The whisper of the wind brushed against Ariana's face as she stood motionless, her heels buried in the dewy grass of the cemetery. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks, blurring her vision as she stared at the polished marble gravestone before her. In one trembling hand, she held a crumpled handkerchief; in the other, a bouquet of white lilies; Aurora's favorite.

Today was the funeral of her sister, her best friend, her guiding light; Aurora Sawyer.

The loss was a wound so raw, so gaping, Ariana could barely breathe through it.

"I honestly don't know what happened," she whispered, her voice breaking with grief. "But I promise you, Aurora... I will find out... Whoever did this, whoever took you from us, they will pay... I won't rest until justice is served."

Her voice cracked on the last word as she gently placed the bouquet at the base of the gravestone. Her fingers lingered over her sister's engraved name, as if by touching it, she could feel Aurora one last time.

Her mother, Mrs. Sawyer, approached her.

"Ariana, it's time to go," Mrs. Sawyer said, fighting back her tears.

"Mum," Ariana whispered as she embraced her. Slowly and painfully, they turned and walked away.

The chauffeur opened the car door for them without a word. Ariana and Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer climbed in. The ride home began in silence, broken only by Ariana's quiet sniffles as she fought back her tears.

"I know Aurora didn't die an ordinary death," Mrs. Sawyer sniffled.

"Yes, Mum. Aurora was killed by someone," Ariana replied, wiping her tears.

"Who the hell did she offend that made them want her dead?" Mrs. Sawyer muttered.

"Please get that out of your head. Aurora is dead and gone," Mr. Sawyer said firmly, leaving no room for further discussion.

The car was silent again, except for their soft sobs. Ariana wiped her tears, her hands clasped tightly on her lap as she stared out the window at the city of Toronto.

She had returned to Canada just days ago, summoned by the unimaginable news of Aurora's sudden, mysterious death. Her sister had been running their father's legacy: Sawyer Enterprises, an empire built on luxury fashion, real estate, tech, and global finance. Aurora had led it with grace, strength, and a fire that lit up every boardroom she entered.

And just like that... she was gone.

Ariana's throat tightened. It shouldn't have been her.

Once home, she rushed upstairs, kicked off her heels, and collapsed onto her bed, the sobs breaking loose before she could stop them. She reached into her drawer and pulled out a framed photo, one of her and Aurora taken years ago. They were both laughing, arms slung around each other, youthful and carefree.

Now, that moment was just a ghost. Ariana clutched the photo to her chest, sobbing into her pillow as waves of grief crashed over her again and again, the emptiness was unbearable.

A sharp knock startled her.

"Ariana," came the soft, gravelly voice of Mr. Sawyer.

"Come in, Dad," she called, hurriedly wiping her tears and sliding the picture back into the drawer.

The door opened, and Mr. Sawyer stepped in. The lines on his face had deepened, and his eyes were dim and tired. Worries hung heavily on him like a cloak.

He walked over quietly, sitting at the edge of her bed.

"Ariana..." he began gently. "I know this is a lot but you need to stop crying."

"How?" she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. "Dad, I've been trying... I really have."

He placed a steadying hand on hers. "If you keep falling apart like this, how do you think your mother will handle it? We can't all break at the same time."

Ariana said nothing, only nodded with her lips trembling.

"You have to be strong now," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "Stronger than you've ever been."

She buried her face in his chest as more tears escaped.

"None of this makes sense," she murmured. "Who would want her dead? Aurora never hurt anyone..."

"No one wants her dead, she died in her office." her father said, his voice barely above a whisper. "She did it herself."

"No, she can't do that... and It's barely a year since she took over the company," Ariana sobbed. "She was finally living her dream... and now she's just... gone."

Mr. Sawyer gently pulled away to look at her, his eyes glistening with unspoken grief.

"I know," he said. "I feel it too."

"You don't look like it," Ariana said, her voice quiet but pointed. "You're holding it all in."

"Being broken doesn't mean you have to show it," he replied after a pause. "It doesn't mean you're not hurting. Trust me, Ariana... I am. Aurora was my daughter and I loved her deeply just like I love you but crying won't bring her back and It won't help us find answers. What will help is strength and unity."

He exhaled, a single tear slipping down his cheek. He wiped it quickly, as though even that was too much to give in to.

"We have to be strong for your mother," he said. "For each other. That's what Aurora would have wanted."

Ariana nodded slowly. "I'm trying, Dad... I really am but it's hard. Everything feels like it's falling apart."

He helped her to her feet.

"I know, sweetheart, I know but we will get through this."

"We need to find out what really happened to her," she said, her voice hard.

"We definitely will," Mr. Sawyer said firmly.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on. Let's go check on your mother."

Ariana sniffed, wiped her tears for the final time, and followed him out of her room, one heavy step at a time.

They arrived at the room, hearts heavy with dread, and slowly opened the door. Inside, the sound of muffled sobs echoed, Mrs. Sawyer sat hunched on the couch, her face buried in her trembling hands as she wept bitterly.

"Mom!" Ariana cried out, rushing to her side without hesitation.

Mrs. Sawyer looked up, her tear-streaked face contorted with pain. "Ari...ana," she whispered brokenly, barely able to form the words.

Ariana knelt beside her, wrapping her arms tightly around her mother. "Mom, please... you have to stop crying," she whispered, her own voice quivering. "I know it hurts, but breaking down like this... it's only going to make things worse for your health. Please, I need you to be strong."

Mrs. Sawyer shook her head as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. "Your sister... my baby girl..." she sobbed, the weight of her grief crashing down again.

"Mom, we've gone past this," Ariana said, wiping her own tears.

Aurora's death had carved a hollow wound in all their hearts, but for Ariana, it felt like a piece of her soul had been torn away. The pain was raw, deep, and unrelenting.

She clutched her mother tighter, trying to stay strong, but the memories flooded her; sharp, vivid, and unbearable. Her mind took her back to the moment Aurora stood at the doorway, suitcase in hand, ready to return to New York after a short visit. She hugged Ariana tightly.

"Ariana," Aurora had said, staring at her, "I need you to promise me something. No matter what happens, remember that I'm always here for you, in your heart, in your memories and always, but now, it's time for you to head back to New York and finish your studies, okay?"

Ariana had nodded back then, not knowing it would be the last time she would see her sister alive.

Now, she had finally completed her studies, she had been so excited to come home and share the good news, to tell Aurora that she had made it, that she had kept her promise but instead, she was met with a phone call that shattered her world. A call that made her drop everything and book the earliest flight to Canada.

Now, here she was, staring at a painful reality she had never prepared for, her beloved sister was truly gone.

"Aurora," she whispered through her tears, "I wasn't ready to say goodbye and I never will be."

Mrs. Sawyer let out another choked sob, and Ariana held her even tighter, both of them consumed by their loss.

Aurora may be gone from this world, but her presence lingered in every corner of their hearts; strong, and unforgettable.

Yes she was gone... but never forgotten.