With each passing moment, the sadness in Whitney’s eyes morphed into a fierce, burning hatred.
‘If it hadn’t been for Emily… if she hadn’t deliberately provoked Grandma, none of this would have happened. Grandma wouldn’t have gotten sick, and she wouldn’t be gone,’ Whitney thought, her heart ablaze with rage.
Whitney clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white, hatred surging through every fiber of her being.
With a surge of determination, Whitney called Samuel.
As soon as he picked up, Samuel’s voice dripped with coldness. “What, finally decided to call and grovel?”
Her eyes were icy, devoid of warmth. “Grandma’s gone.”
Samuel straightened, shock coursing through him. “My mom’s gone? When did it happen? Just now?”
“Yeah. Come to the hospital. Just you. I don’t want anyone else showing up,” Whitney replied, her tone frigid and unyielding.
Samuel frowned, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. It was, after all, his mother.
Laura overheard him on the phone, walked over, and asked, “What’s wrong, Samuel? Who passed away?”
His voice was low and heavy. “My mom. You and Tina just stay home. I’ll handle everything at the hospital.”
By the time Samuel made his way to the hospital, the tears that had once streamed down Whitney’s face had long since evaporated, leaving behind a haunting stillness.
She sat in the sterile hospital room, her expression vacant, as if she had been swept away to another realm. The flickering fluorescent lights cast a harsh glow on her features, but her eyes barely flickered at the sound of Samuel’s entrance.
“Mom, why did you have to leave so suddenly?” Samuel’s voice broke the silence, and he sank to his knees beside her bed, desperation etched across his face.
He willed himself to cry, to feel the weight of grief wash over him, but all he could muster was a cacophony of emotion without the release of tears.
Whitney regarded him with a chilling detachment, her gaze as cold as the clinical surroundings. She could see through the façade he was trying to maintain; it was all a performance, and inside her, there was nothing but an overwhelming void.
“Whit, don’t be too sad. Your grandma’s in a better place now. She’ll be fine,” Samuel attempted to offer solace, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to sound reassuring.
“Leave everything else to me,” he added, his tone firm, though his heart raced with uncertainty.
As Patricia’s only son, Samuel felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. In this moment of grief, Whitney had no choice but to lean on him, to let him take charge of the arrangements and the mourning.
*****
At the funeral home chapel, Laura finally laid eyes on Whitney once more.
Though only a day had passed, the transformation in Whitney was striking.
Her eyes, once warm and inviting, now held a chilling sharpness that made Laura shiver involuntarily. The quiet intensity of her gaze unsettled those around her, a silent storm brewing beneath the surface.
Whitney spoke little, her demeanor stoic as she handed a delicate white rose to each grieving visitor, her fingers trembling ever so slightly.
Sensing an opportunity, Laura pulled Samuel aside after a group of mourners had left.
“What about Mom’s 5% shares? You’re not really going to give them to Whitney, are you?” she whispered, her voice laced with urgency.
Samuel hesitated, glancing back at Whitney, who seemed lost in her own world. “Let’s talk about the shares later. How are you supposed to bring it up to her now? Just look at her eyes. They give me the chills,” he replied, his expression a mix of fear and concern.
The Moore family understood all too well how deeply Patricia’s loss affected Whitney.
“Alright, but we need to handle this quickly after your mom’s buried,” Laura insisted, her voice low but resolute.
Unbeknownst to them, a slender figure lurked in the shadows, a quiet, mocking chuckle escaping their lips.
*****
“Tina, your sister gives me the creeps. Didn’t your grandma always spoil her? How come she hasn’t even cried once?” a voice murmured nearby.
Tina dabbed at her own eyes, putting on a performance of sorrow. “Who knows? Maybe Whit’s just got a heart of steel. I’m nothing like her. Ever since Grandma passed, my eyes have been all puffy from crying!”
“You’re just too kind, Tina. Not like her, cold to the bone,” another voice chimed in, echoing the sentiment.
Whitney heard every single word, the whispers slicing through her like a knife.
With a piercing gaze, Whitney shot Tina a look that could freeze fire. “Come with me.”
Tina hesitated, her heart racing under Whitney’s icy stare. “W-What do you want?”
Whitney scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “Scared of me?”
“Why should I?” Tina shot back, forcing bravado as she followed Whitney to a secluded corner.
In a swift motion, Whitney produced a dagger, its blade glinting ominously in the dim light. Tina hadn’t even seen her move.
With a swift, practiced motion, Whitney seized Tina by the throat, the cold steel of the blade tracing a deliberate path along her cheek. Her eyes were fierce, devoid of mercy. Tina had never witnessed such a side of her sister before.
Tina felt her breath hitch, her body frozen in terror. “Whitney, you’re insane,” she stammered, the fear palpable in her voice.
Every word was laced with truth.
Tina’s complexion drained of color, terrified that Whitney might slip and leave a permanent mark on her soul.
“Scared now?” Whitney’s gaze turned steely. “Then stop messing with me. I don’t want to hear those words again. If I catch you causing drama at Grandma’s funeral one more time…”
The dagger hovered dangerously close to Tina’s throat. Whitney let out a cold snort. “There’ll be a gap. You know what I mean, don’t you?”
With that, Whitney sheathed the dagger and walked away, leaving Tina trembling on the floor, her mind racing.
For a brief moment, Tina believed Whitney had crossed a line into madness.
That chilling glint in Whitney’s eyes? It was clear to Tina that her sister was capable of anything.
Tina, tears streaming down her cheeks, rushed to find her mother.
Between sobs, she recounted the harrowing encounter, her words leaving Laura’s face pale with disbelief.
Laura stared at her daughter, incredulous. “Are you saying Whit just threatened you with a knife?”
Tina’s tears flowed freely. “Yeah, Mom, I just want to go home. Can I leave? I really don’t want to stay here anymore. What if she goes crazy on me and actually tries to kill me?”
Laura had never anticipated that Patricia’s death would weigh so heavily on Whitney’s psyche.
She handed Tina a tissue, attempting to soothe her. “Tina, you can’t leave today. Tons of important people are coming, and I heard Klein is coming too.”
“Whitney was just trying to scare you. She used to cry for days when her pet hamster died. She’d never actually hurt anyone,” Laura reassured her, trying to calm her daughter.
“Be good, Tina. Later, try to get Klein to remember you. Otherwise, the Harris family will only know Whit and won’t even know you exist. You’re our favorite, right?”
With her mother’s gentle coaxing, Tina finally began to relax.
‘Yeah, Whitney’s all bark and no bite,’ Tina thought, a smirk creeping onto her face.
I’m the true princess of the Moore family. Mom loves me, and Dad backs me up. What do I have to be afraid of?
Tina took the tissue and dabbed at her eyes, her resolve solidifying. “Okay, Mom, I get it. Just keep an eye on Whitney for me, alright?”
Laura gave her hand a reassuring pat. “Don’t worry.”
*****
When James arrived, a wave of nostalgia washed over him.
‘Patricia’s gone to join her best friend. Those two were inseparable in their youth. Now, they will reunite on the other side,’ he mused, his heart heavy with loss.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.