Chapter 63. Dirty Images

ISABEL

The atmosphere was charged with an expression of emotions especially by the children. I reassured them that I would return to visit them shortly. I just needed to leave in a hurry so that Mavis wouldn’t see me leave.

Amidst the emotional farewells, one person’s reaction stood out to me. Amelia seemed to be devoid of the sadness that engulfed everyone else.

Instead, her demeanor suggested an underlying indifference to my leaving, or perhaps a hint of satisfaction. It occurred to me that she may have viewed my departure as an opportunity to interact with Mavis in a manner that she had always desired, unhindered by my presence.

In a display of affection, I embraced Jane tightly, knowing that my heart would ache with her absence. This sentiment extended to my younger stepbrothers, particularly Jessie, and most significantly, to my beloved mother.

The driver pulled away from the confines of our home, and as we drove along the road, I nodded to the gen