Facade of Love

Chapter 445 What's the Point of Coming Back?

I shook my head, puzzled at how fast news had traveled to Emily about my border escapades. "You... how did you...?"

"Emily," interrupted a voice that sent a chill down my spine. Madam Young.

She glided over to where Emily stood, Mr. Zachary in tow. She called out for Emily, but her steely gaze was locked on me. Gone was the warmth I once knew. "How are you, Ms. Scott? Are you recovering well?" she asked, her tone icy.

Something was not right, but I faced her bravely. "I'm doing better, thanks. I just wanted to check on Idris. He's... he's okay, isn't he?"

Madam Young's face, lined with years and frowns, twisted with clear displeasure. "Imagine searching for someone you love for a decade only to find they're gone, body lost to the world. Do you think he's okay?"

A jolt of guilt hit me hard. Had Gregory or Madam Young revealed it? Or had Idris himself come to?

The taste of regret was bitter. Kobe's death was a shadow I could not shake off. All I could muster was a whisper, "I'm sorry."

Her next words were like ice shards. "So, you're confessing? You're the reason Idris's father is dead?" Madam Young's voice was dark laced with a palpable fury.

I hung my head, my hands clenched into fists, and I gave a small, painful nod. I wished more than anyone that this nightmare had never begun. However, it was too late. The past could not be undone.

Slap! I did not flinch when Madam Young's hand came down hard across my face.

"Grandma," Emily blurted out, rushing to my side. She wanted to defend me, but the words seemed to escape her, and she fell silent again.

Madam Young might have been old, but her slap packed a punch as strong as anyone half her age. My cheek stung fiercely, and I could taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

"Yvette, the Youngs may have wronged you over the years, and I've tried to make it right. You may hold a grudge against us or Idris for not treating you well, but he's put his life on the line for you more than once. No matter how upset you are, you had no right to take Idris's father from him." Her voice cracked with emotion, and her eyes welled up with tears. "He's been searching for his dad for a decade, filled with hope and longing. And you... you were so heartless, not even leaving him a body to mourn. Yvette, that's just cruel."

My heart twisted with guilt. I knew all too well about Idris's ten-year search. They were so close to a reunion, just minutes away from conversation and from Idris bringing him home. However, in those few minutes, everything had changed.

I had no words to counter Madam Young's accusations. With tears in her eyes, she took a deep breath and faced me. "There's nothing left to say. Go on, leave. You're no longer Idris's wife or part of the Young family. Don't bother Idris anymore. It's time for your paths in life to diverge. I hope you both find some peace."

I knew Madam Young did not want me anywhere near Idris, but I had to see for myself that he was okay. Facing her icy stare, I begged, "Mrs. Young, I promise I'll leave him alone after this, but can't I just see him once to make sure he's alright? If he's fine, I'll never bother you again."

Mrs. Young's eyebrows knitted together as she glared at me. "What's the point of seeing him? If he's at death's door, what can you possibly do? And if he's fine, what difference does it make whether you see him or just take my word for it? What are you thinking? That if he wakes up, he'll remember you fondly, and somehow that'll make up for the terrible thing you did to his father?"

I shook my head, cheeks burning with shame. Her words stung, leaving a bitter taste in my throat. I fought back the sting of tears, gave a small nod, and stepped back. With my lips pressed tightly together, I bowed to Mrs. Young and managed to say through the lump in my throat, "I'm sorry."

I could not think of anything else to say.

Leaving the hospital behind, I stared at the dreary sky over Lake City, feeling utterly lost. What was the point of coming back?

My mom was furious with me, refusing to let me come home. Without a home, without Idris, who was somewhere between life and death, and with everyone turning their backs on me, what was I even doing there?

That city had become a stranger to me.

"Yvette!" Emily rushed out to me, offering a tissue with a sympathetic look. "Dry your eyes."

I dabbed at my face, only then realizing it was streaked with tears. I took the tissue, wiped my eyes, and whispered, "Thanks."

She let out a gentle sigh. "It's freezing out here. There's a coffee shop across the street. Want to go in and warm up?"