The Fall from Grace
795 Words
The rain poured down like the heavens themselves were mourning, soaking the once-pristine marble that sprawled before the towering mansion gates. Uwan lay there, his knees cut from the jagged steps, his chest rising and falling as if he were gasping for air—not because of the cold, but because of the truth that had just shattered his world.
Lightning cracked through the sky with a furious roar, illuminating the darkness for a fleeting second.
In that blinding light, he saw him—his father, Kayan—standing at the doorstep like a statue carved in fury. Rain streamed down his face, mingling with the sorrow in his eyes, but his jaw was tight. His fists were clenched at his sides, trembling, not from the cold—but from rage.
“I never imagined…” Kayan’s voice was hard, almost trembling, as if every word was tearing out a piece of his soul. “That you… my own blood… could become such a monster.”
Uwan’s breath caught in his throat. “Father… please—”
“She loved you, Uwan!” Kayan roared, stepping forward, the thunder above echoing his fury. “After your mother died, she was all you had… and you were all she had. How could you?! How could you take her away?!”
Uwan shook his head, soaked and broken. “I didn’t… I would never—”
“If you weren’t my son,” Kayan growled, his eyes burning with pain, “I swear to the gods—I would’ve killed you with my own hands tonight.”
Those words didn’t just hurt. They hollowed him out.
“Now get out of my sight,” Kayan spat, turning away. “Before I forget that I ever called you my son.”
And with that, the great doors of the mansion slammed shut behind him.
Uwan didn’t move.
He couldn’t.
The marble beneath him was cold, the rain biting against his skin, but none of it compared to the numbness sinking into his chest. The image of his sister flashed in his mind—her laughter, her warmth, the way she used to tug his hand and make him promise to protect her always.
He let out a shaky breath. Then opened his arms wide, staring into the raging sky.
“I’m sorry… sister,” he whispered through clenched teeth. His voice cracked. “I tried. I tried so hard to save you… but I couldn’t. Maybe… maybe you’re gone because of me.”
A dark, twisted smile crept onto his lips—bitter, broken.
“But I swear… even if the world turns against me… I will protect Father. I’ll protect what’s left of our family. That’s my promise to you.”
---
Inside the mansion…
Blood.
It soaked into Kayan’s shirt, warm and cruel. He cradled the lifeless body of his daughter in his arms, rocking back and forth like a man undone. Her small hand still clung to the edge of his collar. Her eyes… wide open… staring into a void.
Tears streamed down his face.
“My little girl… my baby…”
Behind him, footsteps echoed through the hall.
Marena, Uwan’s stepmother, approached—her silk gown untouched by blood, her face painted with expertly crafted sorrow.
“I… I’m so sorry, Kayan,” she murmured, fake tears slipping down her cheek. “It’s a tragedy no one deserves. But maybe… maybe it’s time to let go of Uwan. He’s young… reckless… he’ll survive out there.”
Kayan looked up at her, rage barely hidden behind his grief.
“You think I’ll ever forgive the one who killed my daughter?” His voice was cold as ice. “Even if he was born of my blood… I will never see him the same again.”
Marena lowered her eyes, suppressing a smile behind her fake mourning. She had won.
---
Outside again…
Uwan stood slowly, his limbs aching, his heart heavier than ever. The lights of the mansion glowed behind him like a burning memory.
His clothes were soaked, clinging to his skin like a second prison.
He looked back one last time.
“I used to think this place was home…” he whispered. “But now… even your memory haunts me like a ghost.”
With trembling steps, he walked away.
No destination.
No shelter.
Just the sound of thunder, the sting of tears, and the broken pieces of a life he once called his own.
The rain fell harder, mixing with the tears that slipped silently down his face. But he didn’t wipe them away.
Let the sky cry with him.
Because tonight, Uwan wasn't just cast out of a mansion…
He was cast out of the only family he ever loved.
- Writer
