Sly Cooper: Family of Thieves

Chapter 66: The bloodstained Tears of the Rebel

The air in the hideout grew heavy as Sangue recounted the painful truths Le Paradox had revealed in that accursed jailhouse. Her eyes, usually filled with determination, now held a haunted look that sent a chill down my spine.

"Celeste, my mother, didn't love me," Sangue uttered the words with a tremor in her voice. "And when  Conor Cooper, died, it drove her mad. She ended her own life."

The gang's collective gasp echoed through the room, each member grappling with the weight of Sangue's revelations. Penelope, normally composed, cried on Bentley's chest. Murray's anger was palpable as he asked, "How could she do this to you?!"

Carmelita, who had been standing firm with her Interpol posture, dropped her pistol upon hearing the news. Dimitri clenched his fist, an unusual intensity in his usually laid-back demeanor.

Sangue's pain became a tangible presence in the room, and I felt an overwhelming desire to shield her from the harsh realities she had been burdened with. Without a word, I pulled her into an embrace, holding her close, as if I could shield her from the pain.

Seth, understanding the depth of Sangue's turmoil, joined the embrace, creating a cocoon of support around her. The room, once filled with echoes of shock and anger, now held a somber silence broken only by the occasional sniffle or quiet sob.

As the gang processed the heartbreaking revelations, I found myself alone, my own emotions threatening to overwhelm me. The weight of Sangue's words lingered in my mind like a haunting refrain. "I'm not interested in him, DAD!" her words echoed, revealing the internal struggle Celeste faced, a struggle that ultimately led to tragedy.

In solitude, away from prying eyes, I allowed myself a moment of vulnerability. Tears welled up, betraying the stoic facade I usually wore. The burden of Sangue's pain, of Celeste's choices, bore down on me. The fatherly instincts I had developed over our adventures compelled me to be strong for Sangue, but in this quiet moment, I allowed myself the luxury of grief.