Embers Of Hope

Chapter 11

Blake's POV

Flashback

Matteo's hands are trembling, staring at the lifeless body in front of him. His eyes are hollow, the devastation in them makes me feel sick.

"Zara," he breathes, barely audible, as if saying her name will conjure her back to life. I stand a few steps behind him, rooted to the spot, helpless. I want to reach out, to comfort him, but the sight of her—so still, so peaceful in death—paralyzes me.

There's blood everywhere. Dark stains splatter across the floor and walls, stark and vivid against the muted tones of the room. My stomach churns at the sight.

Matteo drops to his knees, his fingers brushing against Zara's hair, a gesture both tender and tragic. "This isn't how it was supposed to be," he whispers, his voice cracking. The agony in his tone sends a shiver down my spine. I want to scream, to lash out at the world for being so cruel, but all I can do is watch.

My knees give out on me. Oh poor Zara. The grief crashes over me like a tidal wave, pulling me under. I can't comprehend how this could happen. She was vibrant, full of life and laughter, always the one to lift our spirits, and now she lies here, taken far too soon.

Matteo lets out the loudest sob I've ever heard. It pierces the suffocating silence, raw and primal, a sound that reverberates in my chest. The anguish in that cry echoes through the room, resonating with the ache in my own heart.

His shoulders start shaking violently as he grabs Zara's body and pulls her closer, cradling her as if he can somehow will her back to life with sheer force of will. "No! No! Zara, please!" he cries, desperation spilling from him like a torrent.

I want to scream, to shake him, to tell him that it's not fair, that life shouldn't take those we love. But all I can do is choke back my own tears as I watch my brother unravel.

"Please don't leave me" His voice breaks, and he buries his face in her hair, sobs wracking his body. "We were supposed to grow old together, remember? You promised to never leave my side."

Another sob breaks out of him, and it sends me crashing further into despair. I can't bear the sight of Matteo like this, so broken, so lost.

End of flashback

"You got my fucking best friend killed. You got your brothers girlfriend killed. It's all your fault." Maya yells.

I feel my heart drop at the mention of her name. I immediately feel sick. That wasn't my fault. No no no it wasn't me. I did everything I could.

The air in the room thickens with her accusation, each word hitting me like a punch. Zara. Her name feels like a weight in my chest, a reminder of everything that went wrong. I clench my fists at my sides, trying to keep my voice steady, but I can feel it cracking around the edges.

I stumble back, sliding down the wall until I hit the floor.

"Maya..." I start, but my throat tightens, and I struggle to find the words. "You don't know the whole story."

"Spare me the excuses!" She shoots back, her eyes blazing with fury.

"You think I don't carry that with me? Every damn day, it haunts me. I did everything I could—"

"Everything you could?" She cuts me off, her voice trembling with anger. "She's dead, Blake. And you still walk around like it doesn't mean anything."

"You think I don't feel it? That I don't replay every moment in my head, wondering what I could have done differently? Zara was my brother's world. She was your world. Do you think I wanted that?"