7 Clarissa

Clarissa

Jalen's explosive shout took me by surprise, leaving me momentarily speechless as my heart raced in my chest. His anger was palpable, a seething heat that reminded me of the previous evening when his inner demons had taken control.

As he loomed over me, the tension in the room was almost suffocating. I could feel the knots in my stomach tighten with fear, and I wisely chose to stay quiet, not wanting to further incite his wrath.

Despite the anger he had displayed just moments ago, I thought I saw a hint of something like regret flash across Jalen's face as he ran a hand over his face and slumped against the wall. But he was skilled at hiding his emotions, and I couldn't be certain of what he was feeling.

With a final, piercing look in my direction, he stormed out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I let out a sigh and cast my gaze around, hoping that my father would somehow find me and rescue me from this tumultuous situation.

But deep down, I knew that it was a