46.

Taking her fork, Isabella delicately cut into the stack of pancakes, allowing the syrup to cascade over them like a golden waterfall. As she raised the bite to her lips, she closed her eyes, relishing the taste of the sweet syrup mingling with the light, fluffy texture of the pancake. In that moment, the fleeting pleasure provided a fleeting solace amidst the chaos that had engulfed her existence.

Yet, even as she savored the delicious breakfast, Isabella's mind couldn't help but drift back to her father. Once a kind and responsible man, she could hardly believe how he had succumbed to the destructive allure of gambling, leaving their lives in ruins. Regret and guilt gnawed at her, wondering if there was anything she could have done differently to prevent his downward spiral. Perhaps she could have intervened earlier, voiced her concerns, and shielded him from the ill-fated choices that led them to this heartbreaking predicament.

Setting down her fork, Isabella broke free from her rum