~Darius's POV~
"What?!"
"Why would you do that?"
"Mom!"
"Seriously?"
Voices are exploding around the room, everyone shouting over each other, but all I can hear is the weak, uneven breathing of the woman in my arms. Abigail. She's losing so much blood that my own vision feels unfocused. I can't think. I can't breathe.
She reaches up with her good hand, her fingers trembling as they clutch the front of my shirt. Her smile is small, shaky... brave in a way that guts me. She's fighting to stay awake. Fighting to stay with me.
"I'm so sorry," Mum whispers, her voice breaking. "We found the body… he survived the operation… we put him in the psychiatric hospital… but he escaped a month ago."
Her words fall apart into sobs. She looks at me, eyes red, searching for something... mercy, understanding, maybe forgiveness. I feel nothing for her. Nothing for anyone in this room except Abigail.
"He escaped? And you didn't tell us?!" Dimitris roars, the anger vibrating off him.
