After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 8

In that moment, the world around her seemed to blur as she collapsed to the floor. Her phone rang, and she answered mechanically, hearing Alistair's voice.

"The baby's stable now. I've released the blood supply back to the hospital."

She let out a hollow laugh as tears streamed down her face."Too late. My father just died."

Silence stretched between them, broken only by her quiet sobs. Finally, Alistair spoke. "I... I didn't think it would turn out like this."

The pain behind her eyes was unbearable. Elaine stared up at the ceiling, seems seeing her father's face looking back at her.

"God, Alistair, if only I'd never fallen for you," she whispered. "My dad would never have let me marry you. He wouldn't have gone after you when he found out about Vivian. He'd still be alive."

"I hate myself for ever loving you."Her voice-flat, lifeless.Something was slipping away from him, something he suddenly realized he wanted to hold onto.

gone dead. For the first time

at the hospital, Elaine wiped her tears and turned to her father's body, lying still on the bed.

I'm so sorry. I failed you.""Dad, I'm taking

home and spent five days handling the funeral arrangements. Her eyes were swollen from endless crying, her chest hollowed out as if someone had physically carved her heart

could manage was a

her gently. "Just three more days. And

three days, Alistair tried to see her several times,

cornered her at the cemetery, his face

sorry for your father's death and I've apologized multiple times. How

the warmth and longing that had once filled her eyes completely

asked you to come find me, Alistair."He froze, then anger flashed

regret."He stormed off without

Elaine's