I forced the words out, painful and raw. “Professor Kingston. He—he forced himself on me.” Her breath hitched. She went rigid, her hand slipping slightly from mine. The floor tilted. My heart dropped. “You don’t believe me?” My voice was desperate, and almost pathetic. “Please, Alyssa, I’m telling the truth. You promised you’d always believe me. You promised.” She glanced over her shoulder like the walls might have ears. Then she grabbed my wrist and tugged me toward the pantry. We slipped inside, closing the door behind us. The dark space was tight, suffocating. And my sobs echoed against the shelves. Alyssa’s eyes shone in the dim light, wide with fear. “Savannah… are you absolutely sure? Do you know what you’re saying?” I nodded, frantic. “I know what he did! I know what I felt. He’s been making passes at me all semester. I told him no. I told him I’d tell Dad. I thought he stopped. But today—today he…” My throat closed, choking on the memory. “He cornered me. He wouldn’t let me go until he...”“Holy shit.” Alyssa grabbed fistfuls of her own hair, tugging until her hairline reddened. “Do you understand what this means? He’s Dad’s friend! He’s like family. You’re saying he risked everything just to—” Her voice broke. “Just to do this to you? To do something that could potentially jeopardise his relationship with our family? For crying out loud, he's basically family at this point! And he's your professor too. You both have always been close. Why would he do this?” “Yes!” I cried, voice echoing. “Why would I lie?” “This is going to get messy. What if our parents don't believe us? What if dad thinks we're lying?” I bit my nails. “I don't know. I don't know.” Fear had me pacing back and forth. Her breathing grew ragged. She looked like she might faint. Then suddenly, she snapped her fingers like a thought struck her. “Did you clean up?” I froze. “No. I didn’t. I—I don’t think I’m supposed to, right?” She nodded quickly. “Good. Don’t. We’ll tell Dad. He’ll know what to do. He’ll believe you.” She grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the door. But before we could reach it, it swung open. Mom stood there.My stomach instantly dropped. “What are you two doing in here?” she asked, suspicion sharpening her voice. Her eyes narrowed as they scanned us. My mouth opened, but Alyssa’s words came first, blurting out in a rush. “Savannah has something to tell you and Dad.” Mom’s gaze snapped to me. The weight of it pinned me in place. My whole body shook. My palms were slick against my skirt. “It’s—I… um… I…” The words strangled in my throat. Her voice softened, almost kind. “Honey, is everything alright?” I shook my head hard, tears spilling again. “Mom, I was—” “She was raped.” Alyssa’s voice cut like a blade. “By Dad’s friend. Professor Kingston.” The world went silent. Then everything shifted. Mom’s expression hardened instantly. Her hand shot out, clamping over Alyssa’s mouth. “Quiet!” she hissed, sharp and vicious. Her eyes darted down the hall like she was terrified someone had heard. “Do you have any idea what you just said?”Alyssa muffled a protest, struggling. “Mom!” I cried, pointing to the faint trail of blood running down my leg. “It’s true! Please, look at me. Please believe me.” She looked at me. She saw it. And then she looked away. No shock. No pity. Just fear. Cold, hard fear. “You keep quiet, Savannah!” Her voice was so sharp I flinched back into the shelves. She released Alyssa, who stumbled back, breathing hard. Mom’s tone dropped into steel. “Go to your room. Now. Don’t say another word about this. Not to anyone. Do you understand me?” Alyssa’s chest heaved. Her eyes flicked to mine, torn, but she whispered, “Yes, Mom.” She gave me one last, haunted look before slipping away. Then the door clicked shut and it was just me and her. My chest heaved as I tried to speak. “Mom, I’m not lying. Please. We can go to the hospital if you doubt me. They can test me. They can prove it. Just—please, Mom.” Her eyes bore into mine, cold as marble. “Now listen carefully, Savannah. You’re coming with me to your father’s office. You will repeat exactly what you told me to him. Then your father will decide what happens.” My heart stuttered. That wasn’t comfort. It was a sentence. “Do you believe me?” My voice cracked, begging. She stared too long, and the silence answered for her. Finally, she said flatly, “Let’s go. And not a word more. Understand?” My throat closed around my sob. I nodded, though inside I was breaking apart. I followed her down the hall. The house felt colder, larger, every step echoing. My head throbbed with each heartbeat, my body aching, my spirit crumbling. We stopped at the heavy oak door of Dad’s office. And mom knocked once. Before she could open it, the knob turned. And the door swung wide. And there he was. Professor Kingston. Laughing. Smiling. Standing shoulder to shoulder with my father as if nothing had happened earlier today. The same man who had pinned me down hours ago. The same smile that had haunted me every time I closed my eyes. The same voice that had whispered threats in my ear. And now, here he was. Safe. Protected. My father clapped him on the back, his booming laugh filling the hall. And in that moment, I understood. No one was going to save me.