Chapter 7: A Tragedy

The grand lounge of Eliana’s hostel glowed under golden lights, laughter and clinking glasses blending into a hazy blur as Eliana hurried towards the exit. Her cream dress brushed against her shaking legs, the delicate fabric catching and reflecting the warm chandelier light above. The diamond ring on her finger—Jason’s proposal still ringing in her ears—felt unbearably heavy, like a stone dragging her down into cold, dark water. Her father’s desperate voice kept playing in her mind. "Eliana... please come home. Now. Something bad has happened." Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst. Without looking back, she shoved open the heavy oak doors and stepped into the cool night air, her chest tight with fear. "Eliana!" Jason’s voice caught her ears, laced with confusion and worry but she didn’t turn. Her ballet flats slapped against the cobblestone path as she hurried toward the parking lot, her thoughts were spiraling deeper into dark scenarios. What could have happened? Was her father sick again? Or worse? The world tilted, and she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady her ragged breaths. "Eliana, wait!" Jason’s footsteps pounded closer, his tailored blazer flapping behind him. His hazel eyes, usually so full of charm, were wide with concern—or perhaps a well-practiced imitation of it. "Please wait! What’s wrong? You’re shaking like a leaf, my love." Sarai’s heels clattered as she hurried alongside him, her sleek ponytail swishing against her back. "Eliana, stop!" she called, breathless. "What’s happened?" Eliana stumbled to a halt at the hostel’s edge, just before the driveway curved into the shadows of the estate’s towering oaks. She clutched her phone so hard her knuckles whitened. Tears blurred her sight as she tried to focus on Jason’s concerned hazel eyes and Sarai’s sharp green gaze shimmering under the garden lights. "My... my dad just called," she panted, her voice breaking under the tremors of panic. "He told me... he told me to come home immediately. Something bad has happened." Sarai tilted her head slightly, confusion clouding her perfectly sculpted features. "Something bad? What do you mean, Eliana?" she asked, her voice gentle yet tinged with impatience. "What happened?" Eliana shook her head, her curls bouncing against her tear-streaked cheeks. "He didn’t say. Just... just to come home. Now." Her voice broke, and she wrapped her arms around herself, the chilly night air biting at her bare shoulders. Sarai’s expression softened, but her eyes remained calculating. She stepped forward, enveloping Eliana in a perfumed embrace that felt more like a performance than comfort. "Oh, baby, don’t worry," she murmured, her voice syrupy sweet. "Everything’s going to be fine. You’ll see." She pulled back, her manicured hands lingering on Eliana’s arms, her smile tight as plastic wrap. Jason’s jaw tightened, but his voice was gentle. "Come on, I’ll drive you." He fished his phone from his pocket, dialing quickly. "Mom, hey, can you keep an eye on the party? Eliana and I need to step out for a bit. Yeah, it’s important." He hung up, his golden-boy smile flickering as he turned to Eliana. "Let’s go." "I’m coming too," Sarai said, her tone leaving no room for argument. She tossed her hair, her heels clicking decisively against the cobblestones as she strode toward Jason’s sleek Mercedes-Benz, its silver curves glinting like a predator in the moonlight. Jason unlocked the car with a beep, holding the passenger door open for Eliana. "Get in," he said softly, his hand brushing her lower back. Eliana slid into the plush leather seat, her trembling fingers clutching her phone as Sarai climbed into the back, her perfume filling the car with a sharp floral scent. The engine roared to life, and Jason peeled out of the parking lot, the tires screeching faintly as they sped into the night. The city lights blurred past, a kaleidoscope of neon and shadow, but Eliana barely noticed. Her phone buzzed again, and her heart lurched as her father’s name flashed on the screen. She answered with shaking hands. "Papa? I’m on my way. What’s going on?" His voice was hoarse, laced with panic. "Eliana, don’t go home. Come to Kenneth’s house instead. Please, hurry." The line went dead before she could ask more, leaving her staring at the dark screen, her stomach twisting into knots. "Kenneth’s house?" Jason glanced at her, his brows furrowed. "Your grandfather’s place? Why there?" "I don’t know," Eliana whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the engine. "He just said to go there." Her fingers tightened around the phone, the diamond ring glinting ominously in the dim light. Sarai leaned forward, her voice low and probing. "Eliana, what’s got you so spooked? Your dad’s probably just overreacting. You know how parents are." She waved a hand dismissively, but her eyes were sharp, watching Eliana like a hawk. Eliana didn’t respond, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, her mind racing with images of her father’s frail frame, his tired eyes, and Kenneth’s warm, weathered smile. Kenneth, the man who’d taken her and her father in like family, who’d given her a taste of a life she’d never dreamed of. What could have happened to make her father sound so broken? The grand gates of Kenneth Holloway’s mansion loomed ahead, their wrought-iron elegance illuminated by floodlights. The guards recognized Eliana and waved them through without hesitation, the gates creaking open like the jaws of some great beast. Jason parked in the circular driveway, the gravel crunching under the tires as the car came to a stop. Eliana didn’t wait for the engine to die. She flung the door open and ran toward the mansion’s towering entrance, her flats slipping on the polished marble steps. "Papa!" she called, her voice echoing through the cavernous foyer. The chandeliers above created a warm glow over the luxurious interior, but the air felt heavy, suffocating. She burst into the living room, where a crowd had gathered—bodyguards in crisp suits, domestic staff whispering nervously, and security personnel standing rigid by the walls. Her father sat slumped on a soft couch, his face buried in his hands, his thin shoulders shaking. Eliana’s heart stopped. "Papa, what’s wrong?" she demanded, dropping to her knees before him, her hands gripping his. "What happened?" He looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and glistening with tears. "It’s Kenneth," he choked out. "He... he was in a car accident. The car... it exploded. They said his body was... was burnt to ash." The world dropped out from under her. Eliana’s knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, a raw, keening sob tearing from her throat. "No," she whispered, shaking her head as tears streamed down her face. "No, not him. Not grandpa." Her Papa H, the man who’d filled her life with warmth and wisdom, who’d seen her when no one else did—gone. Burnt to ash. The words didn’t make sense, couldn’t make sense. Jason was at her side in an instant, his strong arms wrapping around her. "Eliana, I’m so sorry," he murmured, his voice thick with sadness—or so it seemed. He pressed her against his chest, his hand stroking her hair. "I’m here. We’ll get through this." Sarai knelt beside her, her green eyes shimmering with what looked like tears. "Oh, baby," she said softly, her hand resting on Eliana’s shoulder. "He wouldn’t want you to fall apart like this. Kenneth loved your strength. You have to be strong for him now." Eliana barely heard them, her mind flooded with memories—Kenneth’s deep laugh, the way he’d call her "my girl" with pride, the late-night talks about life and dreams in this very room. He’d been her anchor, her proof that fate could be kind. And now he was gone, reduced to nothing but ash in a cruel twist of chance. "I don’t know how to do this without him," she sobbed, her voice raw. "He was... he was everything to me." "You’re tougher than you think," Jason said, his voice firm but gentle. "You’ve got us. You’ve got your dad. You’ll be okay." "Exactly," Sarai added, her tone almost too smooth. "Kenneth would want you to keep going, to live the life he wanted for you. Don’t let him down." Eliana clung to her father’s hand, her tears soaking into the plush carpet. The room was a blur of faces, all watching her with pity or curiosity, but none of them understood. None of them knew what it was like to lose the one person who’d made her feel like she belonged in a world that had always pushed her away. The heavy silence was shattered by the sharp click of heels and the rustle of expensive fabric. Four figures strode into the living room, their presence commanding every eye. Two men and two women, all in their late forties, dressed in tailored suits and dresses that screamed wealth and power. The older man, with graying temples and a stern jaw, stepped forward, his voice suddenly commanding the room. "We are Kenneth Holloway’s children," he declared, his gaze sweeping the room with cold authority. "And we’re here to settle our father’s affairs." The room fell silent before erupting into stunned gasps, a ripple of shock coursing through the crowd like an electric current. Eliana’s head jerked up, her tear-streaked face going rigid with disbelief. Kenneth’s children? The ones Papa H had always avoided mentioning, as if their very names burned his tongue? Her heart slammed against her ribs as she took them in—four strangers standing there with gleaming smiles and eyes that hid secrets darker than midnight. Polished, poised, and dripping with the kind of quiet venom that could tear through anyone’s peace. Why now? she thought, her pulse quickening. What were they doing here... of all days?