Echoes of the Heart - 27. Chapter 27: Laura is out for Carter's blood. Will she get her revenge?

Laura stared at Carter, her face wet with tears and slick with sweat, her breathing ragged and uneven. Her trembling hand reached out to him, her voice quivering as she asked,

“What happened, Carter? What happened to my son? How did he… how did Jeremy end up in that building?”

Carter didn’t answer. He stood frozen in place, his gaze vacant, staring ahead as if trapped in some horrible memory. Tears rolled silently down his soot-streaked face, leaving faint streaks of clean skin beneath the grime.

Laura’s voice rose in desperation.

“Carter, answer me!” she yelled, stepping closer to him. Her hands clenched into fists as panic and anger took over her grief. “Why aren’t you saying anything? What did you do to my son?”

Still, Carter said nothing. He stood motionless, his body trembling, but no words came. Laura’s patience snapped. She grabbed his arm tightly, her nails digging into his soot-covered skin as she screamed,

“What did you do to him? Where is Jeremy? Tell me this is some kind of sick joke!”

Carter flinched at her touch but didn’t respond. His lips parted as though he wanted to speak, but no sound came out. His shoulders sagged, and his tears flowed harder.

“Mom, stop!” Jeff’s voice broke as he moved toward her, his own face streaked with tears. “Can’t you see how he looks? He’s in shock! He’s not going to say anything right now!”

Laura turned to Jeff, her face contorted with anguish.

“Shock? Shock?” she repeated, her voice rising hysterically. “He’s not the only one in shock! My son is gone, Jeff! My son! And you’re here defending him? It’s because of him and his cursed father that my son is not here. If Jeremy hadn’t left this house, he’d still be right here with us.”

Jeff’s tears spilled over as his voice cracked.

“Mom, he just lost Jeremy too! He’s in pain—can’t you see that? Jeremy was his husband!”

“Stop saying that!” Laura screamed, shaking her head violently. Tears, sweat, and mucus ran down her face, unrestrained and messy. “Stop talking about Jeremy like he’s dead! He’s not dead! He can’t be dead!”

She turned back to Carter, gripping his arm even harder as she shook him.

“Tell me where my son is! Tell me he’s alive! You’re lying! This can’t be happening!”

Carter still didn’t respond. His lips trembled, his breath shallow and uneven, but he remained silent. His tear-filled eyes stared blankly ahead, seeing nothing but the flames and Jeremy’s face.

Laura’s screams filled the room as her grief spilled out uncontrollably. She shook Carter harder, her voice hoarse from crying.

“Say something! Carter! Say something!”

Jeff tried to pull her back, his own tears falling freely.

“Mom, stop it! Please, stop!” he cried. “You’re going to hurt him!”

Laura collapsed to her knees, her hands still clutching Carter’s arm, her cries turning into guttural sobs.

“This isn’t real,” she whispered, shaking her head. “It’s not real. Jeremy’s not gone. He’s not gone!”

The loud wail of sirens broke through the chaos. Red and blue lights flashed outside the house as the police arrived. Two officers entered cautiously, their faces grim as they assessed the scene.

One of them stepped forward, speaking softly.

“Mrs. Rivers?”

Laura turned to them, her face red and swollen, her body trembling violently.

“Where is my son?” she demanded, her voice raw and broken. “Where is Jeremy?”

The officer’s expression tightened as he held out a small evidence bag. Inside were charred remains of a watch, necklace and a wedding band, the metal discolored but still recognizable. “We found these at the scene,” he said gently. “We believe they belonged to Jeremy. It was what remained from the body that was burnt to ashes in that fire.”

Laura’s eyes locked on the items. Her breath hitched as she recognized the watch she had gifted Jeremy on his last birthday and the wedding band Carter had placed on his finger. Her knees gave out, and she fell to the floor, a guttural scream tearing from her throat.

“No! No! Not my son!”

Jeff knelt beside her, his arms wrapping around her even as he broke down himself.

“Mom… please…” he whispered, his own voice barely audible through his sobs. “I’m so sorry…”

The officer continued, his tone steady but sympathetic.

“We’re conducting a full investigation. Once Mr. Carter is able to speak, we’ll gather more details. For now, we assure you, we’re doing everything we can to uncover the truth.”

Laura sobbed uncontrollably, clutching the charred items to her chest as if they were the last pieces of Jeremy she had left.

“This isn’t fair!” she wailed. “This can’t be real! My baby…”

She looked at Carter, her face trembling.

“You should have been the one in that fire,” she whispered, her voice trembling with rage. “Not Jeremy. Never Jeremy.”

Carter’s body shook violently, his breath coming in shallow gasps as her words sunk in. His mind was a cacophony of guilt and self-loathing, her accusations echoing his own darkest thoughts.

Jeff moved to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders in an attempt to offer comfort, even as his own tears fell unchecked.

“Carter, don’t listen to her,” he whispered. “She doesn’t mean it. She’s just… she’s just hurting.”

But Laura wasn’t done. She turned to the officers, her face contorted with rage and despair.

“Why aren’t you arresting him?” she demanded. “He’s responsible! He killed my son!”

“Ma’am,” one of the officers said gently, his voice steady but firm. “We understand your grief, but this isn’t the time for accusations. We’re investigating the incident thoroughly, and we’ll uncover the truth.”

“The truth?” Laura scoffed, tears streaming down her face. “The truth is that my son is dead, and it’s because of him!”

Laura’s breath caught as her eyes fell on the items again. She took them, holding them close to her chest. A guttural sob tore from her throat as she crumpled to the floor, clutching the remains of her son’s possessions like a lifeline.

“No… no… my baby…” she cried, rocking back and forth as Jeff knelt beside her, trying to offer some semblance of comfort despite his own overwhelming grief.

Carter couldn’t take it all. He quickly felt the world spinning around him. The weight of Laura’s words, the sight of Jeremy’s charred belongings, and the sound of her anguished cries were too much. His vision blurred, his breath came in shallow gasps, and his body went limp.

“Carter!” Jeff yelled as he noticed him collapsing, his voice filled with panic. The officers rushed forward, catching Carter before he hit the ground.

“He’s in shock,” one of them said urgently. “We need to get him medical attention immediately.”

Laura barely registered what was happening, her cries continuing to fill the room as Carter was carried out, his body limp and unresponsive. The last thing he heard before everything went dark was Laura’s broken voice, screaming Jeremy’s name.

***

Eric walked down the sterile white hospital hallway, the muted buzz of fluorescent lights humming above him. He held a lukewarm cup of coffee in one hand, his other stuffed into his pocket. His eyes were shadowed with exhaustion, his steps slow and deliberate as though the weight of the past few days had drained all energy from him.

The shrill ring of his phone broke the silence, making him flinch. Fishing it out of his pocket, he glanced at the screen. It was Jeff. He sighed, steadying himself before answering.

“Hey,” Eric said softly, his voice thick with fatigue.

“Eric,” Jeff’s voice came through, tight and strained. “How’s Carter? Has he woken up yet?”

Eric rubbed the bridge of his nose, leaning against the cool wall of the corridor. “No,” he admitted, his tone heavy. “Not since yesterday. The doctors said it’s probably the shock and trauma. Physically, he’s okay—no burns, just a few cuts and bruises—but mentally…” His voice trailed off, and he sighed. “It’s like he’s locked himself away, Jeff. I’ve been sitting here all night, hoping he’d wake up, but nothing.”

There was a long pause on the other end, and Eric could hear Jeff’s ragged breathing before he spoke again. “I should be there,” Jeff said, his voice thick with guilt.

“Don’t,” Eric replied quickly. “You’ve got your hands full over there. How’s everything going?”

Jeff hesitated, and when he spoke, his voice was low and weary. “I’ve been setting things up, talking to people, making arrangements. But…” He paused, and Eric could hear the crack in his voice. “My mom refuses to start the funeral processions. She keeps saying Jeremy’s coming back. She won’t let us do anything. She’s completely in denial, Eric.”

Eric exhaled deeply, his heart aching for Jeff. “She’s grieving, Jeff. Denial is part of it, but… I know it’s not easy for you. It’s not easy for anyone.”

“It’s not,” Jeff said bitterly. “She keeps snapping at everyone, blaming Carter, blaming me, blaming anyone who’s in her line of sight. And then she just breaks down, crying her eyes out. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“You’re doing everything you can,” Eric assured him, his voice steady and calm. “You’re holding it together, Jeff. That’s what Jeremy would’ve wanted.”

Jeff went silent for a moment, and Eric could hear him sniffle on the other end. “Just… take care of Carter, okay?” Jeff said finally, his voice small. “He needs someone right now. Don’t let him… don’t let him disappear into himself.”

“I promise,” Eric said firmly. “I’ll take care of him.”

They exchanged a few more words before Jeff hung up, leaving Eric standing there with his phone still pressed to his ear. He sighed, pocketing it before heading toward Carter’s room.

The quiet hum of machines greeted him as he pushed the door open, balancing the coffee cup in one hand. “Carter,” he began softly, but the word died in his throat as his eyes scanned the room.

The bed was empty. The sheets were rumpled, and the monitors were still on, but Carter was gone.

“Carter?” Eric called out, his voice sharp with alarm. He stepped into the room, looking around frantically. The bathroom door was ajar, and a quick glance inside confirmed it was empty too.

His heart began to race as he set the coffee cup down and searched the small space thoroughly, pulling back the curtain and checking under the bed as if Carter could somehow be hiding there.

“Carter!” he shouted, his voice echoing down the hall as panic set in.

Eric ran into the hallway, his eyes darting around as he stopped a passing nurse.

“Have you seen the patient from Room 407?” he asked breathlessly. “He’s not in his room—he’s gone!”

The nurse’s face turned serious as she shook her head. “I haven’t seen him leave,” she said, glancing toward the direction of the elevator. “But we can check the security cameras.”

Eric didn’t wait for her to say more. His mind was spinning, dread clawing at his chest as he rushed down the hallway, checking every door and every corner, calling Carter’s name. But no matter where he looked, there was no sign of him.

Carter was gone.

***

Laura sat on Jeremy’s bed, her trembling fingers clutching a bundle of his clothes. The room was dimly lit, the blinds pulled tightly shut as though the sunlight had no right to intrude on her sorrow. Jeremy’s scent clung faintly to the fabric, a haunting reminder of him that brought a fresh wave of tears streaming down her cheeks. She pressed his shirt to her face, inhaling deeply, as if doing so could somehow bring him back to her.

Her shoulders shook violently, her cries muffled against the soft material of the shirt.

“I’m sorry, Jeremy,” she choked out, her voice raw and broken. “I didn’t mean it—I didn’t mean any of it. Please… please come back to me.”

The bed beneath her felt cold and unfamiliar without him. She gripped the clothes tighter, her knuckles white with the effort. The faint scent of his cologne and the detergent he used clung stubbornly to the fabric, and it was enough to break her completely.

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” she sobbed, her voice rising with desperation. “I didn’t mean to push you away. I just… I just wanted you to be safe. I didn’t know how to let go, Jeremy. I didn’t know how to let you live your life.”

She rocked back and forth, the pile of clothes cradled in her arms like a lifeline. Her hair was disheveled, strands clinging to her tear-soaked face. The room smelled faintly of him—his cologne, the faint musk of his presence—but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t him.

“It’s Carter’s fault,” she spat suddenly, anger cutting through her grief like a jagged knife. Her face twisted, but the tears didn’t stop. “If he hadn’t come into our lives, if he hadn’t—” She paused, her voice breaking again. “You’d still be here. You’d still be alive, Jeremy. You’d still be mine.”

Her hands trembled as she clutched the clothes tighter, her voice dropping into a whisper.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so, so sorry. I’ll stop—I’ll stop everything. Just… just come back. Please come back to me.”

Her sobs grew louder, uncontrollable now, as her guilt and anguish spilled over. The walls of the room seemed to close in on her, suffocating her in a cocoon of regret. Her nails dug into the fabric of his clothes as if holding them tighter might somehow anchor her to the boy she’d lost.

“I’ll do better,” she promised, her voice barely audible between her cries. “I’ll be better, I swear. Just please, Jeremy… please come back. I’ll make sure that the people that did this pay with their blood, I swear.”

Her tears soaked the clothes in her hands as she rocked forward, burying her face in the bundle.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered over and over, the words breaking her apart with each repetition. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

She stayed there, clutching his clothes, the sound of her grief echoing through the empty room, a mother consumed by the weight of her loss and the unbearable silence left behind.

The sharp, sudden trill of Laura's phone shattered the suffocating silence of the room. She froze mid-sob, her reddened eyes drifting robotically to the device lying on the nightstand. Her trembling hands reached for it, her fingers brushing against the screen. The number flashed unfamiliar, but recognition dawned like a slap to the face. She didn’t need it saved; she knew who it was.

Her breath quickened, her chest rising and falling in erratic, shallow movements as a fresh wave of pain and fury coursed through her veins. She gripped the phone tightly, her knuckles blanching, and pressed it to her ear.

“Hello?” she managed, her voice hoarse and barely audible.

‘Murderer.’

The word hit her like a bullet, ripping through the thin veil of composure she’d managed to hold onto. It was Carter. His voice was raw, each word dripping with venom and anguish.

‘You killed him,’ he screamed, his voice cracking with pain. ‘You killed Jeremy! The love of my life—your own son!’

Laura’s lips quivered, but no words came. She sat there, paralyzed, clutching Jeremy’s shirt in one hand and the phone in the other. Tears spilled down her cheeks, silently at first, then in torrents.

‘You killed him,’ Carter repeated, his voice rising. ‘You—' His breath hitched. ‘You might as well have put the knife in his heart yourself. It’s your fault he’s dead! It should’ve been you!’

Laura sobbed uncontrollably now, shaking her head as though trying to deny the words.

“It’s your fault,” she managed to choke out, her voice trembling. “You—you were supposed to die, not him. He—he’d still be here if it weren’t for you!”

Carter’s bitter laughter echoed through the phone, sharp and cruel.

‘You took him from me, Laura. You took my reason to live. You ripped my heart out, and now… now, I want you to finish what you started.’

Laura froze, her breath caught in her throat.

‘Do you hear me?’ Carter’s voice broke, his pain bleeding through every word. ‘I want you to finish it. Come kill me too. You might as well—I have nothing left. Nothing. I’ll be waiting for you, Laura. At the old building near your house. Come. Do it. End it for me.’

Before she could muster a response, the line went dead.

Her sobs returned with a vengeance, wracking her body as she clutched Jeremy’s clothes tighter to her chest. She rocked back and forth on the bed, her mind spiraling further into despair.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” she cried, her voice cracking. “It wasn’t supposed to be you, Jeremy. You were supposed to be here. You were supposed to live.”

The shirt she held was damp with her tears, the fabric crumpled from her desperate grip. She buried her face into it, inhaling deeply as though it could somehow fill the gaping hole in her chest.

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m so, so sorry, baby. I just wanted to protect you. I just wanted you safe… not this. Not—” She couldn’t finish. The words were stuck in her throat, strangling her as the guilt and regret consumed her whole.

Her cries echoed through the room, raw and piercing, as she lay curled on the bed, clutching onto whatever pieces of Jeremy she had left, completely unaware of what lay ahead.

***

Suddenly, the echo of approaching footsteps shattered the stillness. Carter snapped to attention, standing swiftly, his chair scraping against the floor. His sharp gaze locked onto the source of the sound, his heart pounding as Laura emerged from the shadows, her fiery eyes boring into him with unrestrained hatred.

Laura looked as if she had walked out of the depths of her grief and into her wrath. Her dark green blouse was wrinkled, tucked haphazardly into black trousers, and her black pumps clicked sharply against the tiled floor. Her face was pale, her lips dry and trembling, and her red-rimmed eyes burned with tears and fury.

“I hate you so much,” she spat, her voice trembling with rage as she advanced toward him. “I was right about you all along. You were out to destroy my family.”

Carter’s face didn’t flinch, but his voice, low and hoarse, carried the weight of his anguish.

“I didn’t do anything to your family, Laura. You destroyed it yourself.” His glassy eyes welled with tears as his voice broke. “And now you’ve dragged my husband into it. Jeremy…” He paused, his voice cracking. “Jeremy is gone because of you. Do you even understand the pain you’ve caused me? Do you have any idea how much I loved him?”

“Love?” Laura screamed, her voice reverberating off the crumbling walls. “If that’s what you call love, then it’s the kind that destroys everything it touches! Jeremy is dead because of you! Because of your family!”

“No!” Carter yelled, his voice booming as his anguish turned to fury. “He’s dead because of you! You and your poison, Laura! And now, I’m going to make you pay!”

His movements were swift, his hand darting behind him to retrieve a gun he had hidden in the waistband of his jeans. The weight of it felt foreign yet right in his hands as he raised it, his trembling fingers tightening on the trigger.

But before he could aim, a deafening gunshot rang out, echoing like thunder. Pain erupted in Carter’s left arm, searing and sharp, and he staggered back, clutching it instinctively. Blood seeped through his fingers, staining his white T-shirt crimson.

His wide eyes turned to Laura, who stood firm, her hands gripping a gun with the precision of someone well-versed in its use. Her chest heaved, her expression that of a warrior ready for battle.

“Did you think you were smarter than me?” she hissed, her voice low and deadly. “I’m a master at this game, Carter. Don’t you dare forget that. Now drop that gun and kick it towards me.”

Carter’s breathing was shallow as he dropped his gun to the floor. His foot nudged it forward, sending it sliding toward Laura. She kept her weapon trained on him, her piercing gaze never wavering.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Carter said, his voice weak but unyielding. His face was pale, and sweat dripped from his brow, but his resolve remained firm. “I’m not even afraid of death. If you’re going to kill me, then do it. You’d be doing me a favor, Laura. Jeremy and I will be together again, even in death.”

Laura let out a hollow laugh, a sound so empty yet layered with pain that it echoed in the old cinema like a ghostly wail. Her gun trembled slightly in her hand as she stepped closer to him.

“Together?” she repeated bitterly. “You dare talk to me about being with him? I taught Jeremy how to walk with these hands. I fed him, I held him when he cried, and I loved him more than anything in this world. And now, with these same hands…” She held the gun higher, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face. “I’m going to kill you.”

Carter stared at her, his own tears mingling with sweat and blood.

“Do it,” he whispered, his voice steady despite the trembling of his body. “Do it, Laura. But don’t pretend this is about Jeremy. This is about you. You couldn’t let him go, and now… now you’ve lost everything.”

“Shut up!” Laura screamed, her voice raw with agony. “You killed my son! You killed the only thing that reminded me of the man I truly loved! And now…” Her voice dropped to a cold, venomous whisper. “Nobody’s coming to save you.”

Carter’s breath hitched as blood continued to seep from his arm, but his focus remained unwavering, his eyes fixed on Laura. Despite the pain radiating through his body, he straightened his posture, his face hardening into a look of grim resolve.

“I wasn’t counting on anyone saving me,” Carter said, his voice calm, though his words carried the weight of exhaustion and despair. “Coming here… I already knew I wasn’t walking out alive. But before you do whatever it is you came here to do, I need to know something.”

Laura’s eyes narrowed, her chest heaving with fury. She gripped the gun tighter, the veins in her hands and temples bulging with the strain of her emotions.

“Why?” Carter asked, his voice low but steady. “Why did you hate me so much? All I ever wanted was to make Jeremy happy. I loved him more than anything in this world. I gave him the love he deserved, the love he wanted. So, tell me, Laura… why wasn’t that enough for you?”

“Love?!” Laura screamed, her voice cracking under the weight of her rage and grief. “You weren’t trying to love my son! You were trying to steal him from me!” Her voice rose, echoing through the desolate cinema, her words dripping with venom. “And you did! You stole him away, Carter, and it cost him his life!”

Carter’s jaw clenched, but he held her gaze, refusing to flinch under the intensity of her words.

“Had you just left!” Laura continued, her voice breaking as tears spilled freely down her face. “Had you gone far, far away, Jeremy would’ve been happy! He would’ve been happy with Dexter, like he was supposed to be. None of this would have happened!”

Her breathing was erratic now, like a runner gasping for air at the finish line, her fury mixing with a profound, unbearable sorrow.

“But no,” she spat, her lips trembling as her anger reignited. “You just had to stay. You had to worm your way into his life, into my life, and take everything! You stole my son, Carter. You took him away from me, and then you had the audacity to poke your nose where it didn’t belong!”

Carter’s brow furrowed, confusion momentarily breaking through his stern mask.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice tinged with genuine bewilderment.

“Don’t play dumb,” Laura spat, her voice low and cutting. “You know what I’m talking about. Matthew, your father… everything was supposed to stay silent. But no, you just had to play hero, didn’t you?”

Carter blinked at her, his brows furrowing in confusion.

“What are you—what are you talking about?” he stammered, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Laura chuckled bitterly, her laugh echoing through the empty space like shards of broken glass.

“All I ever wanted to do was forget my past,” she said, her voice shaking. “To bury it, to erase the sins I committed… about that night.”

Carter’s confusion deepened.

“What night?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Laura let out another humorless laugh, her hand trembling as she wiped her tear-streaked face.

“You haven’t figured it out by now?” she asked, her tone both mocking and pained. “All this time, you’ve been chasing the truth, and yet it’s staring you right in the face. Your father, Carter. He is innocent.”

The words hit Carter like a freight train. His jaw slackened, and the color drained from his face.

“What… what are you saying?” he asked, his voice trembling.

Laura laughed again, but it was a laugh filled with anguish, not joy. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed between breaths.

“My son… my husband… they died because of me,” she choked out.

Laura sobbed harder, clutching her chest as if trying to hold herself together.

“I could have stopped it,” she said, her voice breaking. “I could have saved them… I could have stopped myself. But I didn’t. I let it happen, Carter. I let it all happen.”

Carter’s lips trembled as he tried to speak, but no words came. His chest heaved, his mind a whirl of chaos.

“Why do you look so shocked?” Laura sneered through her tears, her voice laced with a bitter edge. “You always wanted the truth, didn’t you? Well, here it is. At least I can give you that before you die.”

She took a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she wiped her tears.

“There was a man I loved once,” she began, her voice quieter now, almost wistful. “His name was Kai. My high school sweetheart. I wanted nothing more than to spend my life with him. But he wasn’t rich. And Christian Rivers… he was.”

Carter’s eyes widened, his heart hammering in his chest as he hung on her every word.

“So, I married Christian without hesitation,” Laura continued, her voice dripping with regret. “But I couldn’t let Kai go. I kept seeing him, in secret, until that day. That day when Christian caught us.”

Her voice broke, and she paused, as if the memory itself was too much to bear.

“He found out everything,” she said, her tone almost hollow. “Not just about the affair, but that Jeremy… my son… he wasn’t his. Jeremy was Kai’s son. The testament of our love.”

Carter felt like the ground beneath him was giving way. His breathing grew shallow, and his vision blurred at the edges.

“I tried to reason with Christian,” Laura said, her voice cracking. “I begged him, pleaded with him not to destroy my life. But he refused. He was going to divorce me, take Jeremy away. I couldn’t let that happen.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper, her body shaking. “So we followed him that night. Kai and I. We stopped him on the road. There was a confrontation. Christian… he pulled a gun on Kai, ready to kill him. I couldn’t let that happen. So I grabbed a gun and fired.”

Carter’s heart stopped.

“But my son…” Laura’s voice broke entirely, her words barely audible. “My seven-year-old son… he was stepping out of the car. And I…” She sobbed uncontrollably. “I shot him. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t see him. It was too late.”

Carter staggered back, his hand gripping his chest as if trying to steady the storm raging within him.

“Christian turned to our son, screaming his name,” Laura continued, her voice choked with tears. “And in that moment, Kai attacked him. They struggled, the gun went off… it hit Christian in the abdomen. But I… I couldn’t let him survive. So I took the gun and shot him in the chest.”

Carter’s breath came in gasps, his entire body trembling.

“I wanted to take my son to the hospital,” Laura sobbed, her voice filled with regret. “But Kai… Kai said we had to leave. We had to run. So we did. We left my son… we left him there. And your father… how unfortunate that some drunk idiot… he was blamed for it all.”

Carter clutched at his throat, struggling to breathe. “You…” he rasped, his voice barely audible. “You were the one my father saw that night.”

Laura nodded, her tears flowing freely. “It was dark,” she whispered. “Too dark. He couldn’t see us clearly. But yes. It was me. It was us.”

Carter stumbled backward, his entire world collapsing around him. His father… his life… everything he had believed—it had all been a lie. And the truth was far more horrifying than he could have ever imagined.

"You’re a monster," he whispered, tears streaming down his face.

Laura’s voice rose, trembling with emotion, “I did it for love, Carter! Don’t you understand? I loved Kai! I loved Jeremy too much to lose them. I had to make sacrifices.”

Carter's voice cracked as he yelled, “By killing innocent people? Your husband, your son?” His shoulders shook as fresh tears flowed. “And now, because of you, you’ve killed Jeremy—the very person you claimed to be doing all this for!”

Laura’s anguish boiled over, her voice breaking as she screamed, “Do you think I wanted Jeremy to die? It was supposed to be you!”

Carter froze, staring at her with wide, tear-filled eyes. His voice trembled as he replied, “Jeremy died trying to protect me… from you. I never wanted to steal him from you. I just wanted to share my love with him!”

Laura’s face twisted in fury, veins bulging in her neck as she bellowed,

“Impossible! Jeremy wasn’t meant to be with anyone—not you, not Ethan. It was always Dexter. Always meant to be him!”

Carter's voice broke as he retorted, “Jeremy never loved him! Why couldn’t you see that?”

Laura laughed, a cruel, bitter sound that sent chills down Carter’s spine.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” she sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. “Dexter has always been my ally, Carter. Ever since he was a boy.”

Carter’s knees buckled, his mouth opening and closing as if he were struggling to form words. The shock on his face was palpable—his jaw slackened, his cheeks pale, his eyes wide and glistening with disbelief.

“Dexter…?” he managed to whisper, his voice barely audible.

Laura’s smirk deepened.

“He found out about my affair, about that night. Later, when he was older, he overheard one of my conversations. And instead of turning me in, he became my most loyal accomplice.”

“You used a child for your own gain?” Carter asked, his voice trembling with a mix of disgust and disbelief.

Laura tilted her head, her smile cold and venomous.

“You clearly don’t know Dexter very well,” she said, her tone mocking. “He came from a broken home—a drug-addict mother who overdosed after her husband left her, and a father who left to be with your whore of a mother, Carter.”

Carter staggered backward, his breaths shallow and rapid as the room spun around him.

Laura’s grin turned wicked.

“Even when I was in that mental hospital, pretending to be in shock, Dexter came to me. He told me he knew everything.” Her voice dropped to a sinister whisper. “And let me tell you, Dexter isn’t so innocent. He has his own share of victims—his father, Elena… and Ethan.”

“No…” Carter croaked, shaking his head violently. “No! You’re lying!”

Laura leaned forward, her grin widening.

“Your brother didn’t die naturally of cancer, Carter,” she said, savoring the words. “He died of radiation overdose. Dexter made sure of it.”

Carter gasped, his knees giving way as he collapsed to the floor.

“No…” he whispered, his voice a broken echo. “Ethan…”

Laura’s voice grew colder.

“And when Elena found out the truth about her son’s death, Dexter made sure she was silenced too. Of course, I had a role to play in that.”

Carter clutched at his chest, his breath coming in shallow, desperate gasps. “You’re… lying…”

But Laura only laughed.

“Dexter wanted one thing in return for his loyalty—to have Jeremy. And I promised him that, because Dexter knows all my darkest secrets. He’s the one person I can control.”

Carter’s vision blurred, his tears clouding everything. When he looked at Laura again, he no longer saw a human being—only a devil wearing a mother’s face.

“You’re a monster,” he whispered, his voice shaking.

Laura straightened, her expression hardening.

“I’m a mother, Carter. A mother who tried to protect her son. But you… you took him away from me. You ruined everything.”

Carter shook his head, his voice rising.

“No, you ruined it! Your hatred, your control, your refusal to let Jeremy live his own life! He found solace in me because you suffocated him! That’s why he left you!”

“Shut up!” Laura screamed, her voice raw with anguish. “Shut your mouth! Shut up!” Her hands trembled as she raised the gun, her eyes wild and glistening with tears. “Enough with the talking. It’s time for the execution. You don’t get to win, Carter—not after everything you’ve taken from me.”

Before Carter could react, the gunshot rang out.

The bullet tore through his chest, the force of it throwing him backward. Blood spurted from the wound, staining his shirt in vivid red. His body convulsed as his knees buckled, and he staggered, his hand instinctively reaching for the wound.

Laura’s face twisted into a mask of pure rage as she pulled the trigger again. Another bullet struck Carter, and he let out a strangled cry, his body jerking from the impact. His legs gave out completely, and he collapsed onto the floor, trembling as blood pooled beneath him.

She shot again, and again, each shot punctuated by her screams, her anguish spilling out in every pull of the trigger. Carter’s body convulsed with each hit, his breaths shallow and ragged, his eyes wide with pain and disbelief.

When the gun clicked empty, Laura stood over him, her chest heaving, tears streaming down her face. Carter’s trembling hand reached out weakly, his bloodstained fingers curling into the air as if grasping for something unseen. His gaze, clouded and distant, locked onto hers for one final moment.

“You…” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “You’ve… lost everything.”

His hand fell limp, and his head tilted to the side as the light in his eyes dimmed.

The corners of Laura’s lips curled upward, her hand reaching out to steady herself against the nearest seat. She stared down at Carter’s lifeless body, a crazed grin splitting her face.

“Game over,” she hissed, her voice shaking with triumph. She kicked at his limp leg. “Say hi to your twin for me.”

But just as those words left her lips, the entire room plunged into darkness.

Laura froze, her breath hitching as the sudden silence swallowed her. Her heart thundered against her ribs as her head whipped around.

“What the—” she muttered, her voice trembling.

The darkness stretched for an agonizing second before, with a low hum, the lights flickered back on. Laura’s eyes squinted against the harsh brightness, her body stiffening when she noticed movement. Her gaze darted to the massive white screen in front of her.

Her heart stopped.

The screen flared to life, and there it was—a video playing. Her own face stared back at her, twisted with a bitter smile. She heard her own voice, cold and dripping with venom:

‘All this time, you’ve been chasing the truth, and yet it’s staring you right in the face. Your father, Carter. He is innocent.’

The air seemed to leave Laura’s lungs. She staggered backward, her legs trembling like jelly. Her chest heaved as if her heart was attempting to break free, the realization crashing down on her like a tidal wave.

“No… no,” she whispered, her voice a mere croak.

The screen replayed the damning words, louder and more accusatory.

Laura’s terror swelled, her hands trembling violently. She turned, eyes darting to Carter’s body—but it was gone.

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Looking for me?” a low voice spoke, steady and cold.

Laura whipped her head around, her breath catching in her throat. Carter stood there, alive and glaring at her with an unreadable expression, his hand gripping a gun. His once tear-streaked face was now stern, a mask of quiet rage.

“No,” Laura choked out, stumbling backward. “No! This can’t—”

Before she could finish her sentence, the double doors to the theater burst open, the sound ricocheting through the room like a gunshot. Flashlights cut through the haze, and a dozen policemen stormed in, their heavy boots thundering across the floor.

“No, no, no!” Laura screamed, her voice breaking.

Panic took over. Her instincts screamed at her to run, and she obeyed without a second thought. Turning on her heel, she bolted toward the opposite exit, her feet clattering against the floor. But she didn’t get far.

A single gunshot rang out, deafening in its finality.

The sharp, burning pain tore through her thigh, and she let out a guttural scream as her body was flung forward. She hit the ground with a sickening thud, her arms flailing out to break her fall. Blood poured from her leg, staining the floor beneath her as she writhed in pain.

Her vision swam, but she forced herself to look up. Two feet stepped into her line of sight. Shiny black boots, planted firmly on the ground.

Her gaze climbed higher.

Her breath caught in her throat as she followed the legs upward, past the taut fists clenched at the sides, to the chest that rose and fell with visible fury.

“No…” she whispered, her voice trembling, tears streaming down her face as her eyes finally met his.

Jeremy.

He stood over her, his face a mask of unbridled rage. His eyes, red and blazing, bore into hers with an intensity that made her blood run cold. His jaw was clenched so tightly it seemed as though his teeth might shatter, and the veins on his neck pulsed violently with every ragged breath he took.

“Jeremy,” she croaked, her voice barely audible over the pounding in her ears.

He didn’t speak. He simply stared down at her, his face twisted in fury and something deeper—betrayal. His fists unclenched slowly, but the rage in his posture remained.

Her lips parted, trembling as she croaked, “J-Jeremy?”

Standing over her, unyielding, his dark eyes pierced through her soul. He was no ghost, no fragment of her imagination. He was real, and the cold fury in his gaze made her shiver.

“Jeremy,” she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. A sob tore from her throat as she reached out a trembling hand toward him. “My son… my boy… you’re alive—thank God, you’re alive!”

Her body trembled as she tried to crawl closer, the pain in her leg forgotten. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the blood smeared across her cheeks. She reached for him as if touching him would confirm that he was truly there, that she wasn’t losing her mind.

But Jeremy’s expression didn’t soften.

“Don’t,” he snapped, his voice cold and sharp as steel.

Laura’s lips quivered, but no words came. For the first time in her life, she was truly speechless, faced with the living, breathing ghost of the son she thought she had lost.

Jeremy took a step closer, his shadow looming over her trembling form. His voice dropped lower, trembling with restrained fury. “You,” he growled, “destroyed everything.”

She shook her head violently, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“No! I—I did it for you!”

“For me?” Jeremy’s voice cracked, his composure slipping. “You call this love?”

Laura’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.

Jeremy knelt, his face inches from hers, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart stutter.

“You killed my father,” he spat. “You killed Ethan. You killed me. And for what? For your own selfishness?”

“No…” Laura sobbed, shaking her head. “I loved you! Everything I did was to protect you!”

Jeremy’s face twisted in disgust.

“You call this protection? Look around you, Mother.” He gestured to the chaos—the blood, Carter coming closer to him, his shirt blood stained, the police inching closer. “This isn’t love. It’s destruction.”

Laura reached out to him, her bloodied fingers trembling.

“Jeremy, please—”

But he stood, his expression hardening as he stepped back.

“You don’t get to beg now. You don’t get to lie your way out of this. Not anymore.”

The police surged forward, their commands echoing in the theater, but Laura’s world had already crumbled. All she could see was her son, the one she had destroyed in her desperation to keep.

Carter moved forward, his movements slow, his eyes never leaving the hunk. His hand reached out to Jeremy instinctively, as though afraid that if he didn’t, this fragile moment would shatter.

Jeremy turned his head, his gaze locking with Carter’s. His stoic mask crumbled almost instantly. The fire in his eyes softened into a devastating ache, and the anger that had once consumed him gave way to raw, unfiltered emotion. Tears pooled in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks as his lips parted in a choked sob.

“Carter…” Jeremy whispered, his voice trembling, cracking under the weight of everything unsaid.

That was all it took. In a heartbeat, Jeremy closed the distance between them. His footsteps were hurried, desperate, his sobs audible as he threw his arms around Carter, pulling him close.

Their bodies trembled against each other as they cried, their sobs mingling in the air. Jeremy buried his face in Carter’s shoulder, his fingers digging into his back as if afraid to let go.

“I was so scared she was gonna hurt you. I thought I would lose you,” Jeremy gasped between sobs.

Carter’s arms tightened around Jeremy, his tears wetting Jeremy’s neck as he held him close. “I told you I could do it, all you had to do was trust me.”

Jeremy’s hands mirrored Carter’s, cradling his face with a tenderness that made Carter’s heart ache. His fingers were gentle, as if afraid Carter might break. They leaned into each other, their foreheads touching as they wept together, their breaths shallow and uneven. The weight of everything—the lies, the pain, the near losses—pressed down on them, but in this moment, they found solace in each other’s presence.

Behind them, Laura watched in silence, her body paralyzed with a mix of shock and devastation. Tears rolled down her face, but they weren’t born of joy or relief. They were tears of despair, of knowing that her meticulously crafted lies had crumbled, leaving her exposed.

Her gaze flicked between Carter and Jeremy, the love and grief between them unmistakable. Her chest tightened as she realized how badly she had failed—not just as a mother, but as a human being.

Laura’s breath hitched, and she instinctively reached out toward them, but her hand faltered in mid-air, trembling as she let it fall to her side. She knew now, without a shred of doubt, that she was finished. There was no redemption waiting for her, no salvation, no second chance.

She was screwed.

And the worst part was, she had done it all to herself.

To be continued….