Chapter 4: THE SHADOW OF PAIN
Two days after their music session, Diana's life took a devastating turn. Her mother fell gravely ill, and everything around her crumbled.
That morning, Diana woke up with a strange feeling, an unsettling heaviness in her chest. She went downstairs and found her mother lying on the couch, her face pale, her eyes half-closed.
— Mom? she called softly.
No response. A cold shiver ran down her spine. She hurried over, gently shaking her mother.
— Mom, wake up! What's wrong?
Her mother slowly opened her eyes and gave a weak smile.
— It's nothing, sweetheart… I'm just a little tired.
But Diana wasn't convinced. She had never seen her mother like this before. She looked so weak, so fragile.
— I'm calling a doctor.
— No… It's not necessary. I just need some rest.
Diana hesitated but obeyed. Maybe her mother just needed sleep. Yet, deep inside, an ominous feeling grew.
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The next morning, everything got worse. Diana found her mother in bed, sweating, breathing heavily. Her complexion was ashen. Panic surged through Diana as she grabbed her phone and called an ambulance.
When the paramedics arrived, Diana was shaking from head to toe. She climbed into the ambulance with her mother, holding her hand tightly the entire ride.
At the hospital, they rushed her mother into the emergency room. Diana sat alone in the waiting area, her heart pounding.
After what felt like an eternity, a doctor approached her.
— Miss, your mother is seriously ill. We've run several tests, and… we're afraid it's not looking good.
— Not looking good? Diana repeated, her voice trembling.
— We'll do everything we can to treat her, but her condition is critical. You should be prepared for all possibilities.
Diana felt her world collapse.
— No… No, she's going to get better!
But the doctor's sympathetic expression told her the truth: they couldn't make any promises.
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For two weeks, Diana stayed by her mother's side at the hospital, refusing to leave her alone. She prayed for a miracle.
Dylan visited often. He brought her food, made sure she ate, tried to distract her. But nothing could ease the anxiety gnawing at her.
— She's going to be okay, Diana, he told her softly. She's strong, just like you.
Diana wanted to believe him, but each day, her mother grew weaker.
Then, one morning, the inevitable happened.
Diana was sitting by her mother's hospital bed, holding her cold hand, when she suddenly felt her grip loosen.
— Mom? she whispered, her throat tightening.
No response.
— Mom! Wake up!
Her mother didn't move.
The machines around her started beeping frantically. Nurses and doctors rushed in, pushing Diana aside as they tried to resuscitate her mother. But deep down, she already knew.
A few minutes later, a doctor placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
— I'm so sorry, Diana… She's gone.
A heart-wrenching cry escaped Diana's lips, and she collapsed in tears.
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The funeral took place three days later. Diana remained silent throughout the ceremony, staring blankly at her mother's grave.
Dylan, Thomas, and Jasper stood by her side, offering their quiet support. But no words could ease the pain inside her.
After everyone left, Diana knelt before the gravestone, tracing her mother's name with trembling fingers.
— Why did you leave me? she whispered.
The wind blew gently, as if offering an unspoken answer.
Dylan approached, knelt beside her, and took her hand.
— You're not alone, Diana. I'm here.
She looked up at him, tears streaming endlessly down her cheeks.
She had no family left. No parents. Just an overwhelming emptiness.
But in that emptiness, a promise was born: she would fight. For herself. For her mother. For the dream they had once shared.
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