A Mother's Love, A Daughter's Fury

ews cycle, ravenous and fleeting, talked about the

a mask of practiced sympathy. "It' s a known fact th

ued. "He must be devastated. Imagine the pressure, tryi

band. The reclusive, unstable wife. The story was clean, simple, and w

f it was full of lies. I needed to know if there was

ept into the library and used the old landline, dialing the private numbe

as music in the background,

ice trembled.

e. "Ava, I am in the middle of a very i

s sticking in my throat. "They foun

void of emotion. "I saw the news alerts. It'

e was reading fro

t Da

alking about. She runs off, does something reckless to get attention, and this is the result. Sh

ng. He was blaming her. He was blam

my control shattering. "You sen

from them. It' s her own fault." His voice was firm, absolute. He was rewriting history in real-time. "Charlotte and I are handling the

tions?" I

becoming softer, almost gentle. It was his deal-closing voice. "Listen, Ava. I' m closing a big merger. It' s critical. I' ll be back i

ne wen

tone. A proper family. The words echoed in the silent room. He had er

s. My father was the enemy. The wor

umber for my mother' s brother, Dr. Ethan Vance. He was a scientist, like her, working at a university

er. He answered o

ice was warm, a l

than?" I

"Ava? Is that yo

and uncontrolled. I couldn' t form word

his voice instantly sharp with concern

r' s coldness, the phone call. I told him about Charlotte an

his end of the line was heavy, charged with a gro

, my voice was

back," I said.

on my way. I' m booking the first flight out. Don' t talk to anyone. Don

Ye

' re going to find out what really happened to your mother." He paused, and

ar. It was hope. It was the knowledge that I wasn' t completely alone anymore.