Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 23: Shards of the Past

A loud crash rang out, followed by the sound of glass breaking. Delphinia flinched, her heart leaping into her throat as she turned toward the source. The vase lay in ruins on the polished floor, bits of glass shining under the chandelier’s light. Her father stood over it, his face twisted in anger, his fists clenched at his sides.

"What is wrong with you?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the big room. "Do you realize how much that vase cost? Or are you too stupid to care?"

Delphinia opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. Her throat felt dry, as though every explanation, every plea for understanding had been stripped from her. She stood frozen, her foot stinging where a shard of glass had pierced her skin. Blood trickled onto the floor, but no one seemed to notice—or care.

"Always causing trouble," Helena sneered from the side, her arms crossed over her chest. Her stepmother looked her up and down, clearly not impressed. "You’re nothing but a burden, Delphinia. Can’t even walk through a room without destroying something."

The words stung, more than the wound on her foot or the weight of her father’s glare. Delphinia clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

"I didn’t mean to..." she finally managed, her voice trembling.

"Oh, you never mean to," her father cut her off, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "That’s your excuse for everything, isn’t it? Always the victim, always making others clean up your messes."

Helena stepped closer, her heels clicking against the floor. "You’re pathetic," she hissed, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "No wonder no one wants you around."

Delphinia felt her knees buckle, but she forced herself to stand tall. The pain in her foot was dull compared to the ache in her chest. She wanted to scream, to defend herself, but the words wouldn’t come. It was as if their voices had suffocated her, leaving her powerless.

"Clean this up," her father snapped, pointing at the shattered vase. "And don’t let me see your face again tonight."

Helena laughed quietly, but there was no warmth in it. "You heard him. Get to work, little housemaid."

As they turned and walked away, their harsh words still echoing in her ears, Delphinia sank to the floor. Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she stared at the broken shards around her, her vision blurring.

And that’s when everything fell apart.

Delphinia shot upright in bed, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Her skin was covered in sweat, and her heart was thumping in her ears, making everything else go quiet.

It was a dream. Just a dream.

She put her hand on her chest, feeling her heart race under her palm.The vivid images from the nightmare still lingered, as real as the room around her. She could almost hear her father’s angry voice, Helena’s biting insults, and the sound of the vase shattering.

Her hands trembled as she reached up to rub her face. "Why now?" she asked quietly, barely making a sound. "Why do I keep dreaming about them?"

Leaning forward, she hugged her knees to her chest, burying her face in the crook of her arms. The warmth of her own skin did little to comfort her.

The room was pretty dark, with just a little moonlight slipping through the curtains. Outside, the world was still, but inside her mind, chaos reigned. She tried to steady her breathing, inhaling deeply through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. It didn’t help. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

For a long moment, she stayed that way, curled up on the bed, trying to shake off the lingering feelings the nightmare had left behind. The bitterness, the shame, the helplessness—it all felt too real.

Her thoughts spiraled as she sat there, each one dragging her further down. What if they were right? What if she really was a burden? No matter how far she tried to run from her past, it always seemed to catch up with her, reminding her of her failures.

But then, another thought pushed through the darkness.

You’re not there anymore. You’re free now.

She lifted her head slightly, resting her chin on her knees. The faint memory of Ashton’s earlier words crossed her mind. You were supposed to join us for dinner. It was such a small thing, but it had made her feel included, if only for a moment.

And then there was Evander. He rough spots and his walls up, but there were moments when his actions spoke louder than his words. The way he’d looked at her earlier, concerned but not overbearing—it was different from the cold, dismissive gazes she’d grown up with.

Delphinia exhaled shakily and uncurled herself, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the bed. She rubbed her arms, trying to chase away the lingering chill from the nightmare.

"Get a grip," she muttered to herself. "It’s just a dream. They don’t control you anymore."

Her gaze drifted to the window, where the moon hung high in the sky. The garden below shimmered in moonlight, beautiful and calm, its beauty untouched by her racing thoughts. It felt like a sign that she was in a new place, away from the past.

She stood and walked to the window, pressing her palms against the cool glass. For a moment, she let the sight of the garden calm her. Outside, everything was vast and peaceful, so different from the heavy, closing-in feeling of her father’s house.

Standing there, she could feel a new strength building inside her. She wasn’t that powerless girl anymore. She’d made it through, and she wasn’t about to let her past hold her down.

Turning away from the window, Delphinia climbed back into bed. The sheets were cool against her skin, and she pulled them up to her chin. The nightmare was still there, but she forced herself to focus on the present—at the comfort of knowing she was safe.

Or was she?