Knowing Jess was okay brought a wave of relief, but the guilt still gnawed at me. My chest felt heavy, and my thoughts were a jumbled mess, making it hard to comprehend my emotions.
I wanted a break—just one night of peace away from the chaos. It seemed like every time things started to improve, life found a way to get worse. I thought saving Dad’s company and our home would make me happy. Maybe it was because I hadn’t found Michael yet.
But even as I clung to that reasoning, I knew deep down that finding my brother wasn’t the answer to the void in my heart. It was something else entirely, something I couldn’t name.
I just wanted one week—one simple week—with Eric without fighting or Vivian ruining everything. But that felt as rare as diamonds in the dirt.
A part of me wished Eric had
