Chapter 4

There was so much blood.

My parents lay hand in hand on the cold bathroom floor.

The blood had covered every inch of the ground, leaving nowhere to even set foot.

I stood there, numb and hollow inside, as people moved through my house, taking care of my parents' remains.

Someone tried to speak to me, but it was like I was sealed off inside a vacuum. All I could see was the way their lips moved, soundless.

I couldn't hear a single word.

*****

As I slowly came back to reality, I finally noticed the call hadn't ended yet.

Kamron was still talking—he'd been going on for over an hour, but his voice just faded into background noise as my mind wandered.

Suddenly, the bloody scene in the bathroom rushed back into my head, raw and vivid.

I let my phone slip from my fingers, and it hit the floor with a heavy crash.

I stayed at home for a week, and Anabel was there with me every single day.

She didn't even set foot in the office—all her attention was on me.

On the eighth day, my parents and Bryant finally came home.

The moment Mom walked through the door, she hurried over and pulled me into a tight hug.

She said, "My precious girl, as long as you're back, that's all that matters. This place will always be your haven."

"Whenever you're hurting or you feel tired, just remember—your home is always right here, and so are we."

"Come home, sweetheart," she said.

Mom's warm, steady embrace was the last straw. I couldn't hold back anymore, and I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably in her arms.

I wished I could tell them the truth.

I wanted to let them know that none of them was here anymore.

They were all gone...

How could a place that was nothing but an empty shell still be called a home?

Through my tears, I caught Anabel standing aside, her expression aching with worry and sadness.

Dad and Bryant were nearby, letting out heavy sighs.

Bryant came over and gave me a playful pat on the back.

He teased, "Vero, you're still such a softie. Already grown up and still clinging to Mom to cry—shame on you!"

Mom pretended to be mad and gave Bryant a playful smack.

She said, "Your sister's upset, and you're still teasing her!"

Anabel, never one to miss a chance to stir things up, chimed in.

She said, "Exactly! No wonder Bryant can't get a girlfriend—he's such a clueless guy! Serves him right! Mom, go ahead and smack him again!"

Mom didn't hold back—she gave both Bryant and Anabel a good smack at the same time.

Those two, usually all serious as top execs at the office, were now bouncing around like little kids, yelping "Ouch! Ouch!" as Mom chased them across the living room.

Honestly, it was hilarious.

I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Bryant clutched his sore butt and whined, "Mom, Vero's finally laughing—enough already, okay? Maybe your hand isn't sore, but my butt sure is!"

Mom shot him a look. "Seriously? You're all grown up—can you please keep at least a little dignity in front of your sisters?"

Mom just shook her head, clearly exasperated with Bryant's antics.

"Alright, that's enough. Your mom's only just recovered—don't tire her out," Dad finally spoke up.

He'd just been standing on the sidelines watching us fool around, but now he finally said something.

As soon as Dad spoke, Bryant and Anabel—both still a little scared of him—went completely still.

"Mom is sick? When did that happen? What happened to her?" I couldn't help blurting out, worry tightening in my chest.

I hurried over to Mom, feeling panic rising inside me.

Mom pulled me into a hug, rolling her eyes at Dad—half annoyed, half amused.

She said, "Didn't I tell you not to bring it up?"

As she brushed my hair, her voice went gentle. "Don't listen to your dad. Seriously, it's nothing, just a minor thing. A couple of IV fluids and I was totally fine."

Seeing that I still wasn't convinced, Anabel put on a gentle smile and tried to comfort me.

Anabel said to me, "After I called Mom that day, she was in such a hurry to come back that she just collapsed from all the stress. The doctors kept her at the hospital for a few days, but the moment they let her leave, she came straight home to see you. It wasn't anything major—she just let her emotions get the best of her, that's all.

"Honestly, it was kind of my fault. I wasn't clear enough when I called her, so she thought something bad had happened to you. Later I called back and explained everything, and she stayed in the hospital until she was feeling better before coming home."

Bryant caught my eye and flashed me a reassuring grin.

He said, "Don't worry, Vero. We're here for you. We came back because of you—so, have you really made up your mind?"

I glanced at Anabel, who was smiling softly at me; then at Dad, calm and dignified; and finally at Bryant, intent and waiting for my reply.

Last, my eyes landed on Mom, her smile gentle and full of love.

I gave a solemn nod.

I said, "I'm absolutely sure. This time, for real—I'm divorcing Kamron."

Bryant nodded.

He said, "Alright. The past few days at work, I've come up with all kinds of ways we could handle this divorce with the Rhodes family. You know our families have been working together forever.

"So, I laid out the most reasonable terms I could—making sure our partnership stays solid, no drama."