Elena’s Point Of View

Matilda’s words hit me like a blow… sharp, cruel, deliberate, and for a moment, the world tilted. My fingers clenched into fists so tight my nails bit into my palms, the pain grounding me, anchoring me as the memories came rushing back… unwanted, unrelenting, raw.

Five years ago.

The hospital smelled of antiseptic and despair, the beep of the heart monitor a relentless countdown, each sound like a hammer against my ribs. Dave… my baby brother, my sunshine, the ...