Chapter 32: Forcing him to halt

**Valerie**

I walked into the room after a relaxing shower.

Grabbing my blow dryer, I began drying my hair while singing along to “In the Stars” by Benson Boone playing.

“I'm still holding on to everything that's dead and gone.”

“I don't wanna say goodbye cos this one means forever.”

“Now you're in the stars, and six feet never felt so far.”

At this point, I'd stopped drying my hair. The dryer served as a microphone while I sang my heart out, tears streaming down my cheeks.

“Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers.”

“It hurts so much, for a million different reasons, you took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces.”

Then I tossed the dryer and slumped into my bed with my half-dry hair, more tears rolling down from the sides of my eyes.

Maybe if my daughter survived, maybe I wouldn't feel so lonely and empty.

Just then, my phone started ringing. I sighed when I saw that the caller was Adam.

“Hello,” I murmured, placing the phone in my ear.

“Hey, Val. How are you d