77 And It Happened Like This

~Justin~

I sat in silence, my patience unwavering as I waited for Sophia to unravel her story. Anxious about what I might hear, yet clinging to the hope that her words would provide a much-needed breakthrough, as we were currently at a dead end.

"My father returned home that night covered in blood and tears," she began, her voice filled with a mix of anguish and determination.

"He was weeping, and my mother became frantic. At the time, I was in the living room, watching television, but when my mother asked me to go upstairs, I remained frozen."

She continued, recounting a moment that had left an indelible mark on her life.

"I had never seen my father covered in blood before. I had never seen him cry, but he was crying."

Sophia's voice quivered with emotion as she described the scene.

"My mother moved closer to him, but he shook his head, begging her to stay away."

She then began to narrate her father's frantic words, her eyes glistening with tears.

"He said, 'I had no choice,