Elara’s POV.

The hallway went quiet. The doctor took off his gloves, sighed, and said the words I never wanted to hear. “I’m sorry… we did all we could.”

I froze. The sound in the room vanished. Everyone at the reception kept a curious look at the doctor. I watched closely while he wiped the sweat on his forehead with his handkerchief. He wasn’t going to say anything positive from my observation. I just hoped he did, the little boy deserved none of these. The doctor exhaled. I felt the tension. My body went numb as the words echoed in my head.

“I’m sorry he couldn’t make it,” He voiced—soothingly. The little boy was gone.

Julius stumbled back, his face breaking apart. He let out a sound that was part cry, part scream. Selene covered her mouth and started crying too, and before I knew it, I was crying harder than I ever had in my life. My chest hurt, my eyes burned, and I couldn’t breathe.

I felt so silent, like my word was slowly coming to an end. He wouldn’t let this slide, he was definitely going to do something rash at the spot. The young man looked rugged and tough. His tattoo of a serpent on his hands alone spoke louder than anything else.

“He was just thirteen!” Julius echoed as he turned furiously to me. His eyes widened and his veins erupted from his skin like a web. He groaned and clenched his hands. I could hear his breath, it was fast and heavy, ready to tear me into pieces. His eyes were red and wild. “You killed him!” he shouted, pointing at me. “You killed my brother!”

“I didn’t mean to,” I said between tears, my voice shaking. “It was an accident—”

“Accident?” he snapped, stepping closer. “You were reckless! You should be in jail! You don’t deserve to live either! I’ll kill you! You peasant! You piece of shit!!”

He tried to reach for me, but two nurses and a doctor grabbed him, holding him back. He struggled.

“Let go of me! Let me teach this daughter of a bitch a lesson! She’s taken my only brother and only so long I’ve got left!” I just stood there, frozen, my tears falling nonstop.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered again, but it sounded useless. Empty.

When he finally stopped fighting, he dropped to his knees. “He was all I had,” he sobbed. “All I had left.”

I felt pity on him. My eyes narrowed, my hands rubbed together. I wished I could go closer to him, perhaps hold his hands, look straight into his eyes and say how sorry I was, but that could end up being my last minute, because he was willing to strangle me to death at the spot.

Hearing that made my stomach twist. I looked away, hugging myself tightly. Everything I touched seemed to break. Kyle , my mother, this boy… all gone, or ruined because of me.

I sank to the floor, covering my face. “I’ll never forgive them,” I muttered, my voice shaking. “Never.”

Selene knelt beside me, pulling me into her arms. “Elara, please,” she said softly. “Don’t say that.”

But I meant it. I meant every word.

The young man couldn’t stop. I turned to see how he cried. Covering his face like a baby. A man so huge, muscular, tough with such a scary and intimidating look, crying to dear. His emotions were hit. He was shattered.

The hospital doors opened again. An old woman slowly walked in, leaning on a cane. Her face looked tired, lined with years, but her eyes were kind. She moved straight toward Julius, who stood up weakly.

“Grandma,” he whispered, his voice cracking.

She put her hand on his cheek. “Where is he?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Julius didn’t answer. The doctor looked away. That was enough. The old woman’s lips quivered, and she covered her mouth. Tears rolled down her wrinkled cheeks, but she didn’t cry out. She just took a deep breath and whispered, “May he rest in peace.”

Then she looked at Julius. “My boy,” she said softly, “let it go. Don’t carry hate. It will only eat you.”

Julius clenched his fists. “She killed him, Grandma.” He yelled, pointing fingers at me. I shivered as my eyes widened. The old woman turned to me. Our eyes collided. My heart raced, I wondered what she’ll give as a verdict. She struggled slowly with her cane support to where I was.

“Young lady.” She whispered.

Her voice broke me. I felt maybe I should have exchanged my life with her grandson’s, at least for her sake. I imagined the joy the little boy gave her, the smiles she had with her grandson, now I’ve taken that away. All because I was eaten up by hate, anger, rage, betrayal. But all that didn’t count. I’d killed an innocent little boy who meant the world to people.

“I’m… I’m so sorry grandma, it was an accident, wasn’t ever an intentional act,” I whispered. She exhaled. Shook slowly. She didn’t utter a word.

“Grandma, she’s never getting away with it!” Julius echoed again.

“She didn’t mean to,” she said gently. “I know pain when I see it. That girl’s carrying her own.”

Her words hit me hard. I didn’t even know her, yet she looked at me like she could see straight through me. My lips trembled. “I’m sorry,” I said again, barely above a whisper.

She nodded slowly, then hugged Julius, who broke down in her arms.

"Let's go and see his body, at least his last smile,” Julius voiced. He walked with the doctors into the theatre with the doctor and his grandma.

Selene helped me stand. My legs felt heavy. “Let’s go, Elara,” she said quietly. “You’ve done all you can.”

The air outside was cold, and the city lights looked blurry through my wet lashes. I didn’t want to go home, not to that house, not to those memories. I just kept walking until we reached a small hotel by the main road.

There was a loud party going on inside. Laughter, music, flashing lights, but all I saw was the bar. I went straight in, sat down, and ordered a bottle of beer.

“Ma’am, are you sure?” the bartender asked.

“You look—”

“Yes,” I said quickly. “Just bring it.”

He brought the bottle, and I drank. One gulp, then another, until the bitterness didn’t even sting anymore. Selene had gone back home to meet her cruel dad who never wanted her out late at night. I was left alone to roam around the city halls, searching for a solution to my problem which seemed unending.

After the second bottle, the noise around me faded into a dull hum. I didn’t care who was watching. I just wanted to forget.

“Maybe I deserve the pain,” I said out loud, not caring if anyone heard.

The music in the bar was loud, and the lights blinked like stars that had lost their way. I sat at the corner table, my head spinning a little, my fingers wrapped around a half-empty glass.

My heart still ached from Kyle ’s betrayal, and the alcohol was the only thing keeping my thoughts quiet.

I sighed and looked around, watching strangers laugh and shout over the music. That was when I saw a small crowd of men at the far end of the bar. They were teasing someone, pushing him to drink more. “Come on! Don’t stop now!” one of them yelled, and they all burst into laughter.

I sighted a tattoo on his hands. It looked familiar. I watched closely to see if I’ll recognize the figure.

“Come on Julius! Two more bottles left, you’re a man!” Another man added.

The name hit me like cold water. Julius. My eyes focused, and when he stumbled and fell to the ground, my heart froze. It was him—the man from the hospital. The brother of the boy I killed in that accident.

Without thinking, I got up and rushed over. He was lying on the floor, smelling of beer and pain. His shirt was wrinkled, his hair messy, his eyes empty.

“That’s enough,” I snapped at the men, my voice sharp. “If you care at all, don’t make him drink again.” They went silent as I helped Julius to his feet.

I stood up and walked over. “Julius,” I said softly.

He turned his head slowly, eyes unfocused. “You again,” he slurred. “The driver? Are you the driver who… or perpahs, you came to hand me over to death itself?” He laughed out loud like he was full of cocaine.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” I said, trying to sound calm. “You shouldn’t be alone like this.”

He laughed weakly, a sound that didn’t match his face. “Everyone’s gone,” he said. “What’s left?”

He was heavy, half-conscious, his arm resting over my shoulder.

I helped him walk to the receptionist.

“Please I’ll need a room for the young man,”

I paid for a night. Julius kept on spilling words I couldn’t comprehend, but along the line he mentioned his brother's name, Caleb.

I felt pain. My chest sank deep as I led him through the stairs to room 47.

Inside the room, I laid him on the bed and turned to leave. But then, his hand caught mine. His eyes met mine—confused, broken and before I knew it, his lips were on mine. The world spun again, only this time, it wasn’t from the drink.