Jaxon survived. That was the sentence the doctors kept repeating—He’s alright. A few bruises. Nothing serious.
Yet nobody bothered to ask if I was alright. Because I wasn’t.
Not when Luther barged into the room like a storm determined to tear apart whatever was left of me.
“What kind of monster are you?!” he roared, slamming the door so hard the walls shook. “You shoved a child down the stairs?! Have you completely lost your mind?!”
“I didn’t!” I scrambled up from the chair, voice cracking. “I swear, Luther, I never touched him! He knocked over my mom’s urn—I panicked, I yelled, but he ran off! He slipped, I didn’t lay a finger on him!”
“Oh, so this is his fault now?” he sneered. “You’re blaming a toddler?”
“I… I didn’t think— I wouldn’t hurt him. I just reacted.” My voice trembled. “That urn belonged to my mother. When it shattered, I—I just… broke. But I never meant for him to get scared.”
Luther gave a cold, ugly laugh. “Her ashes? That’s what this tantrum is about? Wake up, Claire—she’s gone. Honestly, I should’ve thrown that dust out ages ago.”
His words sliced deeper than any slap could.
His lip curled with disgust. “You know what? You were never fit to be a mother anyway. Losing that baby? It was the universe doing everyone a favor.”
My voice evaporated. My lungs forgot how to breathe. “Don’t say that. My child—”
“That baby was never yours to have,” he hissed. “You’re worthless.”
Before I could even process the pain, the door opened again.
Brielle walked in, all gentle grace and false sympathy. “Don’t be too hard on her,” she cooed, brushing his shoulder. “Jaxon’s fine now. And she is your wife. She didn’t mean it.”
“My wife?” Luther scoffed, shaking her hand off. “Marrying her was a mistake. I should’ve chosen you instead. But fine—she can still be useful.” He turned back to me, eyes cold. “If you don’t want your daddy’s machines turned off, behave.”
My hands trembled uncontrollably. I could barely swallow. Barely breathe.
“Say sorry,” he demanded.
I blinked. “To… Brielle?”
“Yes.” His voice was iron. “And get on your knees.”
“I—”
“Do it.”
To protect my father, I sank to the floor.
Brielle knelt too, face serene… until she leaned close enough that only I could hear.
“You disgusting, jealous coward,” she whispered, a venomous smile stretching her lips. “You hurt my son, and now look at you. Just like your mother—pitiful and useless.”
My body stiffened. Before I could react, she shoved me hard in the chest.
I had been standing near the top of the stairs.
My foot slipped first. Then my balance vanished. My hand shot toward the railing—but she was faster. She pushed again, both palms slamming into me.
“Fall,” Brielle shrieked, her voice raw, almost gleeful. “Fall and die for touching my child!”
The stairs met me brutally—sharp edge after sharp edge slamming into my back, my ribs, my shoulders. My scream tore through the hallway as pain exploded everywhere.
The final hit was my head against the last step.
Then, nothing.
—
When awareness returned, it came with the rhythmic beep of hospital monitors.
Harsh lights. White ceiling. A throbbing ache crawling up my leg.
A nurse entered. “Mrs. Velencia, you suffered a fall. Your ankle is fractured. You’ll need a few weeks.”
I stared blankly. “I want to leave today.”
“You shouldn’t. We can notify your family—”
“I have none,” I replied, hollow. “I’ll discharge myself tomorrow.”
She tried to convince me otherwise, but I was already gone inside.
Morning arrived. I hobbled down the hallway on crutches, pain biting with every step—but determination sharper than any wound.
A small laugh broke the silence. Instinct made me turn.
Jaxon.
He darted straight into Luther’s arms, giggling, “Daddy!”
Luther lifted him easily, smiling as though he were the father of the year.
Brielle stood beside them, smug satisfaction all over her face.
I watched silently. Invisible. Replaced. Already erased from their worlds.
—
That evening, I sat beside the window of a cheap inn. The city lights flickered outside. My suitcase sat at my feet. A folder of documents rested on my lap.
My phone buzzed— a message from my lawyer:
“Divorce papers served. Only his signature left.”
