Chapter 1:-Tragedy

                         Anna's POV

"My mother used to say, when there’s a heavy downpour of rain, it means the Earth is mourning dead souls."

The sharp crackle of lightning lit up the night, followed by a rumble of thunder that seemed to shake the car. 

The sound jolted me back to reality. I hated thunderstorms—the noise, the darkness, the way my chest tightened every time it struck.

I took a shaky breath, trying to focus. "Can you go any faster?" I asked the driver, my voice sharper than I intended.

“Sorry, ma’am, but I have to drive carefully. The roads are slick with rain,” he replied, his hands steady on the wheel.

I bit my lip, drumming my fingers anxiously on my thigh, feeling like something was clawing inside me. I tried blaming the weather or the pace of the drive, but deep down, I knew there was something else, something I couldn’t shake.

Desperate to distract myself, I reached into my bag, searching for my phone. Maybe scrolling through the internet would ease this gnawing anxiety.

But when I glanced at the screen, my heart dropped. A message from my sister.

"Hi Anna, call me as soon as you see this. It’s about Mum."

I dropped my phone onto my thigh, frustration knotting in my stomach. My head sank against the cold glass of the window, and I closed my eyes briefly, fighting the heavy feeling pressing down on me. My sister never texts me—unless there’s a problem.

With a deep sigh, I picked up my phone, staring at the screen for a moment before dialing her number. My fingers hovered over the call button, as if pressing it might make whatever she had to say all too real. But I couldn’t avoid it.

Bracing myself, I tapped to call, listening to the rings echo in my ear, each one building the weight of whatever news was coming.

“Hello,” Kate’s voice came through, shaky and strained.

“Hi, Kate. I got your text. What’s going on?” My voice wavered, a chill creeping over me as I picked up on the dread lacing her words.

“It’s… it’s Mum,” she stammered, her tone brittle, like she was on the verge of breaking down. “Her health is failing.”

A lump formed in my throat as tears pricked at my eyes, but I forced myself to stay steady. “What happened? Is it… is it serious?”

Kate took a shuddering breath. “The doctor says she needs immediate surgery. Her intestines are perforated from food poisoning, and the cost… we’ll need $100,000.”

“$100,000? Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?” I whispered, feeling the weight of it press down on me.

“I don’t know, sis,” Kate replied, her voice trembling. “Maybe… maybe we could try calling Dad?”

I closed my eyes, my mind racing with a hundred conflicting thoughts. “You know what, Kate? I’ll call you back. I just… I need a minute to think.”

“Alright. Just… don’t take too long.”

I dropped my phone onto the seat beside me, gripping the back of the passenger seat as I bowed my head, fighting to keep it together. “Oh no, no, no… this can’t be happening,” I whispered, a sob escaping despite myself. Memories of everything my mother had endured flooded my mind, making the pain sharper.

“Ma’am… are you alright?” the driver asked gently, glancing at me through the rearview mirror, concern etched on his face.

I forced myself to take a shaky breath, brushing away the tears as I tried to steady my voice. “Just… just keep driving, please.”

The driver’s voice had an undertone that struck a nerve, tugging at something buried, something painful. It reminded me of my father.

 The thought of him, especially now that Kate had suggested we ask for his help, made my stomach twist in fury and heartbreak.

I pressed the handkerchief to my face, willing the tears to stop. What kind of man abandons his wife and children without a second thought? My father—no, he wasn’t a father. He was the man who had shattered us.

Our world had crumbled the first time he’d raised a hand to my mother, his anger unleashed because she’d dared accuse him of cheating. And she’d been right. He didn’t care about the wounds he left behind, about the nights we stayed up waiting for him to come home. He just walked out, trading us in for his new life, his new wife, like we meant nothing.

A sob escaped me before I could choke it down. I wasn’t just grieving for my mother’s pain—I was grieving for the family we should have had but lost because of him.

The driver’s voice pulled me back to reality.

“We’re here, ma’am,” he said softly.

I quickly wiped my tears, digging into my bag for some cash. I handed it over with a faint nod, barely meeting his eyes. The cold air hit me as I pushed the door open and stepped out, the chill wrapping around me like a reminder of the reality I had to face.

I closed the door, and within seconds, he drove off, leaving me standing alone in the dark, under the weight of the storm and my own heartache.

The rain had stopped, but the cold clung to me, seeping through my clothes and chilling me to the bone. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself as I walked down the empty street, each step weighed down by exhaustion and dread.

When I reached my gate, a strange stillness settled over me. Normally, our dog, Chelie would be barking by now, announcing my arrival. But tonight, there was only silence. An unsettling quiet.

I hesitated, glancing around before pushing open the gate. 

I made my way through the garden, calling softly, “Chelie?” But there was no response. A prickle of unease crawled up my spine.

 The cold was biting, sinking into my bones, so I turned back toward the house, eager for warmth—only to stop short when I saw the front door ajar.

My heart skipped a beat. My mother and sister were still at the hospital, and no one else was supposed to be here. Fear tightened in my chest as the thought of an intruder crossed my mind.

Swallowing hard, I approached the door, weighing my options. I reached out, pushing it open just enough to slip inside, moving carefully, hoping to make as little noise as possible. 

As I stepped inside, my breath caught in my throat at the horrific sight before me. 

My father lay sprawled on the floor, drowning in a pool of his own blood, and hovering over him were two huge men in black suits, their faces shadowed and menacing.

Panic surged through me, and I covered my mouth to stifle a scream, the sound muffled by disbelief. 

My bag slipped from my grip, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Just as my instincts screamed for me to run, I felt a sudden prick in my neck—a sharp pain that turned into an icy grip of fear. A tranquilizer. 

My body betrayed me as I spun around, desperate to escape the nightmare, but my vision began to blur.

I fought to stay upright, my heart racing as the room swirled around me. I struggled to keep my balance, but my legs buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, the world fading to black.