25. The torment

I sat in my mom’s room in the Carlos mansion, unable to go back to our old apartment, my mom had already given it away, and staying there felt impossible. The Carlos mansion had become a constant reminder of the pain, of everything that had happened in my life, and the fact that I was at the center of it all.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my slender features draped in black, the same outfit I wore to her funeral. The sight of myself made my stomach twist with guilt and grief. Memories flooded my mind, when Chloe died, when my dad left, and now, my mom. The weight of it all threatened to break me. The urge to cry and scream at the same time was overwhelming, like a slap to the face that I couldn’t escape.

The door creaked open, and I quickly looked up to see Mrs. Carlos stepping inside, also dressed in black. The sight of her in mourning attire felt like a cruel mockery, a reminder of her role in all of this.

“Poor girl,” she said, her voice smooth as she walked over and lea