Varni

t w e n t y - f i v e

"Glad you killed yourself now, didn't you, dear?"

I stumbled back in shock, my heart pounding in my chest as I turned to face the source of the voice. Standing before me was a woman of ethereal beauty, her features familiar yet surreal. It took me a moment to register who she was—my mother.

But that was impossible. My mother had been dead for years, killed together with my father. Yet here she stood, her presence radiating warmth and love.

I reached out tentatively, my fingers trembling as they brushed against her cheek. "Mom?" I whispered, disbelief and longing warring within me.

She smiled, a gentle, reassuring expression that washed away my doubts. "Yes, dear, it's me," she said, her voice like a soothing melody, but her eyes betrayed her with a sad glint. "I couldn't just watch anymore."

Tears welled up in my eyes as the truth of her words sank in. "No..you're lying." I stammered, unable to comprehend what was happening.

My mother's smile softened, her eyes filled with more sadness and understanding. "It was your last wish, Yawa," she explained. "A chance to experience how life would be if everyone knew the truth."

I shook my head, unable to process the meaning of her words. "But it felt so real," I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes as the memories of pain and loss were still fresh in my mind.

"It was real, in a way," my mother said gently. "But it was also a dream, a journey through an alternate reality where you could experience life as it might have been. But your life was ruined the day your dad and I died. There was no happiness for you, and I can't tell you how sorry I am, baby."

Suddenly, it struck me. I did kill myself. And I did wish for a life where everyone knew the truth.

I remembered the darkness, the suffocating weight of despair that had consumed me. The days blurred together, each one more painful than the last. The beatings from Jake grew worse, each one chipping away at my will to live. I felt trapped, drowning in an ocean of agony with no escape in sight.

One night, after the worst beating I had ever endured, I reached my breaking point. My body ached with bruises and cuts, each breath a painful reminder of the abuse. I dragged myself to the bathroom, my mind numb with despair. I found a razor blade and sat on the cold tile floor, staring at my reflection in the mirror. The person looking back at me was a stranger—broken, defeated, and lost.

With trembling hands, I made the first cut on my arm, then another, each slice a desperate cry for release. Blood flowed freely, pooling around me as the pain in my heart began to dull. But it wasn't enough. I needed more.

I stumbled to the kitchen and found a bottle of whiskey. I downed several pills, washing them down with swigs of the burning liquid. The world around me began to blur, the edges of reality fraying as the darkness closed in.

As I lay on the floor, the suffocating weight of despair began to lift. A sense of peace washed over me, a calmness I hadn't felt in years. I closed my eyes, welcoming the darkness with open arms. It was finally over. The pain, the suffering—it was all gone.

Tears welled up in my eyes as the truth washed over me. I had chosen to leave this world behind, to escape the torment that had plagued me for so long. My brothers aren't dead, but they could have been if I didn't kill myself.

Kaea was never real.

Katrin wasn't real.

Bastard wasn't real.

My brothers weren't real.

Jared wasn't real.

None of it was real.

But it could've been.

My mother took my hand in hers, her touch warm and comforting.

"Your father is waiting for you," she said, her voice filled with love and sadness as she watched my tears stream down my face. "You were always so strong, my dear," she said.

"Now it's time to spread your wings and fly."

I turned to look at her through my tears.

"It's time to go home, Yawa. Somewhere else where you'll get all the love and attention you deserved."

Home. Such a foreign word.

"Okay."

•FuFu

Rewrote this chapter because it seems like many of you are confused! I'm sorry, so I hope this helps more for your understanding <3 

I never meant to make this story the typical mafia brother- lost sister story :DD

And if you're still confused:

Yawa begins to piece together what happened. She remembers her despair and the abuse from Jake. The flashback details the horrific moment when Yawa, overwhelmed by the pain, decides to end her life. She cuts her arms, takes pills, and drinks whiskey, finding a moment of peace as everything fades away.

The people and scenarios she encountered were not real. Kaea, Katrin, Bastard, her brothers, and Jared were part of the alternate reality created by her last wish.

And sometimes, just sometimes a story doesn't need to make sense ;)