The Unspoken Silence

The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity. Elsa's chest tightened with each passing second, her hands trembling uncontrollably. The warm glow of her wedding day had turned cold, replaced by an unbearable weight pressing on her heart. Liam drove in silence, his expression unreadable as he occasionally glanced at her pale face.

When they arrived, the air around the hospital felt heavy, the fluorescent lights casting a clinical glow over the somber building. Liam opened the car door for Elsa, but she hardly noticed. Her legs felt like lead as she stumbled toward the entrance, her gown dragging behind her.

"Where are they?" Elsa's voice cracked as she addressed the receptionist, tears streaming down her face. "My parents—Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Middle-aged. Returning from a wedding."

The receptionist hesitated, her eyes flickering with a mix of sympathy and discomfort. Elsa's desperation grew, and she began to rattle off every detail she could think of.

"Please," she begged, her voice rising. "My parents are tall, my mom's hair is graying, my dad wears glasses—they were coming from my wedding!"

A nurse nearby caught on and stepped forward. "Follow me, ma'am," she said softly, her voice kind yet grave.

Elsa's stomach dropped. Liam followed closely behind her as they walked through the stark, sterile hallways. Her heart raced, her breathing shallow. She clung to the faint hope that it was all a mistake, that her parents would be alive and waiting for her, their arms open and full of love.

The nurse stopped in front of a heavy metal door, pushing it open to reveal the morgue. The air inside was cold, sterile, and suffocating.

"This way," the nurse said gently, leading them to a pair of shrouded bodies on metal tables.

Elsa froze. Her knees buckled, and she would have collapsed if Liam hadn't caught her. She clung to him, her nails digging into his arm as she forced herself to step closer.

"They were brought in from the accident site," the nurse explained. "The car fell off a cliff and caught fire. There wasn't much we could recover…"

With trembling hands, Elsa reached for the edge of one of the sheets, her mind screaming for her to stop. But she had to see them. She had to know.

When she pulled back the sheet, she let out a heart-wrenching cry. The bodies were charred beyond recognition, the features of her beloved parents erased by the flames.

"No!" Elsa screamed, falling to her knees. "This can't be real! This can't be happening!"

Liam crouched beside her, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. He didn't speak, didn't try to offer hollow words of comfort. He simply stayed there, a silent presence in her storm of grief.

Through her tears, Elsa turned to the nurse. "What caused the fire?" she demanded, her voice trembling with desperation. "Do you know what happened? Was it the brakes? The engine?"

The nurse shook her head. "The authorities are still investigating, ma'am. All we know is that the car fell from the cliff and ignited upon impact."

"I need to know," Elsa whispered, her fists clenching. "I need to find out what happened to them. I need to—"

"You need to rest." Liam's voice was firm but not unkind.

Elsa looked up at him, her eyes filled with anguish. "Liam, they're my parents! I can't just—"

"I know," he said, cutting her off. "But this isn't the time. Let the authorities handle the investigation. I'll make sure we get answers, Elsa. I promise you."

His tone left no room for argument, and for a moment, Elsa faltered. She wanted to fight, to insist on doing it herself, but the exhaustion weighing her down was too much. Her strength was gone, leaving her hollow and numb.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Liam helped her to her feet, guiding her out of the morgue and back to the car. She leaned on him heavily, her body trembling with each step.

As they drove back to the mansion, Elsa stared blankly out the window, her mind replaying the scene in the morgue over and over again. She felt like she was drowning, the weight of her grief pulling her under.

Liam's grip tightened on the steering wheel as he glanced at her. He could see the pain etched into her features, and for a moment, he felt a flicker of guilt. But he pushed it aside.

This was the first step.

As much as Elsa's grief twisted something deep inside him, he reminded himself of his purpose. She wanted answers, and he would find them—for his own reasons.

"Rest, Elsa," he said softly as they approached the mansion. "I'll take care of everything."

She didn't respond, her head leaning against the window, tears silently falling.

And as Liam pulled into the driveway, his heart remained a battlefield—one side consumed by hatred, the other haunted by a faint shadow of humanity he couldn't quite extinguish.