She thought it was love, but her ex left her scarred for life

Many of us wish to believe in love. We look forward to the idea that people who say they care will guard us, look after us and help us improve ourselves. For Kayla Holmes, what began as love ended up as something unrecognizable and extremely frightening.

At the start, it feels like many other stories: a young girl attracted to an older person, who appeared responsible, thrilling and caring. Although she was only 17, Kayla began a relationship with Buddy Guy’s son Seth Aaron Fleury.

She was brought up by her mother alone and hadn’t seen a real healthy relationship which led her to believe that his actions meant he loved her. Eventually, what started as lustful passion became control, manipulation and abuse.

Because she was so young, Kayla wanted to trust his promises. She wanted to accept the apologies. Like lots of survivors, she kept the memories that felt good, for example, his smiles, the kind things he said and his promises the pain would go away. She felt her light starting to fade little by little.

Everything ended in a violent way on October 17, 2017.

Asked in the afternoon, Seth wanted to see her. He admitted he was sorry and that brought Kayla some hope. But once she stated clearly she was there for support, not for reconciliation, his temper finally broke. Putting her into a panic, Seth grabbed Jessica and tried to force her to kiss him. When she tried to escape, he bite her lower lip and pulled it away.

The way the attack was carried out was brutal and very well thought out. Seth wanted to “leave a mark” to ensure she would never be with another person. After that, he dragged her out of her car and slammed the door and then left.

Kayla was sitting in her car feeling faint and her cut lip was on her leg. She began to feel gloomy. The trauma made it hard for her to want to keep living. The suffering was greater than merely physical pain. It went deep and hurt very bad.

Although Seth tried to reach her, even in the ambulance she was aware of how much she had lost inside. She recalls the pain, the bewilderment and the sadness she felt at the loss of something very special, taken from her all at once.

Attempts were made to fix her lip by the doctors, but it was not repairable. The surgeons needed to make cuts in her cheeks to try and close the injury.

When she came out of surgery, a nurse tried to break the tension with a Halloween joke, but it made everything clearer. It was not a simple costume for him. Being a singer gave her a new style. Now, living at university was the main thing filling her days.

Kayla has a long scar running across her face, marking the event of that day. For some period, she thought it was her own fault. She considered if there was anything she might have done differently.

Still, she realized at some point: this wasn’t her own doing. She did not ask for this. Leaving Seth was the most courageous thing she ever did, even if it was very late.

A year after the attack, those responsible for it were caught. On October 18, 2018, a court sentenced Seth Aaron Fleury to 12 years in prison due to aggravated assault. Kayla found healing in different ways. It was a result of finding her own words, power and essence again.

She no longer defines herself as a victim. She often tells people she is a survivor. The scar does not make her feel ashamed — she is proud to show it. It marks her triumph over the hardships she met and managed to survive.

I promise to keep my tough moments as my strength and my kindness always. ”I’m going to get past this,” she replies.

Her experiences illustrate how love can change so quickly into a dangerous situation and suggest that getting out of a toxic relationship as a young and vulnerable person is difficult. It also shows how much strength people can find after something tragic happens.

Many people are still caught in abuse, unable to get away from fear, guilt or a wish that things would improve. Her story illustrates that sometimes the strongest move is to leave and look out for oneself.

If someone tells you they are in an abusive relationship, don’t hesitate. Don’t expect outcomes that are never achieved. Asking for help is possible. There is still a possibility of recovery. It is possible for things to shift and progress after divorce. Help is always around when you need it — you are never on your own.