The investigator threw a stack of files in front of Rowan.
“Mr. Castellano, twelve years back you were into the Black Serpent crew for three hundred K. They told you to deliver your sister to some warehouse, and your debt was square.”
The investigator’s voice echoed clearly through our empty living room.
“Job done, you’re clean.”
I looked at Rowan’s instantly pale face and asked slowly.
“You know what I never got, Rowan? Why you ran so fast that night.”
“Turns out you weren’t running away.”
“You were closing a deal.”
The truth was like scissors, violently tearing away the last shred of dignity.
Mom and Dad both looked stunned.
They stared at Rowan like he was some terrifying stranger.
“Rowan… is what he’s saying true?” Mom’s voice was shaking like crazy.
Rowan was trembling violently, sweat pouring down his face.
Those files had his recorded phone calls with the crew leader, his bank transfer records.
The evidence was solid–no room for lies.
“You sick fuck!”
Dad roared and grabbed a chair, smashing it into Rowan.
“How did I raise such a worthless piece of garbage! She was your SISTER!”
The chair cracked against Rowan’s back with a sickening thud.
He didn’t dodge, just let Dad beat him over and over.
Blood quickly started seeping through his thin shirt.
Mom collapsed on the floor, wailing.
Chapter 8
She was crying for both of her children–the innocent daughter she’d thrown under the bus, and the son she’d protected who turned out to be the devil all along.
Rowan got thrown out again.
Dad looked like all his strength had been drained, aging twenty years overnight.
He just sat in his study day after day, not saying a word.
Mom started learning to do housework, learning to take care of me.
Maybe because my hatred finally had an outlet, or maybe that suffocating feeling in my chest had lifted.
I started being able to eat small amounts.
I’d still throw up, but at least I wasn’t completely starving myself anymore.
Mom rented me a small apartment by the ocean.
“Mia, you’re on your own now. Whatever you want to do, it’s your call.”
“Your dad and I are done telling you what to do.”
I stood on the apartment balcony, looking at the deep blue sea in the distance.
The ocean breeze lifted my hair, carrying that salty, humid smell.
I could finally stand and walk like a normal person.
Yeah, I was still slow, still limped a little.
But I knew I was free.
Free from the past, from hatred, from that broken family.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed. Text from a number I didn’t recognize.
Sorry. Hope you’re okay.]
knew it was Rowan.
I stared at the message and felt… nothing. Just deleted it and blocked the number.
Some damage can never be forgiven.
Some past can only stay in the past.
I turned around and saw Mom downstairs with groceries, smiling up at me.
Chapter R
Sunlight hit her gray hair, giving it this golden glow.
I smiled back at her–just a little one, but it was real.
For the first time in years, I felt something like hope.
Tomorrow would be better. And maybe, just maybe, so would the day after that.
Some families break. Some heal. And some… some learn to build something new from the pieces.
We were finally ready to try.
