Burn the truth (ENG)

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I knocked on the door twice.

The door opened and Aunt Renée emerged.

"Zara?" She looked at me surprised.

I gave her a small smile. "Hello, aunt."

After much hesitation, she pushed the door open a little wider and I stepped inside.

I closed the door behind me and took off my shoes. I hung my bag on the hook and followed my aunt to the living room.

Aunt Renée disappeared into the kitchen and returned shortly after with a tray of biscuits.

I came to her aid and put the plate on the table and sat down on the couch.

Aunt Renée followed. She tapped her cane mischievously on the ground. "To what do I owe this visit?"

I sat up straight. "I have some questions that I hope to get answered."

She raised her eyebrows.

Seeing the doubt in her eyes, I gave her a desperate look. "Please, aunt."

She let out a sigh. "Well, bring on those questions."

Satisfied, I intertwined my fingers. "You said my mother loved someone else. However, my grandparents thought he was unsuitable and then married my mother to my father."

Aunt Renee nodded.

I leaned forward. "I don't understand. Why did my mother kill herself after my father died if she didn't even love my father?"

"Some men can be toxic to your health." Aunt Renée picked up the teapot from the floor and poured tea into the empty glasses on the table.

"They don't really want to love you, but they don't want to let you go either. The more you give, the less they appreciate, and once you've had enough and decide to walk away, they're ready to love you and to treat you well." Aunt Renée put the pitcher back on the floor.

"You then give them a chance, hoping they've changed, to realize it was all fake." Aunt Renée shook her head in disapproval. "You find the strength to walk away again and here he comes to proclaim his love for you and you give in again."

After the glasses were poured, I took a glass from her.

"The cycle repeats until you've gathered enough strength to say enough is enough and really remove it from your life."

It was quiet for a moment.

"Eliana and Kadir's love was toxic. When our parents forbade Eliana to meet Kadir again, Kadir made no move to do anything about it. That's why Eliana had left him for good." She let out a sigh. "That's what I thought."

Seeing my confused look, Aunt Renée continued the story. "Kadir reappeared after you were born. Eliana became entangled in his toxic web of love and cheated on your father."

My hands with the glass began to shake. "W-what?" I couldn't believe my ears. My mother had cheated on my father? With her teenage love?

I put the glass on the table, unable to hold it any longer.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, Aunt Renée continued.

"Eliana did not commit suicide because of the loss of your father." Her eyes pierced mine and I flinched. "She committed suicide because of the guilt."

My heart cramped painfully. No.

"Matin died because of her, Zara."

"Because of her?" I repeated.