A Christmas Fairy Tale

By Corinne Mazille

Wishes are only granted in fairy tales, aren't they?
Once upon a time, I fell in love with a man who I thought was a prince.
He treated me like a princess.
Until he turned on me ...
Now I am hideously scarred inside and out.
Locking myself away in the pretty little town of Hopeful, Colorado, I came to enjoy being alone.
But then I meet Noah.
After a nasty fall, Noah tries to insert himself into my life. He doesn't belong there.
No man would want to look twice at a woman whose face is scarred like mine...
But something happens to make me believe that sometimes fairy tales exist, and just maybe wishes do come true.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Corinne Mazille
• Release date: Mar 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393112747

Corinne Mazille

Corinne was born and raised in Melbourne Australia, where she currently resides with her own family. After her first daughter was born she found her love for books all over again. Her nose always stuck in a book reading all the romance books she could find. Sometimes even reading a book a day! Fast forward a few years and her obsession grew, turning into a love of writing. Her first book debut in February 2018 and while it's been slow going there are many more to come, so watch this space. Make sure to click FOLLOW above to stay up-to-date on all new upcoming releases.  Learn more about Corinne on her website at www.corinnemazilleauthor.com, or you can find her on social media (@corinnemazilleauthor) or her Facebook fan page Corinne Mazille's Bookworms.

Book preview

Prologue

Itry to open my eyes, but only manage to lift my lids enough to see a white ceiling with bright lights shining down on me.

Am I dead?

I try to turn my head to get a better picture of where I am because I know I'm no longer in my bedroom. I've stared at that ceiling more times than I'd like. But the pain that racks through my whole body lets me know that I am not, in fact, dead.

Where am I? The effort it takes trying to open my eyes fully is too much for my body, and I feel the darkness drift back in again.

I lose count of the number of times I feel myself try to wake, but my mind turns off as if it doesn't want me to hold on to consciousness. I know this is the worst shape my body has ever been in. I've never seen Nick so mad, and he wouldn't stop. God, did I ask him to stop? I'm surprised he hasn't killed me yet, let alone moved me to a different place.

I enjoy the peace being unconscious brings because there's no pain. In a vortex of no Nick, no pain, no stressing about starting to feel the pain in my body, I am alerted to the fact that I'm finally waking up.

I blink a few times, my eyes managing to stay open this time. But there are no lights on now. I feel a tug at my wrist, and I freeze, holding my breath.

Ah, you're finally awake, Tessa, nice to see those eyes open, I hear a feminine voice say. I still don't move, unsure whom that voice belongs to and scared that Nick is behind her.

You are safe, honey. Do you know where you are?

Slowly pulling my eyes away from the roof, I start to hear a machine beeping, so I turn to look at the noise. I see an older lady, with her hair pulled back in a tight bun, wearing a nurse's uniform.

I'm in a hospital.

Again.

Um, I say, my voice sounding hoarse. My throat feeling scratchy and raw.

Hang on, dear, let me get you some water. I see her pour a glass of water from the pitcher on the table at the end of the bed. She helps me lift my head so I can get a sip of water.

Someone's going to be very happy you’re awake. She nods her head to the other side of the room, making me hold my breath again. I move my head slowly, in equal amounts of pain from the motion and fear of what I might see on the other side of the room. I feel my heart start to pound in my chest, and the machines start to beep faster. When I turn my head, it’s not Nick but my mom. She's curled up on the chair, resting her arms on the window ledge, her head tucked on her hands.

Mom, I croak, tears spilling silently from my eyes. I know Nick is going to spin this and say it was an accident. He won't let Mom stay with me if he's not around; he must be just outside.

She's been here night and day, and she has refused to leave your side.

How? What? I manage to say as I turn back to her.

There's plenty of time for that later. It's great that you’re awake, but you still need rest. She places a needle into the cannula in my arm, then squeezes my hand ever so softly.

Sleep, honey, your mom and dad will be here when you wake up.

Wait, not only is my mom here but my dad too?

None of this makes any sense. Usually, when I get beaten enough to end up in the hospital, Nick is by my side and never leaves me alone, scared I may say something to the doctors and nurses. I don't get a chance to think anymore as I succumb to sleep again.

Come on, darling, it's time for you to wake up now. I hear as someone caresses my hair. I shut my eyes tighter, not wanting to be alive, not wanting to see Nick's angry eyes. Not now, I'm not ready. Please, body, put me back to sleep, don't make me have to see him. I'm not ready. I don't think I ever will be.

Oh, Tessa, honey, it's Mom. Wake up. Please, let me see those pretty eyes of yours.

Mom, I whisper, wishing it could be her. My eyes flutter open involuntary in the hopes it’s her. It is her. It really is her. One minute she's standing there in front of me, the next minute all I can see is a blurry figure as my eyes fill with tears.

Baby, it's me. I'm here. You're safe now. She wipes my eyes gently, being careful not to touch me where he cut me.

Nick was in a full rage when he decided that no one would ever stand to look at me again, not if I had a hideous scar running down my face.

That was one of the times I passed out, coming to only to have him hit me repeatedly whenever I did.

I try to move my arm up but struggle to lift it very high, Mom taking my hand in hers.

You're safe, baby, he will never hurt you again.

The nurse comes in, interrupting us, taking my vitals, asking me mundane questions. Do you know where you are? What's your name? All stupid questions, but I answer, not letting go of my mom's hand and not breaking eye contact.

It's Mom.

She's here with me.

Could it be true?

Is Nick really going to let me go?

When the nurse leaves the room, I drop my mother's hand.

Mom, you have to go back home. If Nick sees you here…

She retakes my hand in hers, the other hand brushing a curl from my face.

He's gone, Tessa. He's dead, she murmurs.

I jerk back. What the hell happened while I was blacked out?

How long was I out? I whisper, scared to know the answer.

Tessa, we don't know how long you were in that room, but it's been five days since you were brought here. Five long days since your dad and I found you. A tear starts falling from her pale, haggard face.

He's really… He's dead? My head is unable to process this. I have dreamt for so long to be free of him, to be able to see my parents again.

She nods her head. It's true, honey, he will never lay a hand on you again.

My tears rush out so fast, and I struggle to get a breath out as my mom wraps me up in her arms. 

I’m free. I’m really free.

1

Chapter One

Tessa

Looking in the mirror, I kiss my lips together, checking that my lipstick is on correctly as I adjust the curls showing under my headscarf, making sure there are enough out to cover the jagged scar running down the left side of my face, from my eyebrow to the edge of my mouth.

I rarely look in the mirror these days, because