They Were My Family—Until They Ruined Me Novel by ElaraThorne _ Novel



They Were My Family—Until They Ruined Me Novel by ElaraThorne _ Novel

They Were My Family—Until They Ruined Me Chapter 01

My own brother and fiancé sent thugs to rape me— just to help my adoptive sister steal my spot at the top art academy.
They shattered my hands so I'd never paint again.
I thought it was just random cruelty... until I heard my fiancé say to my brother, "I need her to be disabled!"
That's when I realized— my whole life had been a lie.
I jumped into the ocean to end the pain. But I survived.
Now they're on their knees in the rain, begging forgiveness, promising fixes and forever.
I looked them dead in the eye,
"I will NEVER forgive you."
--
The night before I had to turn in my final art portfolio—the one thing I'd poured my entire soul into—a gang of thugs grabbed me off the street and dragged me into a dark alley. They kept me there all night, beating me, hurting me in ways I can't even describe without shaking. By morning, when someone finally found me, both my hands were completely smashed, bones shattered beyond repair, and eight of my ribs were cracked. The doctors said it straight: I'd never hold a paintbrush again. My dream was gone.
My childhood sweetheart, Raphael, was supposedly on a business trip. He missed every single one of my panicked calls. When he got back, he broke down crying, swearing up and down he'd hunt down whoever did this and make them suffer.
My brother Cameron pulled every favor he had, got the best surgeons in the city rushed to the hospital for me.
But lying there in the ambulance, fading in and out, I heard Cameron drop his voice low.
"Raphael, man… don't you think you went way too far? Hiring those guys just to stop Lenie from turning in her work? I get you wanted to clear the path for Gina, but come on—there had to be another way."
Raphael grabbed a tissue and gently wiped the blood off my swollen, busted-up face, like he was the most caring guy in the world.
"As long as Lenie's in the picture, Gina doesn't stand a chance at getting in. Besides…" He leaned closer, voice soft and sweet. "Lenie's always gonna have me. I'll take care of her."
Painting wasn't just a hobby for me. It was my whole life. My reason for breathing. And now the two people I trusted most—the guy I'd loved since we were kids and my own brother—had turned it all into a sick lie just to hand my future to their precious adopted sister, Regina.
***
The doctor was urgent. "She's in bad shape. The surgical team is scrubbed in. We need to go now."
Raphael went quiet for what felt like forever before he finally said, "Hold off till tomorrow."
The doctor looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Her hands are pulverized. If we wait, the damage becomes permanent. She'll never use them again—even if she survives."
Cameron actually hesitated, trying to reason with him. "She's already paid enough, Raphael. Don't cripple her for life."
"I want her crippled," Raphael said flatly. "It's the only way Gina gets her spot. We're too deep in this now. Gina's getting into that academy no matter what."
Then he bent down, pressed his lips to my bloody forehead in this slow, tender kiss that made my stomach turn. His voice was all soft and loving. "I'm right here, Lenie. No one's ever gonna hurt you again. Promise."
He nodded at the doctor. "Go ahead and knock her out first."
I was shaking so hard I could barely breathe, biting my lip until I tasted blood. It felt like someone was carving my heart out with a dull knife—empty, burning pain that wouldn't stop.
No wonder my bodyguards "forgot" to pick me up after class. This wasn't random. It was planned. Every brutal second of it. All so Regina could slide into the one spot at the elite art academy.
Even Cameron—who used to act like I was his whole world—now put Regina first every single time. His own flesh and blood didn't matter anymore. Only her.
The two men I'd trusted with my life had almost killed me for the same damn woman.
Those thugs had shot me full of drugs to keep me conscious through every punch, every violation, every twist of the knife. So when they finally gave me that tiny dose of anesthetic? It did nothing. I felt every single stitch, every tug of thread through torn skin. I felt it all.
Tears burned down my face. I started coughing so hard I thought I'd choke.
Raphael freaked out right away, stroking my cheek like he actually cared. "Does it hurt that bad, baby? Don't be scared. I've got you."
Cameron was pacing, furious and twitchy. "Those sick bastards… they're not even human. Don't worry, Lenie. I've already thrown a fortune at private investigators. I'll find them. They'll pay."
He whipped around and barked at the doctor. "What the hell is taking so long with that shot? If she feels one more second of this, I swear I'll shut this whole hospital down!"
Anyone watching would swear he loved me more than life itself.
Their faces looked so genuine—so full of worry and guilt. But it was all fake. A perfect performance. They'd wrapped me in lies so tight I couldn't breathe.
The pain in my chest was sharper than anything they'd done to my body. I was seconds from blacking out.
Raphael's eyes filled with tears the second he saw me like that. "Your injuries are too serious, Lenie. Rushing the surgery could mess it up worse. We'll wait for the top specialists tomorrow, okay? Just trust me. I'll make sure you're okay."
I looked up at his "sincere" face and forced the question out. "Will I… still be able to paint?"
"Of course you will," he said instantly. "I promise."
"You're so damn talented," he added, voice cracking just right. "Next year you'll get in for sure."
But he couldn't even look me in the eye. His head stayed down, heavy with the guilt he was pretending to feel.
He knew the academy only took one student a year. And they only took the absolute best. With my hands ruined, what shot did I have left?
All of this—just to hand my dream to Regina. The man who'd promised my dying parents he'd protect me forever… he'd planned my destruction himself.
And Cameron, who used to barely tolerate Regina, now treated her like gold. He'd chosen her over me again and again, even when it cut me deep.
Staring at them now, all I felt was pure disgust.
My heart was already hollowed out, scraped raw by their betrayal. I didn't have the energy to call out their bullshit anymore. I just gave a tiny nod.
Raphael smiled like I'd handed him a gift. "Good girl, Lenie. Just be good."
They saw me shaking and told the doctor to pump more anesthetic in.
As the darkness finally pulled me under, their faces started to warp—twisting into something ugly and hungry, like they wanted to rip me open and swallow whatever was left.

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