17. Falling sick

"Stephen was leaning on the recliner and remembering only one sentence " A family who protected me, supported me, loved me, cared for me and most importantly believed me. Unlike you."

He fisted his fingers in anger and punched on the hard glass table which literally broke the glass into pieces making a loud sound, loud enough for the other family members to hear it. Ashley rushed inside Stephen's room and saw his fists bleeding, Some glass pieces pierced his fingers and yet she could see no pain on his face. She rushed to him and then made him sit on the recliner again.

Ashley's voice cut through the air like a bolt of lightning, charged with a mix of disbelief and concern. "Stephen! Oh my God!" Her words hung heavy, the weight of worry evident in her tone as her eyes fell upon the scene before her. Stephen, his face contorted in anger, stood amidst shattered fragments of what used to be a cherished possession, the remnants of a vase that had seen better days.

The room seemed to hol