The day after her conversation with her mother, Aurora went to her half-sister Charlotte's house, hoping to have a civilized discussion. But Tyler, ever wary and protective, insisted on accompanying them, determined to ensure their safety.
When they arrived at the house, Tyler entered first, his watchful gaze sweeping the room. Charlotte greeted him with a polite smile, but it quickly disappeared when she saw Aurora enter, accompanied by a woman she guessed to be their mother.
"What do I owe this unexpected visit to?" Charlotte asked, her tone icy. "And why did you bring your mother with you?"
Aurora remained calm, though she felt the tension rising inside her.
"She wants to talk to you."
Charlotte burst into a cynical laugh, advancing slowly towards them with a kitchen knife in her hand.
"Talk to me?" she repeated, her smile widening. Oh, don't worry about that, if I wanted to kill you right now, it certainly wouldn't be with this.
She twirled the knife in her fingers, watching their gazes slightly directed towards the weapon.
"So, she wants to talk to me? And about what exactly? It took you over thirty years to decide to come and talk to me? You could have done it when I was at the orphanage, or even with your sister, right? Besides, where is she? Since we seem to be having a family reunion. And the brother, where is he?"
Aurora clenched her fists, suppressing the urge to retort.
"All right, I'll stop teasing you," Charlotte added with a smirk. "So, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Your story. The story of your birth," their mother replied, her voice shaky but determined.
Charlotte rolled her eyes, her expression hardening.
"And why would I be interested in that?" You abandoned me, that's all there is to it, isn't it?
The tension in the room became almost palpable. Before Aurora could respond, Jasper appeared, dressed in a crisp suit and tie. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the three women, then turned to his brother.
"What's going on, Tyler?"
"Women and family," Tyler replied, his tone neutral. "And you? Why are you here? I thought you were at work."
Jasper adjusted his tie, his expression impassive.
"I'm going to the city hall to file for divorce papers."
A shocked silence fell over the room. Charlotte, however, was the first to react.
"And I wonder why I'm only finding out now?!" she cried, charging at him, still holding the knife.
Jasper pushed her away gently but firmly.
"You never would have even known if my brother hadn't been here and asked me. So consider yourself lucky that you know now. Get out of my way."
Charlotte stepped back, but her gaze darkened. She disappeared briefly into the living room before returning, this time with a gun, which she pointed at them.
"No one leaves this room unless they want to get shot in the head!"
Tyler burst out laughing, running a hand through his hair.
"So you're finally showing your true colors. Aurora was right after all."
Charlotte turned her gun on him, her eyes blazing with anger.
"You shut up!" she spat. "You took advantage of your brother's amnesia to get closer to her, didn't you? It's like you had feelings for her all along. You were just waiting for the perfect moment to claim her!"
Tyler raised an eyebrow, his tone turning colder.
"And besides, she's delusional."
"You know, your insanity isn't going to stop me from filing for a divorce."
Charlotte turned to Jasper, her weapon shaking slightly.
"I don't want this divorce! What gives you the right to divorce me?!"
Jasper crossed his arms, his expression indifferent.
"Maybe the fact that I found you in bed with another man in the guest room. If it were in our room, I would have even kicked you out of the house. But it's not, so you can still live in luxury... but without me."
Charlotte seemed to falter for a moment, but quickly recovered.
"What's the point of living in luxury if I don't have you?!"
Their mother, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward gently, raising a calming hand.
"My darling, put down that gun. I suggest we talk calmly, like civilized people."
Charlotte burst out laughing, a cold, emotionless laugh.
"There's nothing to discuss!" she yelled, pointing the gun at her mother. "You abandoned me, and your sister took me in. So you have no say in the matter."
"I know, and for that, you deserve an explanation. But please, you shouldn't force people. It's not right. If your husband wants a divorce, let him go, or at least talk it out with him without threatening him with that gun. So, please, put down that gun and..."
The shot rang out.
No one expected it.
Aurora was the first to react, falling to her knees beside her mother's now lifeless body.
"No, Mom... no... NO!!!
She picked her up, hugging her, but there was no sign of life. The bullet had hit her in the head.
"No, Mom, you can't just leave like this. I need you... Hilton needs you... we still need you. MOM!"
Tyler reacted immediately, pulling out his gun and pointing it at Charlotte, who seemed strangely calm despite his gesture.
Jasper knelt beside Aurora, trying to calm her, but she pushed him away violently.
"Don't touch me! Don't even lay a finger on me."
"I'm sorry..." Jasper whispered.
"I said, don't touch me!!"
Tyler and Charlotte continued to stare at each other, but she kept her gun trained on Jasper.
"Jasper, I advise you to leave now if you really want to leave this house alive," Tyler said, his tone icy.
"And you two?"
"I've got this under control. Go now!"
Jasper left quickly, taking one last look at Aurora, still kneeling beside her mother.
Tyler turned to Charlotte, his gun still raised.
"Now, it's up to us, sister-in-law. Put that gun down, or the next corpse in this house will be you."
Charlotte burst out laughing, her gaze defiant.
"You think you scare me?"
Tyler raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think there's anything to scare you, considering you had the nerve to kill your own mother." If you weren't afraid of losing her, then I don't see what would scare you.
Suddenly, Aurora stood up so quickly that Tyler didn't have time to react. She snatched the gun from his hand, her gaze burning with rage.
"It's just us, Charlotte."