Whenever Kieran's sister was mentioned, the entire Stone family would fall into an unspoken silence. Even now, her name was barely uttered.

Karina picked at her food during the meal, barely eating, her thoughts miles away. Afterward, she stepped outside with a small bundle of flowers and a candle, placing them on the stone marker in the yard-a quiet tribute.

As she lit the candle, someone crouched down beside her.

"Let me help," came a familiar voice.

She didn't need to look up to recognize it-it was Kieran.

"About what happened back then..." Karina started, her voice tinged with hesitation.

But Kieran interrupted, as if he already knew what she wanted to say. "Let the past stay in the past. I won't bring it up, and neither should you."

He stared at the flickering candlelight, his tone quiet but firm. "When I was in rehab, I had a lot of time to think. Things weren't supposed to end up this way."

Who was at fault for how it all turned out? Himself, their parents, or maybe the entire Stone family? Likely, they all shared the blame.

lowered her

left the Stone family home, carrying with her an ache she

Kieran stood in the doorway,

suddenly, "Karina, don't

had already shut the door. It felt final, as though he was severing all ties between them. She hadn't even had a

*

Wilfred asked as he opened the car door, draping a coat over her

it was rain, Karina glanced up and was surprised to see snowflakes swirling in

exhaled a warm breath, watching it

lower tonight. Let's head home. You shouldn't be standing out here

didn't mind being the snow, knowing he could handle it. But Karina's condition was different- keeping warm was

into the car when her gaze caught something from the corner of her

smoke began billowing out of the Stone family's apartment, followed by the unmistakable glow

a deep sense of dread spreading through her chest. "Is that... a

with emergency services, calmly providing the address. Once the cal ended, he noticed Karina still standing in

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