"You don't deserve my apology, Lalaina. I would never apologize to a snake like you!" I spat, the words burning my throat.
Their faces were a mix of disbelief and anger. They could try to force an apology out of me, but I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
Max, ever the hothead, was about to slap me again, but Lalaina stopped him. "I'll let this slide, Max. I think we need to give her time to grieve and reflect on what she did to Stacey." Her voice was laced with a fake sadness that made my stomach churn.
Max furrowed his brow. "No, she hurt you, and I won't let her do to you what she did to Stacey."
"It's okay, Max. I know you want to protect me, but I'll be fine. I just don't understand why Carrie treats me like I'm not her sister." Carrie's voice cracked, and she looked at Max with a watery-eyed, dramatic plea.
I couldn't help but clap internally at her performance. It was so convincing, so believable. All this time, she'd been putting on a show, and Maximus, my husband, had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
Max wiped away a tear, then turned to me, his eyes filled with a righteous fury. "You're a monster, Carrie. You hurt my daughter, and now you hurt Lalaina? I won't forgive you!"
Monster? He called me a monster after I showed him kindness despite his constant abuse.
"And what? You call her an angel? Well, Maximus, she's an evil in disguise, and she played you well. You're being her puppet now." I sneered.
Lalaina shook her head, her eyes wide and innocent. "Carrie, don't slander me. I'm not like you, a clown. I've done nothing wrong to you. I want to be close to you, but you keep pushing me away."
I'd tried to warn Max about Lalaina, to tell him she was a manipulator, but he wouldn't listen. I wasn't going to repeat myself a hundred times if he wasn't going to open his eyes.
Now, she had him wrapped around her finger, and there was no point in trying to convince him otherwise.
"I'm out of this. I don't want to play your dirty games, Lalaina. You've won, so get your prize." I said sarcastically, my eyes fixed on Max.
"And Max, believe what you want to believe, but I'm not going to waste any more time trying to prove myself to you."
Max frowned. "What about Stacey? Did she die? I need an explanation!"
I reached into my luggage and pulled out Stacey's death certificate. I needed him to see the proof, to finally understand that our daughter was gone.
I handed it to him, and his face went pale as he read Stacey's name and the cause of death.
"Why didn't you call me?" he demanded, his voice laced with anger.
I opened my phone and showed him the call history. "I called you countless times, Max, but you never answered."
Max was speechless, his lips sealed as if by a zipper, while Lalaina hung her head, avoiding my gaze.
"That's it, Maximus. While you were frolicking on the beach with Lalaina, our daughter was fighting for her life in the hospital. If you only knew how hard she fought, how she waited for you at the festival, but you never came. She grew weaker and weaker because you weren't there." Tears streamed down my face.
My voice choked with emotion every time I thought of Stacey's face. "She even wished to be with the stars so you could see her shining. You were so focused on your sunshine, Lalaina, who was right beside you when everything was fine. You forgot about your daughter, who became the light during your darkest times."
I saw tears forming in his eyes. "I-I'm sorry..."
"It's too late now, Max. She's gone."
"Carrie..." He reached for me, but I pulled away.
"Don't make excuses, Max. I'm done listening."
I turned and walked towards the gate, my luggage in hand. Max followed me.
"Carrie, don't leave, please."
"Don't stop me, Max. This is what you want, right?"
"No, Carrie. I want us to talk about everything. I-I feel so guilty. I didn't know you and Stacey were hurting this much."
I turned back, my eyes meeting his. "Maximus, if you're truly guilty, then face the consequences. There's nothing left to talk about. It's pointless to keep repeating ourselves if you still don't understand."
"Max, don't stop her. Let her run away." Lalaina reached out to Max, urging him to let me go.
I smiled at her, a cold, cruel smile. "Run away? That's not what I'm going to do, Lalaina. I'm freeing myself from this miserable marriage. I can't stay in that boring house, not anymore. But if you want to stay there, go ahead, have it all to yourself."
Max hung his head, frustration is evident in his posture. "Carrie, don't leave me like this. Our daughter died. I can't face this alone."
"Our daughter? You gotta be kidding me. Now you realize she's your daughter?"
"Carrie, please. Listen to me. I know I'm a jerk, but I didn't know you called. I didn't receive any calls from you."
My eyes narrowed, and I looked at Lalaina. "Why are you asking me? Why not your sunshine, who prevented you from coming to the festival, and who knows, maybe blocked my number?"
Max turned to Lalaina, his face filled with suspicion.
"What the hell did you do, Lalaina?"
