Make sure you comment while reading! I like reading people's reactions to certain parts. Thanks everyone.

~
"How did you sleep?" Claire asked, as Leah entered her kitchen. She had spent the night with her after what happened. She didn't have anywhere else to go and since she was already with Claire, she agreed when Claire offered.

She wouldn't be here for long because she didn't want to feel like a burden to her. The situation she was in made her feel bad enough and the last thing she wanted to do because make anyone else uncomfortable in the situation.

"Okay," she said, in almost a whisper. Almost everything she said, she was unsure about. She still couldn't believe the events that took place the evening before. The person she trusted the most hurt her.

Leah's jaw dropped at her reflection in the window, as she sat at the table. Her left eye was swollen and her face was bruised. You could see the hand prints that rung around her neck.

"You need to let someone look at you," Claire sighed, attempting to hold Leah's cheek, seeing her flinch at the pain.

"I will. I promise," she sighed. "I just won't go to the ER,"she explained. She already explained to Claire that she wouldn't bring this up to anyone. She knew it would be more than she wanted it to be and she didn't want it in the press.

"Are you sure, you don't want to go to the police?" Claire had to make sure to ask one more time. She knew that Leah had her mind made up but she wanted her to be sure before she made too much time pass.

"I'm sure," she said, shaking her head.

"You can stay here as long as you need to, okay. You can't go back there.  If you need to get anything, you make sure you don't go alone." Claire had been in a situation just like this and for a while she didn't want anyone to know either.

There's a certain sense of shame that she once felt and that Leah now feels.

"I won't," she faked a grin through the pain.

"I'm going to the store. Text me if you want anything," Claire said, rubbing her shoulder.

There was a rainstorm coming, which had filming on hold. This meant that Leah could lay low and didn't have to show her face for a while.

*PING*

From Ms. Donna: Leah please let me know that you're okay. I'm on my way home now and that no good son of mine told me what he did. He's a mess and I'll be right by you with whatever you decide. Come bye, please. I need to see you. Kacey needs to see you.

She promised herself that she wouldn't go back to him but how could she leave Kacey with that monster. What if he tries to hurt her the way he did same way he did her? Her mind was clouded with thoughts.

She grabbed her jacket and went to her car that Claire's brother brought over for her, deciding that she would meet Ms.Donna at her house.

~

"Lele! I missed you," Kacey shouted, running towards Leah. She grabbed her and hugged her tightly, causing Leah to groan in pain.

Donna shut the door behind Leah, who wore shades to cover her bruises. "Cmon Kacey. How about you go wash up while I speak to Leah for a minute," Donna asked, realizing the pain that she was in.

"Fine," Kacey pouted, taking all the time in the world to walk up the stairs.

"Come here, darling," she said, removing the loose curls from Leah's face. "Come sit with me." They sat on the sofa, where Donna removed the shades from Leah's face and gasped at what she saw.

She could do nothing but put her arms around Leah and hold her. She felt guilty because it was her son who did this. She held Leah close to her until she was ready to talk.

"I don't know what happened," Leah sniffled. "He's become a completely different person and he scares me." She buried her head into Donna's shoulder and sobbed.

Donna was close enough to see the marks that her son had left on Leah's body. It was enough for her to cry right along with Leah.

"I'm sorry he did this to you. I'm sorry I didn't help you before," she cried, shaking her head.

"Before? How could you have known?" Leah questioned, looking up at Donna.

"His father was just as terrible. He watched his father use me as a door mat his whole life. I just can't believe he followed in his footsteps," she explained. "I started to see the signs before but I just hoped it wouldn't be true."

"What do you mean?" Leah was very focused on all of the words coming from Donna's mouth.

"I didn't have a good relationship with Kacey's mother but I just can't help but think she didn't just up and leave her," she sighed.

"Wait. Do you think he- No, she's fine but she returned home to DR." She reassured Leah, knowing she immediately thought the worst.

"Before she took off, she left me as Kacey's legal guardian. Yes, Kacey lives with him, but I have all the say so," she smiled, wiping the tears from Leah's face. "I believe she did it because he wasn't doing right by her. I always had the feeling but I was never sure," she concluded.

"So, are you saying that this is not the first time he's done this?" Leah asked, in shock.

"I don't believe so," she sniffled, shaking her head. "My son is out of hand and I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner."

Leah held her hand and made eye contact with her. "It's none of our faults. Our only job now is to protect Kacey."

"Don't worry. She will be staying here with me and he can't do anything about it. You must come and see her whenever you can." She held back onto Leah's hands and kissed the back of them.

"I will never abandon her. I need her as much as she needs me," she said, reminiscing on how much Kacey has impacted her life.

~

"What? No," May shouted. "You have to tell someone Leah." May, William's sister, was a nurse and Claire called her over to take a look at Leah's bruises.

"May, please. I don't want to make this a big deal," Leah pleaded. She held herself tightly, trying to hide the bruises that were making May upset.

"A big deal? This is a big deal. Look at you," May screamed, realizing that tears were filling Leah's eyes.

"I'm sorry but this isn't okay," May whispered, cupping Leah's face with her hands. "Please go to someone." May only wanted her best interest. She tried to persuade Leah into filing a report against Jonah.

"If I go to the police, it will only make this worst. This will be all over the media and eyes will be on me for the wrong reasons," she explained, shaking her head. "I don't want that."

May walked over to the chair, next to the bed, in the guest room of Claire's Condo. She sat on the couch and dropped her face in her hands.

Leah picked up her head and watched as May sat their shaking her head. She could tell that she was hurt for her. She really wanted her to report him but she just couldn't do it.

"What about the baby? Kacey. Is she just going to stay there with him?" May asked, with her eyebrows arched.

"No," Leah nodded. "She is going to stay with her grandmother. She is her legal guardian and doesn't want her to stay with him now that I'm not there," Leah sobbed.

May picked up her head and looked at Leah with empathy. "I'm sorry this is happening," she said, now back on her feet, rubbing Leah's back.

"I don't know why this is happening," Leah said, now crying hysterically with her face in her hands

"Leah, the people who are closest to you will always be here to support you." May sat next to Leah and wrapped her in her arms. "Me, Claire, Will- No, you can't tell Will!" Leah shouted, cutting off May. She turned her body to May and glared at her with wide eyes.

"Leah, he cares about you and you know he'll be here for you," May explained, continuing to rub Leah's back.

"He can't know, okay? I don't want him to know." She pleaded, holding onto May's arm.

May knew that William really cared for Leah. More than she knew. If he found out, he would be furious but not as furious as he would be if he found out that May kept it a secret from him. May hesitated but she agreed, knowing that Leah had to make the decision to tell him herself.

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter☺️
Do you think Leah will forgive Jonah again or will she stay away?
Everyone is trying to get her to report him but she's worried about her career.

Don't forget to vote and comment while reading. I appreciate every one of you? Make sure you share with your friends.