Chapter 2 The Beginning of His Hatred.

There was a collision. I heard glasses shattering. Then everything went black for a second.

When I opened my eyes, my head was pounding. I called 911 immediately. Then, I stumbled out of the wrecked car and ran to the driver’s side.

“Bonnie!” I screamed, pulling her out as gently as I could. I dropped to the ground with her in my arms. There was blood everywhere on her dress and my hands. “Bonnie, wake up! Please!”

Her eyes fluttered open. She was breathing so shallowly. Her hand weakly grabbed mine.

“Claire…” she whispered. “Promise me. Victor can never know about the type of girl I was behind his back. Don't tell him about the pregnancy… or about Sly. No matter what happens. Please…”

Tears poured down my face. “You’re going to be okay. The ambulance is coming. Just hold on. I love you, Bonnie. Stay with me—”

Her hand went limp. The sirens were getting closer, but they felt so far away.

...

At the hospital, everything moved too fast. Paramedics rushed Bonnie through the doors on a stretcher. I ran after them, crying and begging anyone who would listen.

“Please save her! She’s my best friend. Please! She can't die!"

Doctors and nurses swarmed around her in the emergency room. I stood outside the glass, praying harder than I ever had. God, don’t take her. Not Bonnie. I thought about Victor too — how destroyed he would be. He doted on her so much. He loved her more than anything. I had already called my dad and Victor.

Then, a doctor stepped out. His face was serious.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “We did everything we could. We lost her.”

“No,” I whispered. My legs felt weak. “That’s not true. Bonnie can’t be dead. She can’t—”

Behind me, I heard heavy footsteps. A deep, broken voice.

“Where is she? Where’s my sister?”

I turned. Victor stood there, eyes wild with fear. A nurse tried to stop him.

“Sir, you can’t go in there—”

“That’s my baby sister!” he roared, his voice cracking. “Get out of my way!”

The nurse stepped aside. Victor pushed past me and walked straight to the bed where Bonnie lay. He stopped suddenly. His face crumpled. For a long moment, he just stared at her still face, his hand hovering slowly over her cheek.

"Bonnie," he whispered. His voice was so low. "Bonnie, wake up."

She didn't move.

"Bonnie, this isn't funny. You know I hate when you play pranks like this."

My heart was breaking seeing Victor like this.

"Bonnie." His voice cracked. "Get up. right now. You can't be lying there like that. You can't be dead. Do you hear me?"

Tears were streaming down his face. I had never seen Victor cry. Not once in all the years I had known him. He was always so put together and mostly cold.

Now he was breaking in front of me.

He touched her hand, but then he jerked back.

"Why is she cold?" he asked, looking around the room like someone would have an answer. "Why is my sister so cold?  She—

He stopped.

"Get up!" he screamed. "You can't leave me! You're all I have! You're all I have left! Get up, Bonnie! Get up and act like the stubborn brat you've always been! Tell me I'm being overprotective! Tell me something! Just—please—"

Victor stared at Bonnie's face. He touched her cheek.

Then he whispered something so soft I barely caught it. “I’m sorry, Bon. I should have been there. I should have protected you.”

Then he stood up slowly. His legs almost gave out, but he caught himself.

He clawed at the collar of his shirt like he couldn’t get enough air. I had never seen a man break like that. It was like watching someone’s soul shatter in slow motion.

I was scared to go close to him, but my legs moved, and my voice was trembling. “Uncle Victor… I’m so sorry.”

He spun around. His eyes — those intense grey eyes I had secretly loved for years — pierced straight into me. They were full of rage and pain.

“Why aren't you the one lying there dead?” he growled. “I told you to stay away from Bonnie. You killed her. You did this. I’m going to make you pay.”

His voice rose, shaking with anger. “You dragged my sister to get an abortion and this happened!”

The words cut deep. I wanted to scream. I didn’t get an abortion! It wasn’t me! But I remembered Bonnie’s last words. Her promise. Victor can't know.

All I could manage was, “Uncle Victor… It was an accident.”

“I’m not your uncle!” he screamed, tears streaming down his face. He looked me up and down, his lip curling with disgust. “It should have been you. Not my baby sister.”

There was a tightness in my heart like my heart was about to explode. My knees buckled, and I fell to the floor, sobbing. “Please forgive me…”

My dad rushed in then. He saw Bonnie’s body, and his face went pale, but when he saw me alive, relief flooded his eyes. He was a quiet, peaceful man. He didn’t say much. He just helped me up and put his arm around me.

“I’m truly sorry for your loss,” Dad said softly to Victor.

Victor’s voice was ice. “Take that worthless girl and get out.”

...

A week later, I still couldn’t eat properly. I just picked at my food. Dad kept encouraging me, telling me to take it one day at a time. I had told him the whole truth — everything about the pregnancy, the clinic, and Bonnie’s last wish. He knew me better than anyone. He always reminded me I was a good girl.

Today was the funeral.

I dressed in black and went to church. There were only a few people there. Victor stood at the front in a black suit and dark shades. He looked completely broken.

The moment I tried to step inside, Victor turned. His voice was ice.

“Security. Throw her out.”

Two men grabbed my arms and dragged me back. I stumbled on the steps, tears already falling. Dad caught me before I hit the ground.

The church doors closed. I could hear the priest beginning the service inside, his voice muffled and distant.

I stood on the church steps, staring at the closed door. The rain started to fall, cold and sharp against my skin. Dad put his arm around me and held an umbrella over my head. The small umbrella barely covered both of us. I was shivering, but I didn’t move.

 All I could hear was Victor’s voice. Throw her out.

“He’ll never forgive me,” I whispered.