Brandon's POV
I know about your affair with Penny Hawkins. Chloe's mom.
The words hung heavily between us, thick and suffocating like smoke trapped in a room with no windows. They didn't just land; they sliced through the air, cutting straight into something raw and unprotected.
Never in a million years did I imagine I would gather the courage—no, the momentum—to say them out loud. To him. My father.
I had known for so long that the truth had lost its sting. I discovered it quietly, accidentally, like children uncover things they're never meant to see. Back then, I didn't confront him. I didn't scream. I didn't even cry. I swallowed it, buried it, and let it rot somewhere deep inside me where it could no longer hurt anyone else.
That was long before the tragic day Chloe's parents lost their lives. Back then, life felt simpler, untouched by the chaos of grief and guilt.
Now? Now every moment felt heavy with consequence.
