The Heiress's Comeback

Chapter 196: [ Volume 1] Chaper 196-Horror past.

Her mother’s laugh, the way her father’s watch gleamed in the sunlight. And then the devastating contrast of their lifeless bodies, the cold, impersonal voices of the police officers who had shown up at her door. The horror on their faces, the words they spoke as they delivered the news that had torn her life apart.

Esme’s hands tightened around the sink, knuckles white from the pressure. Tears spilled down her cheeks, hot and fast, before she could stop them. She couldn’t block it out. The memories played in her mind like a film on a loop, vivid and haunting. Over and over again, she watched as her world crumbled, the people she loved most ripped away from her.

This was her curse—to remember everything, to be unable to forget even the smallest details. It was the moments like these that crushed her spirit the most. To the world, Esme was composed, resilient, someone who had picked up the pieces of her shattered life and moved forward. But behind closed doors, when no one was watching, she was still broken, still trapped in the grief that time couldn’t dull.

Her body trembled with the force of her sobs, her knees threatening to give way. She sank slowly to the cold bathroom floor, back against the door as her tears flowed freely. She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to ease the ache that never truly went away, the gnawing pain that always lingered just beneath the surface.

She didn’t want anyone to know. She had spent years building up walls, crafting the perfect mask of strength and control. She didn’t want their pity, didn’t want to be seen as weak or fragile. The thought of the brothers—Jay, Aron, all of them—looking at her with sympathy in their eyes made her feel sick. She had worked so hard to be seen as capable, to be the person who didn’t need anyone’s help. She couldn’t let them see this side of her.

Esme wiped at her tears furiously, trying to regain control. She couldn’t afford to let herself fall apart, not now. Not when they were waiting for her outside, planning a celebration she didn’t have the strength to face.

It took several long minutes for her breathing to slow, for the sobs to subside. She sat there, her back pressed against the cold tile, her body exhausted from the emotional toll. She hated herself for this—for being so affected by something as simple as a birthday. But the weight of her past was too much to carry alone, and in moments like these, it crushed her.

Pushing herself to her feet, she walked back to the sink and splashed cold water on her face, trying to erase the evidence of her tears. Her reflection in the mirror stared back at her, eyes red and puffy, cheeks stained with the tracks of her grief. She didn’t look like the strong, composed woman she pretended to be.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself, forcing the mask of control back into place. She had done this before, so many times before. She could do it again. No one could know how much she was hurting. She couldn’t let them in.

Esme straightened her posture, her hands still trembling as she reached for the doorknob. She paused, taking one final, steadying breath before stepping back into the hallway. The brothers were still there, busy with their preparations, smiling and joking with one another.

Her smile returned, but it was empty now, a hollow shell of what it should have been. None of them noticed. None of them ever did.

"Honey, let’s cut the cake," Kai said with a bright smile, his voice warm and inviting. But as his gaze settled on Esme’s face, his smile faltered. Something was off. The look in her eyes, the way her shoulders tensed—it sent a wave of concern rippling through him. His brows furrowed as he stepped closer, his voice softening. "Is there anything wrong?"

Esme froze at his question, her smile briefly slipping before she forced it back. "What do you mean by ’something wrong’?" Her tone was casual, almost too casual, as if brushing off the very idea. She laughed lightly, but the sound felt hollow even to her own ears.

Kai didn’t miss the way her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. He opened his mouth to press further, but stopped. He could sense she didn’t want to talk about it. Instead, he just nodded slowly, though the concern lingered in his eyes.

Esme turned away, trying to steady herself, her mind racing. She could feel his gaze on her, the unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air. But she wasn’t ready to answer them. Not tonight. Not now. She could barely hold herself together as it was.

"Come on, let’s cut the cake!" Jay exclaimed, his excitement infectious as he gently pulled Esme’s arm, leading her to the table.

She smiled, allowing him to guide her, but inside, her emotions churned. She could feel the weight of the day pressing down, yet she followed, her smile wavering as they stopped in front of the cake.

But as her eyes landed on the cake, an unexpected burst of laughter escaped her lips. She tried to stifle it, but the sight before her was too much to handle.

The cake was a disaster. The icing was sloppily spread, some parts too thick and others barely covered, while the decorations—oh, the decorations—were almost comical.

The letters of her name were written in a wobbly, bright red scrawl, and the flowers? They looked like they were drawn by a child in a hurry, uneven blobs that barely resembled petals.

Ray, Ryan, and Kai stood nearby, their faces slowly turning bright red as they noticed Esme’s reaction. They exchanged uneasy glances, clearly mortified at her response.

They had worked hard on this—wanting to surprise her, to make the day special. But the look of amusement and disbelief on Esme’s face was far from what they had hoped for.

Ryan shifted awkwardly on his feet, rubbing the back of his neck as his cheeks burned.