[Her response is a weak-- very weak-- chuckle. Because... well, yes. She had. Seven years of hell had been endured first, but she had. But in the end, that's not really the important part. The important part is who didn't get out.]
... That woman... she was a monster.
It didn't matter who you were. Good or bad, she'd use you till you couldn't be used anymore and then she'd find some new way to get her money's worth out of you, all while turning her sights onto everyone around you. Everyone.
By the time she was through with a person, they'd be twisted into pretzels and not even knowing what to think. Maybe even thinking she was the one in the right, and if she couldn't do that, well, those people tended to disappear. Hell, she even did it to Dad. Had everyone tied in knots around her fingers. ... Had me that way, too, till I realized the truth. [Until she'd thrown in her aces and left Alessa a broken mess in a basement until she could be useful again. Until she'd MADE Alessa that way.]
I thought if I could just make her happy, she'd...
[... But no, that's not the point of this. Heather heaves a sigh.]
But yeah. Dad got me out. And it was good. A fresh start. Y'know?
... Forgot all about what had happened back there for awhile, even.
[voice]
... That woman... she was a monster.
It didn't matter who you were. Good or bad, she'd use you till you couldn't be used anymore and then she'd find some new way to get her money's worth out of you, all while turning her sights onto everyone around you. Everyone.
By the time she was through with a person, they'd be twisted into pretzels and not even knowing what to think. Maybe even thinking she was the one in the right, and if she couldn't do that, well, those people tended to disappear. Hell, she even did it to Dad. Had everyone tied in knots around her fingers. ... Had me that way, too, till I realized the truth. [Until she'd thrown in her aces and left Alessa a broken mess in a basement until she could be useful again. Until she'd MADE Alessa that way.]
I thought if I could just make her happy, she'd...
[... But no, that's not the point of this. Heather heaves a sigh.]
But yeah. Dad got me out. And it was good. A fresh start. Y'know?
... Forgot all about what had happened back there for awhile, even.