Chapter 11
“I just wanted to ask her what she meant, that’s all.”
After a long silence, Nestor finally spoke, attempting to explain himself. He answered her question, but the confusion in his eyes lingered, refusing to fade.
*From childhood, Josephine had always been the sweet, gentle, and lively one in everyone’s eyes. That was why, almost subconsciously, the whole family tended to
side with her.
There’s an old saying: when people are pushed to their limits, their true selves come out.”
And in that moment, Nestor couldn’t help but wonder if the Josephine he thought he knew–the version she showed all of them–had ever really existed.
His suspicion was plain to see. Josephine caught the look in his eyes and instantly grew anxious. Her eyes reddened as she blinked back tears. “Honey, I’m sorry,” she explained quickly, “I didn’t mean to snap at you just now. I was just scared when I saw that thing, and you kept ignoring me…”
In an instant, Nestor’s anger melted away, replaced by concern. He hurried to have the mess cleaned up, discreetly ushered the remaining guests out, and then took Josephine back with him to the old family house.
When it came time to deal with the remains, Nestor–almost without thinking–quietly instructed someone to take the fetus to the hospital instead of disposing of it outright.
Not long after, he received a package of documents at the hospital.
He wanted a paternity test.
When Nestor and Josephine returned to the old house, they didn’t see Daphne anywhere. Honestly, this didn’t surprise them.
Anyone bold enough to send a dead fetus to their wedding anniversary party had probably already planned to disappear for a while.
But that didn’t mean anyone was ready to just let her off the hook.
That night, after Josephine had fallen asleep, Nestor slipped quietly out of bed. He crept down the long hallway and stopped outside Daphne’s room on the far side of the house.
He pushed the door open softly and turned on the light–only to freeze in the doorway.
The room was empty. Every trace of Daphne’s presence had been scrubbed away. He walked to the wardrobe, took a deep breath, and yanked it open. Nothing inside but his own belongings. It was as if Daphne had never lived there at all.
A cold ringing filled Nestor’s head. Panic rising, he rushed to check the walk–in closet, the bathroom, even the study–anywhere she might have left something behind. Nothing. Not a single sign she’d ever been part of the Bridges family.3
Felton, leaning on his cane, stepped out from his room and frowned at the sight of Nestor frantically searching the hallway. Thumping his cane on the hardwood floor, he called out, “What on earth are you doing, making all this racket?”
Nestor was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to answer, until suddenly, he remembered the cryptic conversations Felton and Daphne had been having recently–something about “the last time.“2
Clinging to that thread, he rushed over to Felton, his voice trembling &
“Grandpa, where’s Daphne? Why are all her things gone?“>
Felton gave him a look–part baffled, part annoyed. “Daphne left this morning, didn’t she? She packed up what she needed, threw out the rest. You saw her yourself, oldn’t you?“%
Felton’s words hit Nestor like a polt of lightning. He started to protest, but then a memory flashed in his mind–a scene from a month ago. He’d seen Daphne carrying boxes, telling him she was finally ready to move on. When he’d demanded to know if she was leaving, she’d shot back, “Would you rather I stay?”
A whole month ago.
Ah this time, she’d been planning her departure?%
Nestor stared at Felton in disbelief, his voice cracking as he pressed, “Who gave her permission to leave? Why did you all keep this from me? Why didn’t anyone tell me?“%
Feltons expression turned even stranger, tinged now with a bit of pity. “Nestor is gone, Leonardo. Daphne’s only twenty seven–she’s still so young. She stayed with the Endges family all these years out of her own choice, but now she’s finally ready to move on. Why shouldn’t she? And as for not telling you–have you forgotten? You’re the one who insisted on breaking off your engagement and marrying Josephine. You’re the one who let Daphne go. So who exactly are you trying to fool with this performance now?”
