The words hung in the air like a dark cloud, suffocating the small room. Helen gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she stared at her father's lifeless body. She stumbled back, colliding with the wall behind her as the reality of the situation crashed down on her.
Olivia's heart dropped, her mind reeling with shock and disbelief. She hadn't meant to kill him—she had only wanted to protect Veronica and Helen. But the sight of the man's lifeless form on the floor and the horror etched into Veronica's and Helen's faces made her feel like a monster.
"No, no, this can't be happening," Olivia muttered to herself, taking a step back as her body trembled with the weight of what she had done.
Veronica remained kneeling besides her ex husband, her eyes wide and unfocused as she stared at his
