Chapter 4 TREMOR

Isabelle

The test lies on the bathroom counter, the seconds ticking by as I pace the small space. Each heartbeat feels like a countdown, the anticipation almost suffocating. My chest rises and falls with shallow breaths as I try to prepare myself for the answer. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and finally look.

Two lines. Clear. Unmistakable.

Fate's teasing made me laugh bitterly. Does this late goddess think this place is not chaotic enough?

-

The morning of my mother's memorial came with a heavy weight pressing against my chest. I stared at the mirror in my bedroom, my reflection a ghost of the person I used to be. My black dress hung loosely on my frame, a reminder of the sleepless nights and endless tears. Today wasn't just about saying goodbye to my mother-it felt like saying goodbye to everything I'd once believed in.

My phone buzzed on the dresser, and I glanced at it, hoping against hope to see Damion's name. Nothing. Just a slew of messages from distant relatives and acquaintances offering their condolences. My heart sank further.

I took a deep breath, brushing my fingers over the delicate pendant that hung around my neck-the one my mother had given me on my eighteenth birthday. "Mom," I whispered, my voice trembling, "I hope I can make you proud today."

The small chapel was filled with the soft hum of voices as guests arrived. I stood at the entrance, greeting them with a forced smile, the ache in my chest growing with every passing moment. Every time the door opened, I glanced up, hoping to see Damion's familiar figure. But he wasn't there.

Instead, a familiar voice called my name.

"Isabelle!"

I turned, my heart skipping a beat. Rita, my childhood friend, pushed through the small crowd with outstretched arms. Her warm, familiar smile was a balm to my fractured soul.

"Rita!" I whispered, tears springing to my eyes as I rushed into her embrace.

Her arms wrapped tightly around me, and for the first time in days, I felt a small flicker of comfort. "I'm so sorry, Isabelle," she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. "I can't believe she's gone. Your mom was an incredible woman."

"Thank you," I choked out, my voice barely audible. "I didn't think you'd make it."

"Of course, I'd make it," she said, pulling back to look at me. Her hands rested firmly on my shoulders. "You're my best friend, and I wouldn't let you go through this alone."

I gave her a weak smile, the tears streaming down my cheeks betraying the gratitude I couldn't put into words.

The service began shortly after, a solemn procession of prayers and heartfelt speeches honoring my mother's life. I kept glancing at the door, my heart sinking deeper each time it remained closed. He wasn't coming.

As the service ended and the guests began to mingle, I stayed near the entrance, still clinging to the hope that Damion would walk in at the last moment. Instead, Kaia appeared.

The sight of her turned my stomach. She was dressed in black, but her smirk and the mocking glint in her eyes were wildly out of place. She sauntered toward me, her heels clicking against the polished floor like a countdown to disaster.

"Isabelle," she said sweetly, her tone oozing with faux sympathy. "I didn't think I'd see you here, but then again, where else would you be? Clinging to your mother's memory because there's nothing else left for you."

I clenched my fists at my sides, fighting the urge to lash out. "What do you want, Kaia?" I asked, my voice sharp.

She tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Oh, I just wanted to deliver a message from Damion."

My heart jumped. "Damion? Is he here?"

Kaia's smile widened, her eyes glinting with malice. "Oh, no. He's not coming to this... pathetic little gathering."

Her words hit like a slap. "What do you mean?"

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a cruel whisper. "He told me to tell you to stop chasing after him. That you're embarrassing yourself. He doesn't care about you, Isabelle, or your mother. He said to move on with your miserable little life and stay

far away from him."

The room spun, Kaia's words cutting deeper than I thought possible. "You're lying," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

She laughed, loud enough for others to turn and look. "Oh, honey, I don't need to lie. Damion has moved on. You should, too."

Tears welled in my eyes as she turned on her heel and strutted away, leaving me standing there, shattered.

The rest of the evening passed in a haze. Rita tried to comfort me, but her words barely registered. My mother was gone. Damion had abandoned me. Kaia's venomous words replayed in my mind like a broken record.

As the last guest left, I sat alone in the empty chapel, staring blankly at the altar. My heart felt like it had been ripped apart, piece by piece, until there was nothing left. I leaned forward, resting my head in my hands.

"I have nothing left," I whispered to no one, the words tasting like ash. "No family, no money, no future. What's the point of even trying?"

My phone buzzed in my lap, and I glanced at it with little interest. But the notification caught my eye.

"Job Offer: Administrative Assistant Role in Crestfield City - Apply Now."