The Twilight In Despair

With all hands on deck, accompanied by the silence of concentration that determined the fragile life of a soul, the only sound that could be heard was the beeping of the heart monitor. “Scalpel,” the surgeon ordered, his tone calm and firm. Everything had been going well-until it wasn’t. Suddenly, the tension in the room…

“What? You mean their cousin?” The new maid was surprised. “You heard right. Her parents died when she was twelve, and they took charge of her. But since then, she’s been a maid in the house. Barely fed, barely clothed. She’s always walking around on her feet, and no one dares offer her a pair…

She said this with a smile and teary eyes, but Abby started crying. She pulled Clarisse closer and embraced her warmly, hoping this was the embrace Clarisse was talking about, because the fairy tale she was expecting was never coming. She wanted to tell her that the person coming was not a prince, but a…

“Alice ran off to Italy immediately after she heard that,” Maya said, and they all laughed except Alice, who didn’t find it funny. “It was not funny.” “I love your tricky and smart move, though-marrying off your cousin instead of you,” Dani applauded. “You should have just declined the offer,” Thalia suggested. “I can’t. My…

“Thank you,” Clarisse replied with a slight bow and a smile, as the artist applied the lipstick for her. This would be the first time she had ever worn lipstick. It felt strange but exciting to finally use makeup. It was time to put on the wedding gown. Once again, Clarisse felt heartbroken, but she…

“Yes…” Alicia’s discomfort was clear, but Clarisse appreciated the gesture. She showed her around the house, pointing out where the kitchen was and other things she needed to know. Clarisse learned that Victor lived in the same compound with his family but in a separate building. They all had breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the…

The Percy family stood around the hospital bed. Ashley sat beside their grandfather, tending to him and changing his stockings. He had been rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart attack, and his son and grandchildren stood by, looking somber. “How are you feeling now?” “Very bad. I feel like I’m about to die.”…

Clarisse, who was nearby, saw Victor taking Alice inside. Alice looked like she had been crying. “What’s going on?” she asked, watching as they both went inside. She decided to wait outside for a few minutes before going in. “What happened? Why are you crying? Your face is so red and swollen,” he asked, sounding…

Clarisse walked away to the backyard, where she collapsed onto the floor. The feeling of being an outcast didn’t hurt as much as the overwhelming sense of failure. She had failed to protect her baby, failed to protect her mother’s name, and it hurt so much that it was suffocating. Her pain was compounded by…

“Okay, don’t enjoy this alone. Just give me a few minutes,” he added before heading to the restroom and immediately dialing Patricia’s number. “Hello?” “Hi, honey.” “Where are you?” “Doing some shopping.” “What?! Why the heck are you not at home?” “I told you I’m attending the women’s club party, so I need some new…