Episode 5

Aurora…

I am Aurora Tremblay, I just turned 18 and currently reside in Toronto. We used to live in Vancouver, but we were forced to move.

I am 1.70 meters tall, with long, straight, light brown hair with more golden highlights, brown eyes, fair skin, and a slim body with noticeable curves.

I'm the type of girl who likes to wear discreet clothes that hide my body; there are so many traumas that it's better this way.

I'm quite eclectic when it comes to music, but instrumentals are my favorites; I love listening to orchestras play, although I've never attended one in person. I also prefer period films; they are the most beautiful and romantic.

I am allergic to seafood.

I am a sweet person, despite the difficulties I face daily. The words that best describe me are enigmatic and solitary, without close friends, always finding comfort in the solitude of my room, totally focused on my studies and anxious to graduate and leave my father's house.

I'll tell you a bit of my story.

I was born of a forbidden love, the fruit of an adultery that should never have happened. My father loves me, but the shadow of betrayal always looms over me, although he was always attentive and affectionate, he never had the courage to face reality. He is married to a woman who despises me, Yvone. When he is not around, she always makes me feel like an intruder in her house, the shadow of a mistake.

Since I was little, Yvone treated me like a maid, using the excuse that she was teaching me to be a good wife. I always did all the household chores, washing, ironing, cleaning, and cooking… while my older sister had fun and was spoiled.

The memories of verbal abuse are like stabs to my heart. The woman and her daughter call me "daughter of the mistake" or "walking abortion." The worst part is that my father never believed me when I told him about the things that happened. Several times he punished me severely due to the lies planted by the woman and her daughter. The physical scars are less visible than the emotional ones, but they are still there, marks left by slaps and shoves when Yvone was furious or when Fabiana, my half-sister, decided to join in the fun at my expense.

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to escape this nightmare. My dream is to break free from this suffocating life and find my own path, far from the lies and contempt. I have faith that one day I will be free to live my life as I wish.

I always stood out in school, not only for my intelligence but also for my dedication. However, this dedication was not only for studies; I was also forced to pay tuition with services that left me exhausted. Even in high school, my life was not easy; my classmates lived in a world of privilege and carelessness. They wore new and shiny clothes, while I wore pieces that were often patched and worn out. The teachers noticed my effort, but they didn't know the cruel reality I faced outside of school. I dreamed of having a normal day, where I could sit at the cafeteria table without fear of being ridiculed. The desire to have friends and be accepted became increasingly distant. Fabiana made sure to make my life hell in high school, along with her friends.

I had no time to play or have friends.

When I got home, the work began; I would kneel on the cold bathroom floors, scrubbing the tiles, cleaning dirt, often my knees would bleed from so much friction. There were days when I could barely stand up after spending hours like that, but I knew I had to do it to continue studying.

My father always traveled a lot, was almost never present, and as I grew older, he distanced himself more.

Behind the forced smile I wore daily, there was a human being, trying to find strength in the small daily victories, like the high grades I got on tests or the rare moments when a teacher or even my father praised me for my effort. Fabiana was a terrible student, and that also made her hate me more.

The only friend I had in high school was Flavio; he joined the school two years ago, and we started dating. We dated for a year; I trusted him, he knew everything I was going through and always promised that when I turned eighteen, he would take me out of that house. Even trusting him blindly, I didn't want to give up the most precious thing I still had, my virginity, especially because I wouldn't risk getting pregnant and causing such disappointment to my father.

I just didn't count on the fact that, even facing so many difficulties and striving for a better life and finally being happy with someone by my side, I would go through such a treacherous and disappointing deception. That's right, I found my sister having sex with my boyfriend in the school bathroom; that was a devastating blow.

Trust shattered in that moment; I felt a mixture of anger, sadness, and confusion. The pain of betrayal, especially coming from the person I loved and trusted, left an immense void in my heart.

That was the first time I had an aggressive reaction; I hit my sister, and my father turned against me, locking me in my room and supporting their relationship, even knowing it would hurt me.

I felt betrayed and helpless, struggling to understand what to do from then on, and once again, I was alone.

Flavio tried to talk to me several times, but I refused. Every time he was home, they treated me well, and that made me very angry. I don't understand how a person can suffer so much in life.