Born to destroy

I was sitting in front of the window. I needed to catch my breath. The phone rang, and my heart raced when I saw who was calling. Two phrases ran through my head: "It started all over again." "This will never end."

For the past three years, my life had turned upside down. I've read many drama, romance, and suspense novels, but I've never seen anything like this happen, not in stories, movies, or any family. I hung up the phone without answering. I took a deep breath and made some tea. The tears started to fall, and a flood of memories rushed through my mind.

I'm not ready. Not now. I can't go through it all again.

With the arrival of spring, I was excited to start new projects. It had been almost two years since I had produced anything significant at work. The tough times had drained my energy and all my drive. I sat down, opened my computer, and promised to dedicate myself fully to my projects. I managed to reconnect with some old clients and was really committed.

But that call left me paralyzed.

At the end of the day, I turned my phone back on. There were numerous missed calls and three messages. It was urgent. Once again, the ground was opening up beneath me, and the cause was the same. Indeed, it wasn't over. The snake was still slithering around everyone, ready to strike again, for the final blow.

I called my husband, trembling. I asked him to come home early. He arrived, looking displeased.

"Who sent those messages?" he asked.

"Your Aunt Lurdes. She's desperate. She asked us to go to their town today."

"Impossible. And even if it were possible, I already said I'm done with this."

"I'll tell her we can't help anymore. We've done everything we could."

"Okay, do that," my husband replied, ending the conversation.

Two days later, we received an unexpected visit. I heard footsteps outside, and the dogs barked. I checked the window, and there she was: Aunt Lurdes.

"Good morning, dear. Sorry for not giving you a heads-up, but I had to come as quickly as I could," she said, looking a bit embarrassed and with a suspicious glance.

Aunt Lurdes didn't know how I would react to her visit. It had been a year since we last heard from her, and during this time, she hadn't sent a single message to check on us after everything that had happened.

"Come in, Aunt Lurdes, it's still cold outside," I said to her, who was standing at the door.

It was almost noon, and her visit felt like a punch in the stomach. I canceled my afternoon work appointments, informed my husband, and quickly prepared lunch for us. Aunt Lurdes was apprehensive, barely speaking, only answering my obvious questions with yes or no. I knew what she was thinking at that moment. In fact, she was filled with a mix of shame and regret. Her face showed it. I didn't blame her. Anyone could have been deceived like she was, given the information she had a long time ago.

We finished lunch, and I looked at her intently and asked:

"So, what's going on? You came to visit us so suddenly for a special reason, right?"

She lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, took a deep breath. I noticed a flood of memories passed through her eyes as well. Then she replied:

"We're facing a problem with her, again."

I knew it. But I didn't feel like talking about anything related to that woman.

Luckily, my husband appeared at the door.

"Dear Aunt Lurdes, what an honor to have you here."

"Dear nephew, I feel the same. It's been so long since we last talked. I wished I had come earlier, but you know how things are."

"Yes, I know, aunt, but I believe the reason for your visit is something else, am I right?"

She stared at him for a moment and replied:

"I wish I could bring good news, but unfortunately, that's not why I came. I need help. I know you're the right person."

A silence filled the room. I knew this silence well.