JAMESI left the majestic court building, pushing my way through a horde of relentless reporters once again, as I made my way towards my car. The blaring sounds of their questions echoed in my ears while I tried my best to ignore the bloodsuckers.I felt a little better about my birthday after the day lightened up. It might not be a complete disaster like I thought.To my immense relief, the prosecution barrister didn’t charge me with assault. However, there was to be a formal inquiry into Jenna's accidental death, a mere formality, as Judge Harris assured me. Her family asked for it, which I get, but I totally forgot about her family and what influence her death had on them.In all the time we had spent together, I had only visited Jenna's parents' home on two occasions. They were not a tightly knit family, but Jenna's lineage held a significant influence, which explained my grandfather's infatuation with her. He valued social standing more than anything, and that was precisely why I

JAMES “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Frustration boiled within me, and as I slammed my fist against the cold, unyielding steering wheel, the sharp pain in my hand mingled with the expletives that escaped my lips. “Goddammit! I’m such an idiot!”I shouldn’t have left Destiny there. Not like this. In my rearview mirror, I anxiously scanned the road behind me, hoping to glimpse Destiny's car. Her car wasn’t as fast as my Bentley, and I drove like a man possessed to get away from my family's home. The old man's words had struck a nerve, and I had let my frustration consume me, taking it out on Destiny. It was infuriating how the old buzzard always knew exactly which buttons to push.Finally, I couldn't bear the uncertainty any longer. I pulled over onto the side of the road; the gravel crunching beneath the weight of my car. Minutes stretched into eternity as I waited, my eyes fixed on the distant road. And then, moving at a snails-pace, Destiny's Beetle appeared, inching its way towards me. Relie

JAMES I barely registered the sound of a splash as something fell into the pool, my vision clouded by the intense anger I felt towards Ronan. How dare he lay a hand on Destiny? Consumed by the desire to smash his arrogant face in, I punched him blindly. His cheekbone crunched underneath my fists."James! Fuck! Stop it..." Ronan's words were all muffled and blood splattered on my face, as he weakly tried to push me away by gripping my wrists tighter. We tumbled over the cold paving, our labored breaths and grunts filling the air.Just as Ronan's fist connected with my jaw, I caught a movement in the water. Stars exploded in front of me, blurring my vision. And then, in that moment of disorientation, I realized Destiny was no longer there.Ronan's scream of her name snapped me out of my daze. Without hesitation, we both plunged into the water. I reached her first, her waterlogged clothes dragging her down towards the pool's depths. With all my strength, I broke the surface, cradling he

JAMES“James, you don’t mean that!” Destiny said, her gentle touch on my arm sending a shiver down my spine.Oh, but I did. The weight of my words hung heavy in the air.“James, come with me to the hospital. Please,” Dad pleaded, holding the limo's door open, its sleek black exterior gleaming in the interior light, a stark contrast to the darkness in my heart."Now, why would I do that? He's probably too stubborn to die, anyway. Plus, he hates me," I scoffed, the bitterness dripping from my words like venom. Although, the thought of being by his bedside filled me with a sick satisfaction, a twisted desire to see him suffer."He's still your family, James," Destiny prodded, her voice heavy with empathy and understanding."He needs your forgiveness, James. Besides, it's for your own sake as well," my father's concern seeped into his words, contrasting with the strained relationship we had shared for years.I shrugged, the weight of indifference settling on my shoulders. "Yeah, well. Des

JAMESHaving heard nothing from my father, we drove to the hospital, anyway. Destiny insisted we stop at a fast-food restaurant on the way to get my dad something to eat. The aroma of sizzling burgers and salty fries wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of freshly brewed coffee.“I don’t care if it’s not healthy, James. He needs comfort food. Just this once.” She was determined to get him what she considered being comfort food. I just shook my head. I’ve never seen my dad eat a hamburger and fries. Ever. But there was no arguing with a pregnant woman. The lack of peanut butter or strawberry ice cream in the house had already agitated her. I had to promise her solemnly to get it for her.We found him in the waiting room where we left him. He looked as if he hadn’t slept at all, his tired eyes reflecting the fluorescent lights overhead. The uncomfortable chairs creaked as we sat down next to him. Outside the waiting area, the hospital staff carried on with their task. The low