Chapter 3

****

Grace suddenly woke up from yet another terrifying dream, sweating and crying at the same time. Looking around the room, she felt a sense of terror, realizing her parents, who were supposed to be there with her, weren't. She did the only thing she could think of—she tried calling for them, but there was no response. She continued screaming until nurses rushed through the door, followed by her father’s secretary, Mrs. Hail.

"Where are my parents?" Grace asked, not wanting to contemplate anything negative. Her eyes darted between Mrs. Hail and the sad expression on her face. Fearful and still unwilling to accept the harsh reality, Grace pleaded, "Please, Mrs. Hail, my parents, they are okay, right? They are just sleeping in one of the hospital beds like I am, getting treated, right? Please tell me," she implored, tears streaming down her face.

All she wanted was to see her mom and dad smiling at her again. Even if she never went to university, it would be okay as long as they were alive.

However, Mrs. Hail refused to provide any information, keeping a somber gaze fixed on Grace. Unable to accept the unspoken truth in those sad eyes, Grace raised her voice and said, "TELL ME; WHERE ARE MY PARENTS?" Just as she prepared to confront Mrs. Hail further, the doctor entered the room.

"She’s right; as the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Bush, she has every right to know about her parents' situation," the doctor asserted, shifting his gaze from Mrs. Hail to Grace. "We are sorry for keeping this from you all this while, Miss Grace, about your parents' situation."

"Wait!" Mrs. Hail interrupted the doctor, then turned to Grace, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I am sorry for not saying anything. I wanted to make it easy for you, but maybe I was wrong. Brace yourself, Grace, for what the doctor is about to tell you will not be easy to bear, okay?"

Grace looked at her calmly and said, "Okay."

Grace was calm, perhaps because she already had a sense of what they were going to tell her.

However, her hopefulness was shattered when the doctor revealed the harsh reality. After the accident, they were brought in by strangers who witnessed the incident. The truck driver responsible had his arms decapitated due to the impact of the metal pole. Efforts were made to contact family members, leading Mrs. Hail to learn about the accident.

"Okay, but what about my parents? What happened to them?" Grace urgently questioned them, her anxiety growing as they still hadn't disclosed the information she needed the most.

"About your parents..." the doctor began, and Grace looked into his eyes, holding her breath. "Your mother is still alive; she is a strong woman."

"Okay," Grace sighed in relief, but then anxiously asked, "my father; how is he doing?" A heavy silence filled the room, with the doctor now mirroring Mrs. Hail's earlier reluctance. "Doctor, my father, how is he doing?"

"Your father…."

Grace learned that her father, after being brought to the hospital, experienced a painful death. The metal pole in his chest couldn't be removed, and he kept asking for Grace and her mother, pleading with the doctor to save them. Her mother, in shock, went into a coma, and the doctor couldn't predict when or if she would wake up. Grace, miraculously, emerged with only a scratch, saved by her father, who jumped in to protect her.

The trauma and pain inflicted on an eighteen-year-old who lost her entire family in a single day were unimaginable. Grace cried until there were no tears left to shed. She fainted, woke up, and cried again upon seeing her mother's state, but nothing could bring her father back or revive her barely alive mother. She cursed and wished for God to turn back time to let her die instead of her father, but such wishes went unanswered.

Adding to her misery, none of her relatives or uncles visited the hospital, showing no concern for her until the lawyer revealed her father's will.

According to the will, whoever took care of Grace on his behalf would inherit his wealth, but only when she came of age to manage the inheritance and the company left in her name. Out of necessity, Grace entrusted everything to Mrs. Hail until she was old enough and knowledgeable enough to handle it herself. Despite her relatives' displeasure, the will protected her decisions.

After that, a series of traumatic events unfolded, worsening Grace's suffering. She couldn't recall details of her university experience or graduation, finding no joy in her accomplishments. She went to university because it was necessary, a step toward understanding her father's business, even though Mrs. Hail was managing it for the time being.