I closed my eyes for a second before answering, my voice quiet. “My father’s gone, and I’m not going to love him anymore. Not now. Not ever.”
There was silence, just two seconds, but it felt heavy. Then his tone softened. “Dahlia… I don’t know what happened to you these past five years, but the most painful time is also when you grow the fastest. Your life isn’t over. It’s just starting.”
Just starting. I let out a breath. Was that even true? After everything… could I still start over? Still, I said, “Yeah. I understand.”
Maybe I really did like Argus before. He was handsome, and sometimes he treated me gently, and he spent money without hesitation, paid for my father’s treatment, and gave me things I never even dreamed of. So what was I unhappy about? I used to ask myself that.
Until Celine came back.
I still remembered that night. Argus had never drunk alcohol before, not once, but that night he drank like he lost control, and then he said it, clear and raw. “Celine… I missed you so much I went crazy. If only you're not my step sister, things would’ve been different.”
I stood there, frozen.