The Eve of A Broken Family

Raymond looked taken aback. "But... your mom doesn't like me."

Yedda glanced at me.

"The one she treated like a son used her as a pawn in a petty love triangle, and when things got tough, he just wanted to walk away.

"But the one she didn't like stayed by her side. My mom's no fool; she knew who truly cared.

"Come on, let's go change, and then we'll bring my mom over."

As they walked back inside, I followed them, wiping the blood from my nose, my steps unsteady.

Raymond noticed and couldn't resist a sneer.

"Look who's back—the dog that just won't leave."

Yedda let out a frustrated huff.

"My patience is gone. Didn't you want a divorce, Boyce? Fine, I agree."

She pulled out her phone and called the real estate agent, deliberately putting it on speaker.

"Hi, the house my mother asked you to sell? Yeah, we're taking it off the market. I'm getting a divorce, and I'll be living there."

But then her expression shifted to one of disbelief.

"What? She gave the keys to Boyce Todd?"

Raymond, never missing a chance to stir the pot, chuckled.

"So it's all about the house, huh?

"No wonder you've been playing the doting son-in-law. Now that the house is yours, your true colors come out."

Yedda's anger flared, her face turning red. She pointed a trembling finger at me.

"Listen to me, Boyce. You can forget your little schemes.

"My mom may have cared for you, but she wasn't your real mom. As long as I'm alive, nothing of hers will ever belong to you."

I didn't have the energy to argue anymore.

Just then, the photographer, Jack, emerged from the studio.

He handed me a large frame wrapped in black cloth.

"This is the one Ms. Adelaide Trevelyan loved the most. It's ready."

I nodded gratefully, holding the frame close to my chest.

"Are you out of your mind? My mom wanted a family portrait.

"What is this, you and her alone? Who do you think you are?

"You hypocritical bastard, I won't allow you to be in the same frame with my mother."

She stepped forward, ready to snatch it away.

I couldn't let her disturb Adelaide's peace, so I shielded the frame.

But Raymond moved in quickly, grabbing my wrist with a tight grip. I struggled, but he overpowered me and took the frame.

He looked down at me with disdain.

"Boyce, get real. To her, you were just a son-in-law by marriage, no blood ties."

I could only manage a bitter smile.

Initially, I had thought the same.

But everything changed when Adelaide altered her will at the last minute, leaving the house to me. It was then that I realized how much I had meant to her.

On her deathbed, she had clutched my hand, her voice weak but filled with warmth.

"Boyce, thank you for staying by my side. I have a few things I need to say to you.

"Divorce Yedda. I know you've wanted to for a long time, but selfishly, I didn't want her to lose you.

"Now, though, I can't bring myself to speak for her anymore. I know you've been through a lot, and she doesn't deserve you. Leave her, and I wish you happiness for the rest of your life.

"Even after I'm gone and the family falls apart, you'll always be my eldest son."

Tears welled up in my eyes again.

Jack, the photographer, glanced between Yedda and me, then asked, "So, she's the wife you mentioned—the one who never showed up that night?"

Yedda, not catching his meaning, replied haughtily, "I used to be. But from today on, no more."

"Oh, by the way," she added, turning to Jack with a smile, "are you free today? I'd like to book another session for a new family photo."

Jack hesitated. "Well, I have time, but... shouldn't you give him the picture first?"

Before he could finish, there was a sudden crash.

The sound of breaking glass echoed through the room. Raymond had "accidentally" dropped the frame, shattering it into pieces.

"Oh, whoops. My bad," he said with mock innocence.

The room fell deathly silent.

No one noticed the color draining from Yedda's face as she stared at the ground, frozen in shock.

Nor did anyone see the black cloth slipping off to reveal what had been inside the frame: the black-and-white portrait of Adelaide, now lying quietly among the shards of broken glass.