When Hope Dies

H E R A

It's a struggle to get up today. My life has taken a sharp turn in the past week. I haven't experienced this level of change since my father kicked me out.

He passed away six days ago, and I'm completely devastated. I never expected to feel this way. I had grown so accustomed to living without him that it almost felt like he was already gone. But reality hits differently.

My father is gone, and we didn't part on good terms. He did have the chance to meet his grandchildren, though. It's the one thing I did for him, which was more than he ever did for me in the last five years.

Even though I was hesitant about letting him meet Aiden and Addison, I knew I had to rise above the anger he caused me.

Seeing my kids with him and witnessing his smile despite his illness was bittersweet. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears.

There was so much resentment between us over the years, but now, I recall the moments when he expressed his love for me. The times