The rain fell in sheets, drenching us within seconds. My clothes clung to my skin, my hair plastered to my face, but I barely noticed. My mind was a storm of its own, swirling with memories and pain I couldn't escape.
Zaire walked beside me, his jacket draped over my shoulders despite the rain soaking through it. He didn't say much, just stayed close, his presence steady and grounding.
"You're shivering," he said after a while, his voice soft but firm.
I hadn't even realized I was. My teeth chattered, my body trembling from the cold and the weight of everything I'd just relived.
Zaire stopped walking, turning to face me. His dark hair was slick with rain, his eyes searching mine. "Mia," he said, his voice barely audible over the downpour. "You don't have to carry all of this alone."
I shook my head, tears mixing with the rain on my face. "I don't know how not to."
He reached out, brushing a wet strand of hair from my cheek. His touch was gentle, almost hesitant, like he was afraid I'd break. "You're not weak, Mia. You've been through hell, and you're still standing. That's not weakness. That's strength."
I looked up at him, my chest aching. "It doesn't feel like strength. It feels like... like I'm drowning."
Zaire's hand lingered on my face, his thumb brushing away a tear. "Then let me help you. You don't have to do this alone."
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to let go, to lean on someone for once. But the fear was still there, the fear of being hurt, of losing someone else.
"I'm scared," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.
Zaire's expression softened, his eyes filled with something I couldn't quite name. "I know," he said. "But you don't have to be. Not with me."
For a moment, the world seemed to stop. The rain, the cold, the pain—it all faded away, leaving just the two of us. Zaire's hand moved to the back of my neck, pulling me closer until our foreheads touched.
"You're not alone, Mia," he said, his voice steady, his breath warm against my skin. "Not anymore."
I closed my eyes, letting his words sink in. For the first time in what felt like forever, I didn't feel like I was drowning. I felt... anchored.
We stood there in the rain, the storm raging around us, but for that moment, it didn't matter. Zaire's arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a hug that felt like safety, like home.
And for the first time in a long time, I let myself cry. Not just for my mother, or for everything I'd lost, but for the hope that maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to face it all alone.
Zaire held me tighter, his voice a quiet promise in my ear. "I've got you, Mia. Always."
********
The moment Sebastian and his father stepped into the house, the tension between them was palpable. The rain had soaked through their clothes, but neither seemed to care. The storm outside was nothing compared to the one brewing inside.
Sebastian slammed the door shut, his jaw clenched, his eyes blazing. "How long were you going to keep this from me?" he demanded, his voice sharp and accusing.
Mr. Calloway sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "Sebastian, it's not that simple—"
"Not that simple?" Sebastian interrupted, his voice rising. "You were in love with Mia's mom. You were part of the cult. And you never thought to tell me? Not once?"
Mr. Calloway's expression hardened, but there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "I was trying to protect you. Both of you. The less you knew, the safer you were."
"Safe?" Sebastian laughed bitterly. "Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? Mia's out there, digging into things she doesn't understand, and you're telling me you kept all of this from us because you thought it would keep us safe?"
Mr. Calloway stepped closer, his voice low but firm. "I did what I thought was best. Lexie's death... it destroyed me. I couldn't let the same thing happen to you or Mia."
Sebastian shook his head, his fists clenched at his sides. "You don't get to decide what's best for us. Not when you've been lying to us this whole time."
The room fell silent, the weight of Sebastian's words hanging in the air. Mr. Calloway looked away, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his son's anger.
"What do you know about the deaths?" Sebastian asked finally, his voice quieter but no less intense. "About Hannah, Chad, and Andrew?"
Mr. Calloway hesitated, his expression grim. "As far as I know, it could be an inside job. Or it might not be. The cult is... complicated. There are factions, rivalries. Someone could've gone rogue. Or it could be someone outside trying to send a message."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "And you didn't think to tell anyone? To warn us?"
"I didn't know for sure," Mr. Calloway admitted. "And even if I did, getting involved would've put all of us at risk."
Sebastian shook his head, his frustration boiling over. "Mia's not going to stop. You know that, right? She's going to keep digging until she finds the truth."
Mr. Calloway's face darkened. "She needs to stop. If she doesn't... there could be consequences—bad ones. Even if the cult isn't behind the murders, poking around will draw their attention. And if that happens, there's nothing I can do to protect her. Or you."
Sebastian stared at his father, his chest heaving with anger and disbelief. "You're a lawyer. You're supposed to fight for the truth. For justice. But instead, you're telling me to stand by and do nothing?"
Mr. Calloway's voice was quiet but firm. "I'm telling you to be smart. To survive. Sometimes, the truth isn't worth the cost."
Sebastian shook his head, his voice trembling with emotion. "You don't get it. Mia's not going to stop. And neither am I."
He turned and walked away, leaving his father standing in the middle of the room, the weight of his secrets and regrets pressing down on him like a storm cloud.