Chapter 74

Max returned home, his mind heavy with the weight of the doctor's words echoing in his ears. The scent of Kathleen's perfume lingered in the air, a poignant reminder of her absence. Overwhelmed by grief, Max sank to his knees, his heart heavy with remorse.

"Kathleen, I'm so sorry," Max whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I should have listened to you. I never should have brought us to Mexico City. Please, come back to me."

Tears streamed down Max's cheeks as he pleaded with an empty room, his words lost in the silence of his grief. With each sob, the weight of his guilt pressed down upon him, suffocating him with regret.

But as the minutes stretched into eternity, Max realized the futility of his anguish. No amount of pleading could bring Kathleen back to him, and the crushing weight of his loss threatened to consume him whole.

Dragging himself to his feet, Max stumbled to the fridge, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. He grabbed multiple cans o