Chapter 2: Loss, Guilt, and a Vow of Revenge

I was lost in grief when, all of a sudden, I heard pounding on the front door, then a few loud crashes—someone was busting down the door.

The banging was frantic, voices shouting from the hallway. For a second, I thought I was imagining it. Then the door gave way with a splintering crack. My heart raced, adrenaline flooding my veins.

Before I could react, my father-in-law and brother-in-law burst in, faces red, eyes wild.

They stormed into the bedroom, their boots thudding on the hardwood. My father-in-law’s face was beet red, veins bulging at his temples. My brother-in-law’s fists were clenched, his jaw locked tight.

My father-in-law broke down, sobbing and cursing. "Goddammit, we still didn’t make it in time!"

He dropped to his knees beside Emily, his shoulders shaking with sobs. The pain in his voice was raw, slicing through the chaos like shattered glass.

He told my brother-in-law to take her body. When I tried to stop them, my father-in-law slapped me, hard, across the face.

The slap rang out, sharp and sudden. My cheek stung, but I barely felt it. I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but heartbreak and rage.

He pointed at me, shouting, "Kyle Morgan, you useless piece of crap! You let her down, you let her suffer this shame!"

His words hit harder than the slap. I wanted to defend myself, to explain, but the guilt pressed down on me. I couldn’t shake it. Couldn’t breathe.

"Now she’s gone. I’m taking her with me—you don’t need to handle the funeral. If you get in my way, I’ll take you down myself!"

He glared at me, daring me to argue. My brother-in-law stepped forward, ready to back him up. I realized there was nothing left for me to say.

My wife must have already told her family everything. That thought hit me hard. I had nothing left to say. I just let go.

I released my grip, letting her father and brother take over. They wrapped her in a blanket, handling her with a tenderness that broke my heart all over again. I stood back, numb. Just numb. Watching the only woman I’d ever loved slip away from me for good.

I was completely numb. All I could think about was revenge—making that bastard pay for what he did to my wife.

The world around me faded, everything narrowing down to a single point of fury. I didn’t care about the funeral, the family, or the future. All I wanted was justice—my kind of justice.