Author's Note:

So this is a warning. In previous chapters I have alluded to some upsetting topics and themes but this chapter does directly address them. Please know that I am not supporting this behavior in any way and if you have experienced any of this behavior I am so sorry.


Chapter 20:

(Camilo POV)

Seeing him standing over her was making me angrier and angrier and I couldn't handle it, "Back away from her." I growled out. He looked up at me, "Who are you to tell me to stay away from my daughter?" "Get away from her," hot, angry tears were streaming down my face as I looked up at him. I don't know how I had been such an idiot before but it was clear from all the injuries she had sustained that they weren't all from exposure to the elements. He put her in a position to get hurt. My mind was flooded with all the images of Olivia with bruises on her arms, her reaction to the leather that day, her reluctance to talk about her Papa. I needed him to get away. He leaned in closer to her going to pick her up. I slapped arm across her blocking his grip as I changed into Luisa, "Get away from her." He took a step back and I turned back into myself. Padre Sanchez was already in the room and I could see that the tension was evident.


- 6 months and 1 week ago -

(Olivia POV)

I sat with Camilo on my bed. He was sitting right behind me and I had my hand intertwined with him as he was reading a story. He paused for a moment and then closed the book. "Olivia there is something I want to talk to you about," he started. "Olivia and not Liv sounds serious," I tried joking to lighten the tension. It did not seem to work though. "Olivia why does your Papa have all those belts on the wall?" I shuddered for a moment at the mention of the belts. I hated that I still had such a visible reaction whenever I thought about them. I shook my head, "No important reason." I shifted a little bit. "Olivia are you ok?" He asked. I nodded my head, "Camilo you don't need to worry about me. Papa loves me." I didn't need him to know how bad I was and everything I bad thing I did and how Papa needed to teach me otherwise. "Liv?" I sighed, "He got them from my Abuelo, his Papa. He has had them for forever." He went quiet and I just smiled, "Come on keep reading the story."


(Camilo POV)

"Camilo," I heard Tía calling for me. I didn't look away from Liv, "Padre bring them back here please." I heard him shuffle out. I brushed my arm against Liv, "Just hold on, please." Tía walked in the back room. "Hernando?" Tía asked but I wasn't focused on anyone but Liv, "Tía please help her." I saw Tía come over to the bed where Liv was laying, "What happened?" "I found her like this in the jungle. She was taken away from her house by him and my guess is that she didn't want to go. I don't know how long she was out there alone."

"3 days," Señor Santiago spoke. I bit my bottom lip, I didn't find her for 3 days. "Heal her so that I can bring her back with me," he continued and I turned to him and glared, "She is not going anywhere with you." "Who gave you the right to tell me what I can and cannot do with my daughter?" He asked. "No one did. But I am pretty sure that this decision should be up to Liv and I am not going to let you take it away from her while she is like this."

He scoffed, "Yeah like you know my daughter that well." I ignored him and went over to Liv's side, "Can you help her?" She whispered, "I will try." I nodded my head and helped Liv sit up slightly as Tía brought an arepa to her mouth. I leaned over and whispered, "Please Liv." She didn't stir much but she opened her mouth enough to take a bite. I laid her back down and watched as all the bruises and cuts on her body started to heal.


- 10 years ago-

(Olivia POV)

- 5 days before Mami died -

I sat on top of the stairs as Mami and Papa were fighting. "HERNANDO I AM LEAVING! AND I AM TAKING HER WITH ME!" Mami was screaming. "NO YOU ARE NOT MARIE! YOU BOTH ARE MINE. I'M NOT LETTING EITHER OF YOU GO!" "YOU CAN'T STOP ME HERNANDO," Mami was yelling as she was making her way over to the stairs and I pulled myself away so that she wouldn't see me.I heard a loud bang and peeked over to see Papa pulling Mami back and leaning her up against the wall, "I will not lose you. You are mine. She is mine. Everything here is mine. So shut up Martina before I do something you regret." He was harsh and I felt myself gasping breath as I looked at Mamí. She looked him in the eye, "I'm not Martina. I'm Marie. Our daughter is not Martina she is Olivia. Martina. Is. DEAD. and we both know who's fault that is." I watched as he slapped her across the cheek. I wanted to call out for her but I didn't allow the sound to come out.


(Camilo POV)

I held onto her hand, "Please Liv. Please." I looked up at Tía looking for any indication of what was going on. She leaned in and put her fingers on her neck and brought her ear to her lips, "She is breathing and her heartbeat is strong, I don't know why she isn't awake." I nodded my head, "Thank you." I heard a scoff and glared up at Señor Santiago. I then looked over at Padre Sanchez, "Can you keep an eye on her. I have a feeling we still have some things to discuss." Señor Santiago looked like he had something to say but my gaze narrowed, "I don't know what is going on with Olivia but, I know she doesn't need to hear us arguing." Padre Sanchez put his hand on my shoulder, "I agree. You can all talk in the hall." Señor Santiago was still there. I changed back into Luisa again, "Do we have a problem?" He walked out of the room and I transformed back into myself before turning to Padre, "As soon as she wakes up..." "I will let you all know." I nodded my head and made my way out.


- 2 months and 2 weeks ago -

(Olivia POV)

Papa was not happy with me this morning and I laid on my side as my back ached. I heard 3 knocks on my window. He was coming here today? I sat up and composed myself as I heard the window open and Camilo crawl in, "Hey Liv, I can't stay long but I wanted to stop by." I smiled as he kissed the top of my head, "Hey." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I swallowed the painful wince my body wanted to get out. "Liv are you alright?" I nodded my head, "Yeah. I'm just tired, stayed up late working on my blankets." "Ok," I knew he didn't believe me, but I didn't want to push it further if he wasn't going to push it. "Liv, if you could do anything in the world, change anything what would you change?" I thought about this for a minute before saying, "I don't think I would change anything." "Why?" He asked and I let out a breath, "Because if I change something it could mean losing what I already have. I don't want to lose what I have now." I didn't want to lose him. We sat for a little longer before he had to go.

- a few hours later -

"Olivia," Papa said as he was coming through the door, "was there a man here today?" What? I immediately shook my head, "No one comes here Papa but you." His hand stuck across my face as I fell to the floor. "Don't lie to me. It is unbecoming of you." He lifted me back up and my feet were off the ground. I smelt something on his breath. I didn't know what it was, but whenever I smelt it Papa was in a worse mood than usual. "You belong to me Martina." "Papa? My name is Olivia," I said. He threw me back on my bed. "Shut up Martina. You are not lying your way out of this."


(Camilo POV)

I walked out into the hall and I saw my family standing on one side and Señor Santiago on the other. Alright, looks like I am the one who was going to have to do this. Dolores, Mama and Papa looked over at me, "Camilo you are ok?" I nodded my head, "What are you doing here?" Dolores gave me a look, "You called for me screaming for me to bring Tía to the church and you have been gone for hours. I got worried." I nodded my head and looked at them but they were glaring at Señor Santiago, "What are you doing here Hernando?" He growled, "The question is what is he doing here. My daughter is the one that is here. I am just waiting to take her away with me." "She doesn't want to go," I said. "HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHE WANTS?" He yelled.


- 4 months ago -

(Olivia POV)

"The end," Camilo said as he closed a book. "You there Liv?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh, "Yeah I'm here why do you always ask me that after we read a story." He laughed, "Because you always have this dazed look on your face whenever we finish." I smiled, "I love it when you read to me. Plus it's my favorite story." "Really? You never mentioned that before," he said sounding amused. "My Mama used to read me that story all the time. When Papa wasn't home she would read me 5 stories a night." I felt myself missing her again. "Does your Papa read to you?" He asked. I opened and closed my mouth, "No." I felt him squeeze my shoulder, "Well good. I'm the only one who gets to see this particular smile you have." I leaned my head to the side where he was, "Thank you." "For what?" He asked. I let out a breath. There were so many reasons why I wanted to thank him: for not asking anymore questions, for bringing the book to me in the first place, for everything really. "Just... Thank you." I felt a kiss on my forehead.


(Camilo POV)

"I know her a lot better than you do," I started and he glared at me and then a look came across his face, "No. No. Neither of you are stupid enough to disobey both your families like that. It can't be you..." "What can't be you Camilo?" Mama asked. "This isn' t about our families. This is about Liv." "Olivia is my daughter," he started and I felt someone pull on my shoulder turning me around.


- 6 years ago -

(Olivia POV)

I had fun in the church and loved talking with Padre Sanchez. "Olivia it is time to go," Papa said. "Can I stay a little longer?" I asked. "Olivia it is time to go," he repeated. "Papa..." I felt him grab my shoulder as he was sliding me out of the booth, "It is time to go. Thank you Padre." He held onto my shoulder before bringing me into the cart. We rode home and he immediately grabbed my arm and brought me in the house. I was standing in the middle of the room with no indicators of where anything was when I started hearing the belts snap. "Papa, I'm sorry," I started. He came up and brushed his hand over my cheek, "You know I have to do this."

SNAP.

I cried out in pain.

SNAP.

SNAP.

"Papa, please..." "Shhhhh."

SNAP.

I was crying as I fell to the floor. He was done as I heard his footsteps walking away as his metal belt buckle hit a metal hook. He came over to me and placed a hand on the raw skin on my back. I winced out in pain, "I love you Olivia, but you need to learn to listen." He picked me up and placed me down on my bed. "Shh, it's ok. Papa is here," he said rubbing his hand through my hair, "There is no reason for you to cry. I will always take care of you. Always."


(Camilo POV)

It was Papa and Mama, "Camilo what are you two talking about?" I looked at them and at Señor Santiago I let out a sigh, "I have been seeing Olivia Santiago in town for almost 2 years now and we have been dating for 11 months of that." I looked Señor Santiago in the eye, "I'm her boyfriend." His eyes narrowed, "What have you done?" Mama and Papa didn't have anything to say and honestly I just wanted to be with Liv right now.

Papa and Mama were stunned, Señor Santiago was mad and Dolores was just confused. Mama and Papa finally asked, "When did you even see her?" I looked down at my feet, "The last Thursday of the month she would come into town and sit here in the church." I didn't feel the need to mention that I also snuck over to her house. Señor Santiago was pissed.


- 9 months ago -

(Olivia POV)

- 1 month before Camilo and I started dating -

"What are you thinking about?' I asked as Camilo sat quietly. "I am just thinking about if our families ever found out that we saw each other like this? If they knew that we were friends?" I sighed, "My Papa would be really mad at me. He told me to never talk to any of the Madrigals." "My family was all told to stay away from your family too," He said and I nodded my head. It made sense, "But I think that after they got over the initial shock they would love you." I smiled, "Really?" "Yeah, I mean you are one of the nicest, most caring people I know. Why wouldn't they like you?" I smiled as I started playing with the fabric of my dress. I had a crush on Camilo and when he said stuff like that it made my heart skip a beat. "You know, I think my Mama would have like you," I said. "Really?" I nodded my head, "Yeah she loved to laugh, to read stoires and I think you two would have realiy gotten along." "Thanks Liv," He said. "Well thank you too."


(Camilo POV)

"As soon as my daughter is awake, I am taking her out of this God-forsaken town far away from the likes of you," He said. I just looked back at him, "If that is what Liv wants I will respect it, but if she says she wants to stay then I will do everything in my power to keep her here." "What power do you have? You are a child," he started but I shook my head, "I have the community, Padre Sanchez and most importantly LIV on my side." He scoffed, "You are crazy if you think I am going to leave my daughter behind." I looked him in the eye, "And you must be crazy if you think that all the bruises, and fear in her voice when she talked about you went unnoticed and if I noticed in 2 years I wonder how many Padre Sanchez has noticed in 6." He scoffed, "Olivia would never say..." "Anything against you. Yeah you're not wrong. She would never say anything before you stole her away from the only home she has ever known I wonder how she would feel now?"

Everyone went quiet as my words hung in the air. No one knew what to say or what to do.


(Olivia POV)

I kept my eyes closed but, I was becoming more and more aware of the world around me. I could hear yelling from not that far away. What was going on? Last thing I remembered was being near the river. I felt a hand holding onto mine and I let my head roll to the side. It didn't feel like Camilo's hand and I was wondering what was going on. I coughed a little bit as I gasped for breath. "Olivia," I immediately recognized the voice, "Padre Sanchez?"