Love, Loss, and Vengeful Hearts

ed the phone

so calm and composed, was twisted with a rage I

d, his voice a low growl. He was already

mfort me, but her own sobs were tearing

my son," he said, hi

cted. David pu

want, Dad?" Mark's voi

" David asked, his vo

is this about? First Sarah calls s

nto the silence. "Ethan is dead. He died of heat stroke, locked

silence on the oth

t him in the supply closet for a time-out. I didn't know it was the server room. I was going to let him out in a few min

flimsy, so pathetic,

r five-year-old son, slipped your mind? You left him to cook to deat

yone's to blame, it's Sarah! She's the one who's always so soft on him, never

nausea. He was blaming

"How can you say that, Mark

ok, it's a tragedy, okay? I feel bad. But it's done. Freaking out isn't going to brin

dn't even form words. He just discon

. My husband. The family I thought I had. It was all a lie, and the truth was a

d to Mary. But the words had no

quiet, persistent man with kind eyes, led the investigation. He was patient

to deliver the final autopsy report. He sat across fr

Miller," he said gently. "But I ne

ed from hyperthermia. That's the official term for heat stroke

he inside of the door was covered in scratch marks. His fingernai

it. My little boy, clawing at the door, his small hands

well," Ramirez continued, his voice heavy.

ician, provided more details. His testimony wa

unable to sleep, my mind a

ught it was weird, but he's the boss. I didn't think... I never thought he'd just leave him in there. An hour or so later, I saw him leaving with his assistant, Chloe. They were laughing. They looked like they were heading on vacation. The cl

it all. I could hear Ethan's

nd the last of my c

n. I was just a vessel