chapter 14

Vanessa's POV

I stood in front of the vast ocean, my hands tucked into the pockets of my jacket, shielding them from the crisp evening air. The salty breeze carried whispers of the past, rushing through my hair and brushing against my face as if trying to remind me of everything I had left behind.

The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow over the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson. The waves lapped at the shore in rhythmic motions, the sound both soothing and melancholic. This place... it was more than just a beach near Grandma's house. It was a capsule of memories—of laughter, of warmth, of love. A place where I once felt whole.

As I stood there, the memories came flooding back.

I remembered Dad chasing me along the shore, both of us laughing until we were breathless. I could almost hear his voice, calling my name, playfully scolding me when I splashed water on him. I remembered the picnic days, when Mom and Grandma would pack baskets full of food, and we would sit on a blanket under the sky, eating together as a family. I remembered Grandpa sitting in his favorite chair right here on the sand, reading stories to me with his soothing voice, his wrinkled hands flipping through the pages with such care.

Back then, this beach felt like a dream—endless and full of magic.

Now, standing here alone, it felt... empty.

As if the happiness I once knew had been swallowed by the waves, carried far away to a place I could never reach again.

This place wasn't home anymore.

A Happy Family Once Upon a Time

We used to live here, in Grandma's house. People called us the "Happy Family." And we were—until we weren't.

Grandma was never cold before. She wasn't always this bitter, this distant. She was full of love, the kind of warmth that wrapped around you like a thick quilt in winter. She would pack my lunch when I was in kindergarten, walk me home when Mom and Dad were busy building their careers, and hold me close when I had bad dreams. Grandpa would read me bedtime stories, and every Sunday, Dad and I would help him in the garden.

We were happy.

And then Dad was gone.

Losing him broke something in Grandma—something she never let heal. Her grief turned into anger, into blame. She couldn't accept that her only son was no longer in this world, so she found someone to hold responsible: my mother.

She said Mom failed him. That she should have taken better care of him. That if she had, he would still be alive.

And Mom... she took it. She didn't fight back, didn't defend herself. She just accepted Grandma's grief, even when it was unfair, because she understood. She understood the pain of losing someone you love more than anything in the world.

But understanding wasn't enough.

One day, Grandma told us to leave. She said she couldn't bear to see our faces anymore.

Mom accepted that too.

The Night We Left

I was only six years old, but I remember that night as if it happened yesterday.

"Mom, how can you tell them to leave?" Aunt Eva's voice trembled with anger, her eyes burning as she faced Grandma.

"Because this is my house, and I don't want to see her anymore!" Grandma's voice was sharp, her finger pointed at my mother like a knife. "She took my son from me!"

I didn't understand everything, but I knew that my mother was crying. And that was enough to scare me.

I turned to Grandpa, who was holding me in his arms, his grip firm yet gentle. "Grandpa, what happened? Why is Grandma yelling at Mom? Why is she crying?"

He didn't answer right away. His old, tired eyes looked down at me, and for the first time, I saw something in them that I had never seen before—pain.

"Why do you look worried, Grandpa?" I reached up with my tiny hands, trying to wipe the tear from his face, just like he used to do for me when I cried.

His lips curved into a weak smile. "Don't worry, Nessa. Grandma and Mom are just having a little... argument. Everything will be fine."

I wanted to believe him.

I needed to believe him.

But nothing was fine after that night.

Mom and I packed our bags and left. I remember sitting in the car, watching Grandma's house fade into the distance, feeling like I was leaving behind something I could never get back. That night, in a small hotel room, I saw my mother cry herself to sleep for the first time.

And that was when, in my heart, I decided—Grandma was not my family anymore.

Losing Grandpa Too

Years later, Aunt Eva showed up at our door, bringing news that shattered me all over again.

Grandpa was gone.

Mom hugged her so tightly, crying into her shoulder, while Aunt Eva sobbed into her arms. I stood in the doorway, frozen, my heart hammering in my chest.

I never got to say goodbye.

I never got to see him one last time, to hear his voice or feel his embrace.

That night, I curled up in bed, hugging my pillow, whispering his name like a prayer.

"Grandpa..."

But there was no answer.

Back to the Present

A sharp gust of wind pulled me back to the present, and I realized that the sky had deepened into hues of violet and navy.

I sighed, wiping away a stray tear. "I miss you, Dad... Grandpa."

The ocean continued to hum, uncaring of the sorrows it witnessed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone walking along the shore. A man, barefoot, his shoes dangling from one hand, his jacket draped over his arm. He moved slowly, looking up at the sky as if searching for something—peace, maybe, or closure.

Then, as if sensing my gaze, he turned and met my eyes.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then, he smiled. A small, kind smile. The kind that felt like an acknowledgment of shared pain, of unspoken understanding.

I returned it.

The distant ringing of my phone broke the moment. I pulled it out and saw Mom's name flashing on the screen.

I answered, bringing the phone to my ear.

"Where are you, Nessa? It's evening already," she said, concern in her voice.

In the background, I could hear Aunt Eva still pleading for us to stay the night. "Come on, Alisa! One night won't kill you!"

I chuckled softly. "Mom, I—"

"Nessa, just come back home," she said, cutting me off before hanging up.

I looked at my phone, sighing.

'That place isn't home anymore, Mom.'

I turned back to the ocean, letting the waves crash against my thoughts one last time before walking away.

It was time to leave the past behind.

At least... for now.

...

Hello, how are you all doing?

well here comes another Chapter of 18 to 80, hope you enjoy it.

have a good day.