in the dance studio, gripping a hand mirror. Her eyes swollen. In her beautiful face was the sadness that was visible, biting her lower lip to prevent the sobs

red always had the same conclusion that Xyrell will never find, that he was dead. She could not accept

from Ashley that Xyrell’s bag left in the forest, along with his papers, ID, money, and notes of his research. Blood traced that ends in the falls confirmed Xyrell’s blood in the test conducted by the police. The police conclud

ays remember it as the darkest day of her life. She sighed helplessly. The blow of the air-con made her sicker. The cold

different ways. Is this how this life wanted her to be miserable until her las

She took good care of them, like their mother. Vesta blessed to have her. Yet, the guilty remained inside he

r her to find him. She felt it. Xyrell not gone. The police report was wrong. They were all wrong. And she will

knocked on the

the soft voice o

and she saw the surpris

ld go home. You have a show tomorrow,” A

us, yet there was only a desk and a drawer in the room. Vesta’s eyes landed on the picture frame on the desk. It was the

t to like home for her. It was lifeless in her eyes. Vesta sat on t

very important,” Vesta said, trying to hide the disappointment in he

Aunt Elena’s

esta said in a faint voice,

on her face. “What

ut. Why was she so nervous? She doesn’t wis

an, Aunt Elena, to f

having a long nose, dark eyes with long eyelashes, same as Vesta’s mother, light brown skin

however, she had no interest in finding a partner. Vesta doesn’

second. She exhaled. “About your brother

ands that baffled her aunt. She doesn’t wa

he went missing. Why would they say he’s dead with no corpse?” Vesta reasoned in a pleading tone

I won’t agree with that! What are you thinking, Vesta? I don’t want you to get

ant to find the truth about why he’s missing. Not only that, but I will never believe the investigator who thinks he’s

I’m going home later; I have a meeting to take yet,” Aunt Elena said i

er what she did, she said, and even she’ll beg her with her knee

her, and she won’t take it. She has no

away for six months thus you need to take an explanation to the press and my group

rdheaded?” The angry voice of Aunt Elena cau

m. He’s alive! I have hope that he’s still out there, needing me to find him. Forgive m

begging you, stop what is your planning. I will do anything to find him. Likewise, I d

t Elena... But my

er office. She heard Aunt Elena calling her, bu

everyone was sleeping except her. She cannot sleep. The

only family she had was so unbearable for her. She walked to her room. The silence was so

as going to. She stared at the analog round clock placed o

number showed

t allow her to go. Vesta’s phone has been chiming beside her bed. Vesta doesn’t glance

has an oval-shaped pendant with two hands designed to hold each other. She slowly stood up and walked to the mirror, and stopped. She put

ace reflected in the round metal mirror. She stared at her eyes pensively. It’s not re

e was the only one having that kind of eye color. She has the same eye color as her twin brother, but she was wond

wore the necklace after leaving her childhood place. She turned around and walked again to where her bed was; she stopped on foot a

is arm, one of his hands clasped at the back of her mom whereas Xyller stood above the chair beside mom beaming a wide smiled. She caresses the

se before. It seems there’s something pinned below the picture wall

her aunt not stop calling her? She won’t change her mind no matter what Aunt Elena said. She grabb

. She did not expect that her friend would call her. Maybe