Silence sits in the room like a living thing; hot, suffocating, and trembling at the edges and I love it. In savoring the moment as I watch it all break.

Feels good.

Maria is still yelling, Bella is still sobbing loudly, my father looks like he’s aged ten years in ten seconds, and Chase has yet to lift his gaze from the floor.

I am loving this.

Yeah, I know I've already said it but it feels good to watch them break. To watch them know that I was into them from the very beginning.

I rise ...