His Voice, My Silence — A Story for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For me, this time always stirs up complicated emotions. In 2019, I lived through an intimate relationship that left me hollowed out in ways I couldn’t fully name at the time. It wasn’t bruises or broken bones—it was silence. It was the way I ignored family calls for months just to keep the peace with someone who thrived on control.

Psychological violence doesn’t leave marks on skin, but it carves deep scars into identity and memory. Nothing is more terrifying than slowly losing your own voice in the shadow of someone else’s demands. Writing His Voice, My Silence was my way of reclaiming that voice. It’s an alternate ending to that relationship—a version where I got to decide how the silence would break.

Amazon Synopsis:

Sawyer thought she knew love—until the silence spoke louder than words. In a story of fear, resilience, and the quiet power of finding one's voice, His Voice, My Silence follows Sawyer Livingston, a librarian  navigating the shadows of control and secrecy. Every glance, every whispered command, every carefully hidden moment with or without the playwright Todd Mathis draws her deeper into a world where trust is fragile, and danger often hides behind familiar faces. This emotionally charged short story explores the courage it takes to reclaim autonomy, the pain of enduring what should never be endured, and the flicker of hope that can ignite even in the darkest circumstances. Will Sawyer regain her self-control, or let Todd's manipulations trap her forever?

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If you’re new here, or if you’ve read the story before and want to revisit it, you can find His Voice, My Silence at these links:

• Vivlio

• Thalia

• Kobo

• The Palace Project

• Fable

• Everand

• Barnes & Noble

• Apple Books

• Amazon

I don’t share this to wallow in old wounds. I share it because no one’s attention, no one’s “love,” is worth the loss of yourself. If my story resonates, I hope it reminds someone out there that silence is not safety, and being heard is worth fighting for.

For anyone who might need it, here are resources that can offer help:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline — 24/7, free, and confidential support.

• RAINN — National network for sexual assault resources and crisis help.

• Women’s Law — Legal information and help for survivors.

• NCADV — National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

If you want to keep up with me, my writing, and the conversations I’m having around art and healing, you can also find me on BlueSky: 90sinspiredink.bsky.social.

If you’re new here, or if you’ve read the story before and want to revisit it, you can find His Voice, My Silence at these links:

• Vivlio

• Thalia

• Kobo

• The Palace Project

• Fable

• Everand

• Barnes & Noble

• Apple Books

• Amazon

Thank you for supporting my work, for reading, and for being part of a community where voices matter.

— Seraphine Vale