Love to the Brink, Only Empty Joy

Looking at the belongings scattered across the floor, I couldn't help but shout out.

I desperately tried to gather everything back together.

I thought Oliver had rushed here because he realized that Cora was already gone.

I thought he brought Selah to apologize.

But no, instead of grieving, they were here to blame her for something she didn't do.

Selah, disgusted, stepped on Cora's favorite teddy bear with her red high heels.

She snapped, "Oliver, she is still lying.

"I ran into Cora at the hospital the other day, and I was kind enough to buy her a cup of coffee. It was a special order, you know.

"Amber, if you have an issue with me, just say it. There's no need to involve a child."

It was unbelievable.

Not only was Cora being treated in a specialized heart hospital that Selah had no access to, but two days ago, Cora was already gone.

I bit my lip and, with the last of my patience, looked up at Selah.

I said, "Move your foot. And get out."

Selah raised her eyebrow even higher, grinding her heel into the bear.

She crushed it underfoot.

The stuffing spilled out as her sharp heel dug in.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I threw myself at Selah and pushed her down.

I grabbed the teddy bear from under her.

Before I could even start putting the stuffing back in, Oliver's people pinned me down.

The teddy bear was torn in half during the struggle.

"No..." I cried out, staring at the broken bear.

It was just like Cora that day, broken and fragile.

It was all my fault.

I couldn't even protect Cora's last belongings.

I collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

Oliver hadn't expected this reaction from me.

His eyes were full of shock and disgust, like he couldn't understand how I had ended up like this.

How did I end up like this?

He demanded, "You should apologize to Selah, or you'll never see Cora again!"

I knelt there, surrounded by the mess, and let out a cold laugh.

It felt like my smile was slipping downward no matter how hard I tried to keep it in place.

I wobbled out of the room.

Oliver grew even angrier, calling his assistant on speaker.

He ordered his assistant to send Cora abroad and prevent me from seeing her again.

There was silence on the other end of the line before the assistant finally stammered, "Sir, Cora had a heart attack in front of the house. She passed away."

"What? Say that again!" Oliver kept asking for confirmation.

The others who had come with him also verified it. Cora was dead.

I listened as they repeated over and over how Cora had died. The pain in my heart was unbearable.

I gathered what little strength I had left and stumbled away from them.

I headed for the beach.

I sat down in the sand, watching the waves come and go.

Compared to Oliver's, Selah's reaction was more dramatic.

Selah screamed, claiming she had twisted her ankle.

Oliver ignored her.

He staggered after me, shouting my name, but when he got close, he stopped.

He didn't come near me.

He looked as if too afraid to face me.

He stood just a few steps away, mumbling to himself, "No, it can't be. Her condition was stable. She was healthy. She couldn't be gone."

I finally turned to look at him.

He grabbed my hand like a drowning man clutching a lifeline.

He said, "Amber! You're lying, right? You're punishing me. You've convinced everyone to lie to me, right?

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have left. I shouldn't have gone to Woiddiff with Selah. I'm sorry."

He babbled on, apologizing incoherently.

So, he knew.

He knew he was in the wrong, that he had been too close to Selah.

He knew that he had crossed a line.

He just didn't want to admit it.

He continued, "No, it's not true.

"If Cora really died, why didn't you tell me? She's our daughter."

Oliver was as mad and broken as I had been moments ago.

But I didn't pity him at all.

The waves wet his pant legs, and he stumbled, falling into the sand.

I heard him sobbing. "Why? Cora is my daughter. How could I not know?

"Amber, I'm sorry. I wasn't blaming you. I'm sorry."

He kept repeating our names and apologizing.

The others didn't dare approach him, but Selah wasn't giving up.

She limped forward and tried to stop me from leaving.