Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 26 Bad News

After that day, Arthur called me nonstop. I got so fed up, I just turned off my phone.

A week later, a colleague from the hospital showed up at my door with devastating news: my mom had died.

I bolted out of the house, running toward the hospital. I hadn't gone far when a car screeched to a stop in front of me. It was Ethan. He drove me to the hospital.

The doctor said my mom passed away at 6 AM. Her condition had worsened the night before, but they couldn't reach me. In the morning, my colleagues tracked down Arthur and got my address.

In the morgue, I could barely stand, staring at the white sheet on the gurney. My world felt drained of color, just black and white.

Doctors and nurses who knew me stood at the door, not daring to come in.

me around and held me up. Ethan didn't say a word, but his embrace was

sat in front of the tombstone for hours. It was pouring rain, and Ethan stood behind me, holding

said, his voice muffled by

getting sick wouldn't bring my mom

it got darker and the rain got heavier, Ethan picked me up. My face pressed against his chest,

in the passenger seat and buckled my seatbelt. Ethan

to go home," I said,

a cigarette from his pocket,

left the umbrella at the cemetery, so we stayed in the car for a while. Through the rain-soaked window, I stared into Broadway Alley. The

then, life wasn't rich, but it was happy. That time was short, but it left me with my

was shivering more, Ethan unbuckled his