BENEATH THE GOLD
Chapter 9: Pieces of Light
Kate spent three weeks in the hospital. Three long, aching weeks of surgeries, stitches, and whispered prayers in the middle of the night.
The physical wounds began to heal, but the scars inside her heart felt endless. Some mornings, she woke up crying for the baby she lost. Other days, she stared blankly at the ceiling, wondering if she had the strength to start over. Dominic never visited.
But through the darkness, small pieces of light began to break through. Emily, visited every day—bringing books, little notes, homemade soup that Kate could barely eat but loved anyway. Her parents, never far away, often just held Kate's hand and said nothing at all because some pain had no words.
And slowly, Kate realized something: She was not alone.
When she was strong enough to leave the hospital, Kate didn’t go back to the mansion she once called home. No. She went back to her parents' house. It wasn’t gold. It wasn’t glamorous but it was real.
One afternoon, sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket, Kate opened Emily’s laptop to research therapists who specialized in trauma and articles about reclaiming your life after abuse.
At first, it terrified her admitting even to herself how broken she felt. But facing the truth had almost cost her her life once already. She wouldn't pretend anymore.
With her parents' help, she started therapy sessions online, She spoke carefully and her therapist listened—truly listened—and little by little, Kate’s words grew stronger. Although, she was still scared to go out in public, too afraid to run into Dominic.
Worse of all, she constantly had nightmares. There were moments when a door slamming too hard made her flinch. It was a messy, slow, and painful reminder of Dominic.
Even though there were no signs of her husband anywhere, he hadn’t come to find her but she knew him too well, he was patiently waiting for her to fully recover before he returned with glamorous gifts but this time she knew what was beneath the gold and was determined never to return to that glamorous life.
Her hands rubbed her stomach, as she wept painfully, Dominic didn’t give her a chance to become a mother. He left her shattered.
One evening, as she sat watching the sunset, Emily handed her a small journal.
On the first page, Emily had written:
“Dear Kate,
Your story doesn’t end here. It begins. Write it."
Kate ran her fingers over the page, as tears poured out of her eyes. She realized that she wasn’t just a victim, but a woman who had survived a brutal abuse.
She wiped her tears and made a promise to herself that she would write her way back to life. Somewhere deep inside her battered heart, she knew it wasn’t going to be easy. There was a tiny spark of hope that flickered and stayed, it reminded her that she was a survivor.
Question
1. How long did Kate stay in the hospital after Dominic’s attack?
2. Did Kate return to her husband after she left the hospital?
3. What was Kate’s first step toward rebuilding her life after leaving the hospital?
4. What gift did Emily give to Kate?
5. What promise did Kate make to herself?
Vocabulary Guide
1. Stitches: Medical threads used to close wounds.
Example: "Three long, aching weeks of surgeries, stitches, and whispered prayers..."
2. Glamorous: Attractive in an exciting and charming way.
Example: "It wasn’t gold. It wasn’t glamorous."
3. Trauma: Deep emotional or physical injury.
Example: "Therapists who specialized in trauma."
4. Shatter (emotionally): To feel completely broken.
Example: "He left her shattered."
5. Survivor: A person who continues to live or exist, especially after hardship or trauma.
Example: "She was a survivor."
6. Nightmares: Very bad dreams that cause fear or anxiety.
Example: "She constantly had nightmares."
7. Flinch: To make a quick movement in reaction to fear or pain.
Example: "When a door slamming too hard made her flinch"
8. Brutal: Cruel, violent, and completely without feelings.
Example: "She was a woman who had survived a brutal abuse."
9. Flickered: To shine unsteadily; to appear briefly and then disappear.
Example: "There was a tiny spark of hope that flickered and stayed."
10. Battered: Damaged by repeated injuries or hardships.
Example: "Somewhere deep inside her battered heart..."