Aliyah’s POV

At some point, I heard Papa arguing with Asher downstairs. Their voices rose, then dropped again, muffled but sharp. I didn’t need to hear the words to know they were about me.

Finally, in the evening, the house went quiet. Too quiet. I sat up slowly, wiping my tears. My reflection in the mirror startled me. My face was pale, my eyes sunken, my lips dry. I barely recognized myself.

I pressed my hand to the mirror, whispering to the broken girl staring back at me. “You ...