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Fifty-Three
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Fallen Apart Fifty-Four
ARIA'S POVMy face which has been drained of color with swollen bloodshot eyes stared back at me as I stood in front of the mirror still in the outfit I wore to work yesterday. After hearing the news, I cried to the point that my tears gland were tired of secreting more tears.Waking up this morning, I prayed that everything was just a nightmare but the broken screen on my phone was a reminder that it was all reality. It fell from my hand after my brother dropped that shocking news on me like an atomic bomb. I couldn't believe they were gone and never coming back. The door opened and I turned to see Lena stepping in. Her eyes widened at my appearance and I couldn't blame her for being shocked. I looked like a zombie."The guys would be here soon, you should get dressed," she said and I raised my eyebrows in confusion. Understanding my predicament, she explained, "I called Nixon and told him what happened, so he and Dave are on their way here to take us to Pittsburgh." I nodded and
Fallen Apart Fifty-Five
ARIA'S POVStanding inside the mortuary with my brother beside me, a sob escaped my mouth as they drew my parent's bodies out of the freezer. Xavier wrapped his arms around me as I buried my face in his shoulder."Why did they have to leave so soon? They did nothing wrong to deserve this." "I know." He caressed my back. "I will find whoever did this to them and let them get the punishment they deserve." I nodded as I raised my head from his shoulder and wiped my tears. We stepped out of the room to meet the doctor waiting outside. "I'm sorry for your loss, Miss Stephenson," he said and I nodded at him before he turned to my brother. "When are you going to be having the funeral so we can prepare the bodies?""That won't be happening for now," Xavier replied, making me turn to him with a confused look."What are you talking about? Do you want their bodies to remain in that cold place?" I said with my voice an octave higher. If it were up to me, I didn't want them to spend another da
Fallen Apart Fifty-Six
XAVIER'S POV"He sure knows how to clean up his tracks," Nixon muttered as we watched the CCTV footage from the place of the incident.We already knew that the footage of my parent's incident has been removed but I had demanded to see it, hoping we could find some clues from it."But some other drivers would have seen it, right?" I asked."I'm not sure about that," Officer said as he took a sip from his coffee. "That road is a shortcut out of the city but drivers stopped using that route because of the damaged road. And also there's no way to find out if anyone witnessed the incident except they report it to us.""Is there any chance that the residents might have witnessed the incident?" Dave asked from behind me.Officer Wimms placed the cup on his desk before he replied, "Most of the residents moved out because it has been desolated by most people due to the damaged road. There are only four families left in that neighbourhood and we already questioned them on the night of the incid
Fallen Apart Fifty-Seven
XAVIER'S POVTears of joy clouded my eyes as I held my flesh and blood in my hands. The feeling of being responsible for bringing that innocent soul to life was beyond magical. "Oh my God, she's so cute," Aria cooed beside me. "I'm so glad she looks nothing like you." She chuckled.As Savannah predicted, we had a girl. She was a carbon copy of her mother except that she took my hair. I stared in wonder as her eyes were closed and tiny hands were together on her chest.Savannah's mom sat on the chair next to her bed. "How are you feeling, dear?" "I'm good." She smiled as tears gathered in her eyes. "You don't how happy I am that you are here. I thought you both hated me and never wanted to see me again." "Why don't we give them some privacy?" Aria whispered to me as Savannah began to cry and we all walked out of the hospital room.Lena took the baby from me and sat on the chair while I rested my back on the wall, gazing at my baby in her hands. When Savannah's parents arrived, I noti
Fallen Apart Fifty-Eight
ARIA'S POVHeavy rain poured down on us just like the tears in my eyes as I watched my parent's coffins being lowered into the rectangular holes that were dug beside each other. My brother wrapped his hand around my shoulder pulling me closer to him as Lena, who was standing beside me, wiped her tears that wouldn't stop falling. After the funeral was over, my parent's friends, colleagues, and acquaintances offered their condolences before leaving. When they all dispersed, I sat on the moist ground in front of the tomb. "Mom, Dad, you are not mad, are you?" My voice cracked. "We are sorry we couldn't catch the person who did this to you, but I promise we will soon and make him suffer for his evil deeds." I placed my hand on my mom's tomb and sniffed. "Until then, rest in peace."Two hands rested on my shoulder. "Let's go, Aria," Lena said as she lifted me. I wiped my face with the back of my hand before turning to her. "I thought you were leaving with your mom." "Not anymore." She t
Fallen Apart Fifty-Nine
XAVIER'S POVA bright smile appeared on my face as I knelt beside the crib, watching my baby sleeping peacefully. She smiled in her sleep, making her cute face shine like a thousand sapphires. Savannah walked into her room where I was with our baby. She sat on the bed behind me that was covered in blue sheets and tapped her feet against the wooden floor. "Are you okay?" She asked. I stood up and turned to her with my hands shoved deep in my pocket. "To be honest, I had been out of it since the funeral but seeing her was enough to lift my mood." I swerved my head to look at Aurora with admiration in my eyes. "Aria must be in pretty bad shape." She sighed. "I wish I was there to support her.""You don't have to worry about her. She has Lena to look after her, just focus on yourself and the baby," I said, and she nodded, looking down at her fingers that we're intertwined on her lap. "Is your dad still busy?" "Yes, but he'll be out of his study in the next few minutes." I bobbed my h
Fallen Apart Sixty
XAVIER'S POVI stood outside the interrogation room, resting my back on the wall with my eyes staring at my feet. The sound of hurried footsteps approaching made me raise my head to see Lena and Aria running toward me."Is it true?" Aria asked as she stopped in front of me.I nodded in response as my eyes strained on the door that led to the interrogation room. Even though I still didn't believe that the man in there was the true culprit, I thought it was best to make Aria believe it so that her heart would be at peace for getting justice for our parents. That way she might be able to heal faster from the pain their death had caused her."Have you seen or spoken to him yet?" This time it was Lena asking."No." I shook my head. "He has been in the interrogation room since I arrived." They sighed in unison and took their positions on each side of me. The door was shoved open, making me push my back off the wall. Officer Wimms came out with another office holding an average-height man w
Fallen Apart Sixty-One
ARIA'S POVLena drove into the parking lot of Styles company and we climbed out of the car before making our way into the building. Xavier had insisted that we return to Chicago because I would continue to dwell in the sorrow if I remained in my parent's house. I had refused to leave because I didn't want him to be alone but he assured me that Savannah and Aurora would be back to the house in two weeks, so he wouldn't be alone. Though he didn't tell me about how things went with Savannah's family, I could tell that they had agreed to let them be together since they already approved of her to continue living with him.Upon stepping into the office, Summer stood from her desk and enveloped me in a hug. "Mr. Garret told us about what happened. I'm so sorry for your loss." "It's fine." I hugged her back.She pulled away when Celestine and Michelle came to stand next to us."How are you feeling now?" Celestine asked. "I'm trying to be good." I forced a laugh, ""You can take a few more
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