Aurora

"There are so many things to be thankful for, Aurie, such as this. Love, not everyone can afford such a lavish lifestyle," my father preached. I didn't say a word and just stared at him. To be honest, I didn't ask for this. Besides the attention I needed, I requested nothing else from them.

"It's been a while since I last saw her. Her promise to me, dad, was unwavering. We've been waiting for hours yet she still hasn't arrived!" I screamed.

"Aurie, please wait a few more minutes. Your mother has promised to show up. She just attended an important meeting." I rolled my eyes once again. Every time we were throwing a party, this was our scene. It was hard for me to believe that mommy would ever show up at times like this, despite her promises.

I sat back on my chair and took a deep breath. My father looked like he was about to throw up. I was sure he was embarrassed that my mother was taking so long again. I looked down and only focused on the food. Seeing him looked at me that way had made me feel sorry for myself. My mother was a lawyer, and my father was a police officer. They both put in a lot of time at work, but when it came to me, daddy was very different. In contrast to my mother, who prioritized her career over her family, he always made time for me.

We waited a few more minutes, but not even my mother's shadow appeared. I looked up when I heard daddy's deep sigh. He gave me a raw smile before mucking up my hair.

"All right, let's eat. Congratulations, my love," he said and pinched my cheek. We were served quietly by the servants who had stood by our side earlier. It was humiliating that they saw me in this situation again. It had always been this way; whenever we had an occasion to celebrate, my mother wouldn't show up.

I was accepted into the cheering club today. I'd been attempting to join for several years but was only recently accepted. I understood that an eight-year-old girl should not be upset that her mother hadn't shown up due to work. However, this was too much; why couldn't she make time for me? This was not a trivial occasion. It was infuriating because she always couldn't attend even birthdays or Christmas celebrations.

I ate quietly with Daddy. My resentful tears were about to fall. This was one of my proudest accomplishments so far. Almost every cheerleading team I joined refused to accept me due to my frail body. I was exhausted, but I was doing my best. My mother promised me that as soon as I was accepted, she would be here immediately. I guess, promises were really meant to be broken, huh?

When we were done eating, daddy escorted me to my room. I expected him to stay and speak with me, but he simply kissed me on the forehead and messed up my hair again.

"Aurie, I understand your resentment. I understand you're not in the mood to discuss this today, but if you need someone to talk to, just knock on my door and I'll listen." When I heard that, my eyes became wet once more. I nodded and hugged him tightly. He was, fortunately, with me. Otherwise, I might have run away due to an excess of resentment.

I turned away from him and went to bed. I didn't return my gaze until I heard the door shut. I spent the last few minutes staring at the wall. I truly didn't have any homework; I used it as an excuse to avoid being compelled to go shopping by my father.

I took a deep breath and reached for the book on the side table. This was neither a fairy tale nor a bedtime story. My mother never purchased those items for me. This book was entirely about mindset, interpersonal relationships, and how reality works. Mark Manson was the author; I knew nothing about him because, according to his book, I shouldn't give a fuck. I enjoyed books of this genre. I was intrigued by those fairytale stories, but I didn't have the time to read them. This was most likely mommy's gift, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Initially, daddy didn't want me to read this type of book because he believed I was too young, but when he saw how much I enjoyed it, he didn't prevent me from reading.

Was I spoiled? No. Absolutely not. He never tolerated all the wrong things that I did.

I spent the entire day poring over the book. I didn't feel sleepy throughout the day, so when night fell, I went to bed early.

#

I awoke early the following morning. I could hear the birds chirping outside my room. The sun shone brightly and the trees nearly danced in response to the strong wind. I desired to frown but was unable to do so due to the pleasant view outside. It was Saturday, and the weather was perfectly beautiful.

"Aurie? Breakfast is prepared, and your mom and dad are waiting for you at the table." I heard a voice outside my room. Was that nanny Sena?

Mom and dad? I assumed she was already here. Did she just arrive or was she already here last night? Psh, when there was truly no reason to celebrate, that was the time she'd go home.

"I'll come down in a second." I didn't wait for her response and immediately went to the bathroom. I only washed my face before going out.

The entire second floor hallway was silent as I walked. Perhaps the housemaids finished cleaning earlier, as I did not see a single one. .

I could hear mommy laughing from the kitchen, despite that I had just got to the first floor. I was sure she was talking to my dad. Only my dad had the ability to make her laugh so hard.

I entered the kitchen without looking at them. Mommy's laughter had ceased, and I was aware that they were now staring at me. I didn't look at her; I was still upset.

"Good morning," she softly greeted. I remained silent and sat quietly. She wasn't even sorry for not coming home yesterday.

I sat beside my dad, who had become quiet as well. He kissed my cheek and handed me a plate. Rather than the maid serving me, it was mommy who made the first move to feed me. I had the impression that daddy and her were communicating through their eyes, as daddy left my side voluntarily and mommy took over without saying anything.

"Congratulations, my love," she murmured as she kissed me. I remained silent and made no attempt to talk to her. I heard her sigh when I ignored her and simply began eating.

"I'm sorry for not coming home earlier yesterday; it was an urgent meeting, and I needed to be there." I became even more enraged as I heard her explanation. How many years had that been her constant reason for her absence from home? Was there nothing new to say? My ears were weary of hearing those words.

"Would you like to go shopping? Or do you prefer to eat outside? I did a reservation for three at your aunt's restaurant."

I closed my eyes firmly. I felt like my annoyance I'd been feeling since yesterday was gradually disappearing.

This was what I despised the most; I was easily tamed, easily swayed by things like this. I raised my eyes to mommy; her eyes were moist, as if she were about to cry. I was not sure if she was acting or not.

"Sure, what time?" I smiled as a response. Even though I always sulked, I still despised seeing mommy in this state. If she was a beast in court, she was just a puppy in my eyes.

"After lunch, perhaps? Let's go shopping and eat at your auntie's restaurant together. She informed me that they had introduce a new dish. So far, it has proven to be their best seller."

The level of excitement I was feeling had increased even further. Maybe because I would see my Auntie Nena again. She was the only living relative we had left in our family. My mother was an only child, and both of her parents were already dead, whereas my father was my Auntie Nena's only brother, their parents had also passed away.

This was our first date of the year, so I shouldn't miss out on this opportunity. After breakfast, I spent the rest of the time tidying up. I was already dressed even though we hadn't had lunch yet. I desperately wanted to leave the room, but I was afraid my father would tease me because my excitement was too obvious for him to ignore.

"Wow, I really do look good," I thought to myself. I looked in the mirror with wide eyes and marveled at my own completeness.

I was dressed in a long-sleeved purple dress. My legs were covered to the ankles by the length of the skirt. I accessorized it with a pair of black ankle boots. To be completely honest, this was my first time dressing by myself. Most of the time, it was the housemaids who would dress me up. They also had a lot of influence over what I wear.

I took a few moments to contemplate my completeness before styling my hair. It took a long time to style it because I had no prior knowledge of how to do such things.

Gosh, I should have called the maid.

The minutes ticked away until lunch was over. Mom was prepared, and I was simply the one who they had been waiting for. I was guessing daddy was the one who went first to get the car ready because he'd be the one driving for us.

"You look marvelous. Are you ready to go?" I clutched on her arm as I began to walk. My confirmation that I was correct came when we walked out of the house and saw daddy standing outside, ready to greet us. He was leaning against the car, his eyes fixed on us.

"Beautiful ladies," he mouthed. I immediately closed my eyes when I saw them kissed in front of me. Even after marriage, they retained the characteristics of teenagers.

I couldn't look them in the eyes because of what they did. I frantically kicked the pebble near my foot and kept an eye on it to see where it went.

I would have praised myself when I saw how far away it was, but my palm immediately landed on my mouth in response to the man who had been struck by the rock.

I saw him flinch for a split second before regaining his composure. My eyes narrowed as I locked them on the man. Oh, that would be one of our maid's sons. I recognized him but was unfamiliar with his given name. However, I overheard our maid addressed him as "Sev." I was not sure if that was his real name, as my mother once referred to him as "Pito."

Mommy was covering his tuition fees because his parents' income was insufficient to send him to his dream school. His mother had worked for our family for decades, which explained why my parents were friendly with her. Mommy's money spent on Pito or Sev or whatever his name was, was not in vain, as his grades, according to my mother, were better than mine.

When I saw him turned toward my direction, I immediately returned my gaze to my parents. Why was I so tensed?

I heard daddy laugh when he saw me frowning. I suddenly remember what they did before I kicked the rock. I could feel the flush of embarrassment on my cheek. Oh my goodness, why couldn't they do that in a private place? Infront of me, really? I offered to volunteer to get in the car first and simply waited for them to go in. I was alone in the backseat, while mommy sat in the front with daddy.

"Let's go," daddy said as the car started. I remained silent throughout the trip and simply stared out the window. I avoided speaking with my father because my mother was sleeping. I knew that she was exhausted from work, and I'd prefer not to disturb her. She should be resting right now, but she insisted on accompanying me shopping. A few moments later when we arrived at the mall. Dad was the one who woke mom up.

We stayed inside for a while after the car was parked to fix ourselves. Mom was retouching her makeup, while dad was spraying a perfume all over his body. Daddy was the first to exit the car and hold the door open for us. I could almost close my eyes from the heat of the sun's rays. This was an open parking space, which meant that the sun's heat would immediately contact our skin as we exited the car. Fortunately, there were numerous trees in the area, which helped to cool the air.

As we continued to walk, I clung to mommy's arm once again. Some people were staring at us because my mother was here.

She was a well-known lawyer, that's why.

I only felt happiness in the next few hours. I was able to do all of the tasks I set out to do because we were now complete. I could confirm that mommy had a good time shopping as well, and she even wanted to go shopping more, but we were all starving.

Mommy and I went straight to Auntie Nena's restaurant. Daddy loaded everything we purchased into the car first. Mom bought so many things, and I was afraid it might cause a traffic jam if we simply put it on the floor.

"Aliana!" Auntie Nena exclaimed as she greeted us. After she hugged my mother, she kissed me on the cheek. She had a striking resemblance to my father. When you put it all together, you could say that they were actually siblings.

"Oh my goodness, Aurie! You appear to be in great shape!" She looked at me from head to toe before turning her attention to my mom.

"Thank you," I said in hushed tones. I didn't raise my voice because I knew she wouldn't pay attention to me. She was too preoccupied with mommy, so I shouldn't bother her any longer. They were bestfriends, and whenever they were together, they were in their own little world.

Auntie Nena's restaurant was enormous, and there were a large number of people inside as well. There was a view of the sea from where we were standing outside the restaurant. Auntie Nena returned to the restaurant to take care of our order. Daddy hadn't returned yet because the parking space was too far from the restaurant; mommy and I were the only ones left here.

"Aurie, I'm just gonna use the restroom. Please don't go anywhere, okay? Wait for your dad to arrive; he's on his way." Mommy kissed me on the cheek and waved goodbye before she entered the restaurant. I took a few steps back and looked around. There were a large number of people at the seaside because the sun was about to set. They chose to spend their time here because the scenery was breathtaking.

A cold breeze hit my face and I closed my eyes, suffocating myself in the process.

"Where has she gone?!" I almost jumped in fear when I heard gunshots from afar.

I squinted my eyes in puzzlement. People were starting to run. By looking at them, it looked like bulls were chasing them.

My chest trembled as I noticed the group of men in black nearby. They were all armed. I rose to my feet because of my nervousness. As I approached the restaurant, I heard another gunshot. People shouted in response to the loud bang, as if the person firing was enraged that he hadn't done it only once. My eyes began to fill with tears. I was starting to feel scared.

"Mom? Dad?" I called, in tears. I was not sure where I would run because so many people collided with me. As with me, I was aware that they were also fearful.

"Ah!" I yelled when someone pushed me. They were all in a state of confusion, unsure what to do. I was not alone in my tears, as I saw numerous children separated from their parents.

"Aurie!" I immediately looked up when I heard mommy's voice. She was alongside daddy, and the two of them were running towards me. My mother's eyes were also teary, as if she was about to cry. I remained still, despite my nervousness. I immediately ran toward them. There were a lot of people pushing me, but I didn't stop running. I was on the verge of reaching my mother's hand when another gunshot echoed throughout the place.

My body shook because of the searing pain. My mother called out my name, and I could hear her voice trembling. I was about to call her name back when another gunshot rang out, simultaneously with the new pain I felt.

"AURORA!”

I slowly opened my eyes when I heard someone humming. I was not sure where I was. I felt like I'd been trampled multiple times because of the weak feeling.

"A-Ah," I said softly. My voice was hoarse, which I found strange given that it was fine prior to my loss of consciousness. I even remembered being capable of yelling just before I passed out. My hands moved slowly, but it was a struggle for me.

Was my body truly this frail? How much sleep did I get? How many days had passed since I lost consciousness? My last memory was feeling something painful struck me just before I passed out.

"Hmm...Hmm..." Someone was making a humming sound. I was taken aback because that voice was unfamiliar to me. I desired to return my gaze to the room's door, but was unable to do so. My head was far too heavy. Was it Daddy? Was his tone of voice different now? How many hours did I sleep, and why did it feel as though so much had happened already? The last thing I heard before passing out was my mother's voice.

I heard the door open, but my head remained immobile. I was intrigued by the source of that lovely voice.

"Hmm-Jesus!" I didn't realize who he was until he quickly approached me. I kept a close eye on him the entire time he was standing in front of me. A tall man dressed in a lab coat. His eyes were gray and appeared to be quite familiar. I was not sure where I saw him, but I remembered inspecting those eyes several times. In his eyes, I saw nervousness, excitement, sadness, and a range of other emotions. He looked as if he was at a loss for words.

"Mama Aliana, Aurora has finally awoken!" He shouted. I blinked, my mind still befuddled. I desired to ask as to what was going on, as I was perplexed by his actions, but there was no voice coming out from my mouth. I forced myself to speak several times, but nothing changed.

He examined various parts of my body one by one. He even shone a light in front of my eyes, as if he was searching for something inside.

A flood of questions boomed my mind when mommy entered the room. She was sobbing as she looked at me. I wanted to cry alongside her because it pained me to see her in this state, but not even a single tear dripped from my eyes. I had numerous unanswered questions, and only curiosity came before how I felt.

"Sev, how is she doing? Is she really awake? What are we going to do? Are we going to call the hospital?" mommy asked one after another. My head hurt from contemplating what was happening. I only passed out; why was she overreacting? Where was dad? He, too, should be here. Whenever I was passing out, he was the first thing I saw upon regaining consciousness.

"Her vitals are normal, mama, and she's conscious," the man named Sev responded. Oh, his name was very familiar. I was curious as to who he was. He addressed my mother as "mama," but my mother no longer had any other children or relatives. Was he Auntie Nena's son? However, Auntie Nena was unable to conceive due to a uterus problem. Was he an adopted child?

"Aurie, are you listening?" the young man asked. I desired to respond to him but was unable to do so. When I attempted to speak, all that came out of my mouth was a puff of air.

"Blink twice if you can hear me." I blinked my eyes twice in response to what he said. I nearly passed out from shock upon hearing mommy's sudden loud cries. When mom fell to the floor, Sev immediately supported her weight.

"Calm down, Mama," Sev said as he assisted her in standing and approached me. I noticed that my mother's appearance had changed slightly. Although her face was still undeniably gorgeous, she already had wrinkles. It appeared as though a few years had passed, as her face had aged slightly. Additionally, I noticed that she had lost some weight.

They both looked at the door when it opened. A maid entered carrying a glass of water. As with mommy, she was taken aback when she saw me; she, too, couldn't believe it. She almost dropped the glass as she approached me.

"Is she awake, ma'am?" the maid asked, still confused. Mommy nodded several times as she continued to cry. When she heard that, the young lady's palm quickly landed on her mouth. Her face was unfamiliar, I assumed she was new here.

Sev took the glass and handed it to mommy, who was gradually regaining her composure. I had no idea what was going on and attempted to speak again. However, just like a moment ago, only pure air escaped my mouth. I wanted to tweak myself out of annoyance. What the hell was happening to me? Normally, I was not this weak after fainting.

"What is going on...?" I inquired feebly. I wanted to clap my hands when I finally heard my voice. Sev and mom immediately looked at me when they heard me speak.

"Come again, Aurie?" Sev asked, hoping I would speak once more. For a brief moment, I was silent when I heard mommy's sobs again. The maid was backing her up because Sev was looking after me.

"What is Hap..penning?"

"Oh my goodness!" mom wept. My mind became increasingly perplexed. Why were they acting like this?

"Aurora, you have recently awoken from a ten-year coma. You've been dormant for nearly 11 years," Sev responded solemnly, his eyes were tearful as he looked at me.

What?

Coma? That was something I had heard previously. In a film, a young woman awoken from a coma. Coma? 11 years? I pressed my eyes shut as Sev's words began to take shape in my mind.

My eyes were dripping with tears. When I tried to wipe it, my hand wouldn't move. Was this the reason my mom appeared to be aging in my eyes? The reason why I was unable to identify the maid earlier? The reason why I didn't have any idea who was this attractive man infront of me? Ten years. I'd been asleep for ten freaking years.

"W-Where's dad?" My throat began to ache as I uttered those words. Mommy's cries grew more and more ferocious as I looked at her. She was looking at me as if I was a delicate crystal, one that would shatter if not properly cared for.

"Seven, could you please leave us for a minute?" Mommy's voice was still trembling. Even though I could tell Sev was skeptical, he nodded his head slowly. He and the maid, who had brought the glass of water earlier, went out together.

Mommy came closer to me before she gently squeezed my hand. I could feel her warm touch, but I still couldn't move my hands.

She drew a chair closer to my bed and sat down. Then, as she leaned in close to me, she began to caress my hair with her fingers. I was so happy that I closed my eyes tightly. Even though I was unaware of how many years had passed, I could still feel the excitement whenever my mother caressed my face. My body had been in a deep sleep for years and had no idea what was happening, but I felt like I missed her a lot.

"Aurie, you should relax your mind first. Having a lot of thoughts will not be good for you," she whispered. I had the impression that she was concealing something from me that she was not yet ready to reveal because of what she said. This made me even more perplexed. What had been going on in the last few years?

I tried to get up, but it was pointless because I couldn't even move a finger. Looking around, I was relieved to see a large mirror on one side of the room. Seeing myself brought a few tears to my eyes. Although I was a long way from the mirror, my eyes were still able to discern the changes that had taken place within me. I was obviously tall. My chest also grew in size. My appearance had drastically changed. I began to look more and more like my father, more and more look like Auntie Nena. To put it simply, my hair was a long one. Previously, it was just above my shoulders; now, it was almost to my buttocks!

What a difference a day made.

"Where's dad, mom? I-I wanna see him..." If I was amazed at how I looked, I was sure daddy would aswell. My adolescence had made me eager to see his reaction.

"The doctor is coming tomorrow to check on you, so you should relax, Aurie. You need to be ready—"

"But I want to know where he is. Why can't you tell me?" My sore throat nearly caused me to choke. It seemed like I was running out of words, even though I had nothing to say.

"Aurora, I don't think you're ready to find out yet—"

"Ready for what?" I asked, almost dying because of curiosity.

"Remember the last time we went on a family outing?" she began.

"T-That was the day you were shot." She was clearly suppressing the sobs that were threatening to burst out in order to be able to speak properly. I'd like to prevent her from telling the story because it was not the information I needed. I was curious about my father's whereabouts, but there was a part of me that wanted to listen to what she had to say.

"You were covered in blood back then. Your father approached you immediately and carried you to the car. We didn't bother looking at the shooter because your condition was our primary concern at the time. When we arrived at the hospital, you were rushed to the operating room. Your father and I were so terrified that you were struck by a bullet. You had been shot on the back of the head, as well as your back and right leg." Mommy came to a halt for a brief moment to sob. I was speechless from shock. How on earth was I still alive?

"The operation lasted nearly a day and a half, but your father never left the operating room's waiting area. After the surgery, you remained in the intensive care unit until you were transferred to a regular room. The doctor stated that you could be unconscious for days. We waited patiently. Until the days became weeks and the weeks became a month. That was when we began to speculate. The doctor performed some tests, and it was then that we discovered you were in a c-coma."

I couldn't imagine Dad's reaction would have been if he had known. Of all the people I knew, he was the most overreacting. He was constantly more concerned than mommy.

"Y-Your father was constantly blaming himself. He stated that he shouldn't have left us at your aunt's restaurant. He'd been spacing out for days. He didn't report to work again until the third month. He became extremely busy, and we only talked on a very infrequent basis. I had no idea if he was still eating properly because he was constantly absent from the hospital. I simply allowed him to do so because it might be his coping mechanism. Until his co-policeman paid us a visit in the hospital, inquiring as to why your father had been unable to work for five months..."

Mommy's voice grew fainter as she continued to tell the story. I even saw her cover her lips in an attempt to stave off sobbing. Curiousity had piqued my interest even further than it had previously.

"Aurie, I lied to him. I told him that your father had left to take care of our business because I couldn't leave you. When his friend left, I began to cry from stress. I was at a loss for what to prioritize. I was thinking of you, and then your father joined in. I was thinking, where had he gone? What was he doing? Was he still alive? I cried a few nights as well, quietly blaming myself for what had happened to you. I shouldn't have left you, my love. There were so many thoughts racing through my mind at the time that I was at a loss for what to do."

Mommy was inconsolable. Despite my frailty, I attempted to caress her hand. I was so stupid. I'd been looking for my father for a while now, but I hadn't even asked mommy how she felt. I was aware that she was also not well. What kind of mother would be okay with her daughter being shot and comatose? Add to the puzzle the fact that my father left her. She believed my father had returned to work, but he had not. She would still be unaware if it weren't for daddy's friend paying us a visit. As was the case with my father, she also blamed herself for something that wasn't her fault. Nobody but the shooter was to blame. Without him, none of this would have happened to us. Mommy was under a lot of stress at the time, and she dealt with it alone. I was sure Auntie Nena would be there for her, but Auntie Nena also had a life of her own. Auntie Nena was also alone, so no one else was going to look after her business. Additionally, Auntie Nena, like my mother, was a lawyer. We were not the only ones who needed her attention.

"Your auntie was busy with the case. She was occupied with determining who shot you, Aurie. I gave her the case so that I could be the first person you see. I regretted the days when I was absent when you had an important occasion to celebrate. I couldn't even join you in celebrating your birthday. If I only knew this would happen, I would've stopped working..."

My tears began to flow one by one. I couldn't believe mommy was acting this way because of me. I'd never been so enraged at her over work. Yes, I was disappointed when she failed to show up when she promised she would, but there was a part of me that understood her. Her work necessitated a great deal of time and effort. And I was sure she was contented with her job. She wouldn't stay at her job for that long if she were dissatisfied with it, would she?

"I could only speak to Seven, your nanny Sena's adopted son. Aurie, he was always there for us. When he finished school, he would immediately accompany me to the hospital to watch over you. He knew that I was constantly alone in your room because I told Sena that your father hadn't returned for a week. Since then, he had never left my side. Whenever I needed to buy something, he'd keep an eye on you. I was grateful that he was always available for us, even when he was occupied with school. You know, he was in tenth grade and about to attend college that time."

So this was why Sev's face appeared to be so familiar, huh? He was nanny Sena's adopted son. The man who was struck by the rock I kicked in response to my mother and father kissing in front of me. He had grown up a lot and he was now a doctor? Mommy was the one who paid his tuition in an expensive university because nanny Sena couldn't afford to pay the tuition fee back then. He was, in fact, quite intelligent.

"Seven stayed with us while your father was away. Your father returned after a month. Seven was not there due to an emergency at Sena's house at the time. Your father's face was covered in bruises. I couldn't believe when I saw him that way because, as you know, health was always his first priority. He was quite unlike my husband. I asked as to where he went, what he had been doing, everything! All of the questions that had been bothering me for the last month exploded. Aurie, I had a breakdown in front of him. Naturally, he pacified me. I did calm down, but I continued to question him. T-Then he told me everything..."

"W-What everything?" I asked huskily. I was even more apprehensive about what she was going to say. She informed me of the previous events, but I still had no idea where my father was.

"Your father conducted his own investigation into your case. H-He went in search of the person who shot you alone. He didn't seek assistance from his coworkers because he intended to assassinate the man who shot you. He was aware that he would be imprisoned, but he was unconcerned. He kept quiet because he was afraid that someone would betray him at any moment. He took care of everything, Aurie. He did it on his own." Mommy covered her mouth once more to ensure I wouldn't hear her sobbing aloud. My tears began to flow even more freely.

"How is he doing now, mom? Did he caught the person who shot me?" She sobbed even more, doubling my nervousness. Why couldn't she tell me? Was there something wrong? I held her dress and yanked it several times, compelling her to tell me what happened to daddy after he discovered who shot me.

"Where is he, m-mom?"

"He left us again that night, Aurie. He discovered who shot you the night after he left. My love, he got into a fight with a group of guys. Regrettably, those guys were stronger than he was. He was unable to fight properly. When morning came, I received a call from his workplace informing me that your father had been discovered dead in the middle of the lake, covered in gunshot wounds. Aurora, your father is already in heaven. Your father died, fighting for your justice."