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.

already gone dead. For the first time ever, she'd

tears and turned to her father's body, lying still on the bed. Tears

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

the funeral arrangements. Her eyes were swollen from endless crying, her chest hollowed out as if someone had physically carved her heart away. And she moved through the world like a zombie, just a shell of

could manage was a call to

is almost over," he told her gently. "Just three more days. And Ms. Faerwyn... I'm truly

to see her several times, but she refused to open

the cemetery, his face a mask of frustration and

Vivian. I'm sorry for your father's death and I've apologized multiple times. How long are you going to

all the warmth and longing that had once filled

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

regret."He stormed off without

him go, Elaine's eyes rimmed