He motioned for a nearby nurse to take care of Mara and then slipped away, leaving her to her grief.
Victoria was in agony, mustering all her strength to go to Maraâs side, attempting to lift her spirit, but the result was both of them collapsing to the floor in despair.
âVictoria, Victoria,â she cried out. âAh, please-tell me this is all a joke, right? Theyâre lying to me, and it has to be a lie. Everything was fine when I left home this morning, and now theyâre telling me Dadâs practically a vegetable. Itâs a lie, isnât it? Tell me!â
Mara was shaking Victoria, desperate for answers, while Victoria could only cry; she couldnât accept the truth herself, so how could she convince Mara to accept it?
Although Mara always seemed to be at odds with her father, deep down, they knew she loved him dearly. Her antics were just attempts to catch Eltonâs attention-a mischievous child at heart. Now, faced with the reality that Elton may never wake up, she was undoubtedly in torment.
Victoria hung her head in shame, believing it was all her fault that her father was in this state. She leaned on Maraâs shoulder in her suffering, ignoring Maraâs resistance; Victoria had no one left to rely on.
Balfour clenched his fists in silence, unsure how to confront this reality. At that moment, he was the outsider, the one least qualified to tell them not to be heartbroken.
What to do?
âIâm so sorry,â he murmured, but his apology was drowned out by the sistersâ sobbing, and no one responded to his regret.
Since their father had fallen into a coma, Victoria had lost her smile.
Balfour had been there from the beginning, helping them with every procedure, transferring their case to a special care unit, and arranging for a private nurse. He owed to this family.
Every visit to the hospital, to see their father motionless, Victoriaâs face was streaked with endless tears. Mara stood by, her face a mask of indifference. Since that day, she hadnât spoken a single word to her sister. She had resented, she had hated, she had seethed with anger, but ultimately, fate cruelly took their father away.
It was then that Mara realized if the world wouldnât give her what she wanted, sheâd have to take it herself.
After settling their fatherâs care, the sisters became like strangers.
Victoria wanted to talk to her, but seeing Maraâs cold expression, she slowly fell back.
In the end, Mara walked ahead, with Victoria trailing behind her.
Upon reaching home, Mara seemed to have a change of heart and started interacting with Victoria again. âAre you still taking your medication for depression?â
Victoria was so relieved that Mara was talking to her again that she hardly knew what to say.
She replied awkwardly, âYes, I am! The doctor says my condition is under control now. There are some other psychological issues, but theyâre manageable. Donât worry, Iâll get better soon!â
Since their fatherâs coma, Victoria had been seeing a psychologist, understanding the severity of her own problems, which could even be life-threatening.
Victoria had been deeply depressed, even considering leaving this world behind.