CHAPTER 58: EDGE

The screams tore through the silence of the early morning, cutting straight through the soundproofing of Erisia’s room.

She stirred with a groan, rubbing her eyes before forcing them open. For a moment, she thought she was dreaming—the muffled cries were so sharp, so desperate—but when she glanced toward the brightness covered by the drawn curtains, she realized it was real.

Yawning, she pushed herself upright, stretched, then padded toward her bathroom. She busied herself there for a few minutes, brushing her teeth and ignoring the noise. But the shrieks only grew louder, jagged and frantic.

Finally, Erisia opened her door. The sound hit her full force.

She frowned, stepping into the hall, and followed the chaos to the railing. From above, she looked down into the grand foyer—and raised a brow.

The asylum team was already there. Men in uniforms struggled to restrain Sierra, who writhed and kicked with wild desperation. The mansion was a wreck around them—shattered vases, flowers scattered like torn paper, tables overturned in the scuffle.

"Dad! Dad, please—I’m your daughter!" Sierra sobbed, reaching toward David with trembling hands as they forced her arms behind her back. Her voice cracked, high and frantic. "Don’t let them take me! I’m your daughter!"

Selena clung to her husband, her own tears streaming freely. "Stop! Please—she’s my child! Don’t hurt her!" Her voice wavered, but no one moved. The staff’s faces stayed grim, unmoved by the cries.

Sierra thrashed harder, her face streaked with tears. "Dad—how could you? We have more bond than your so-called biological daughter! I’ve been with you longer! So why? Why are you doing this to me?!"

Her voice cracked into raw desperation, the words echoing like a curse.

Selena’s sobs deepened. She grabbed David’s arm, shaking her head furiously. "She’s right! She’s right! I don’t understand—why, David? Why would you let this happen? She’s ours! She’s my daughter. Why are you doing this to her?"

But David’s jaw was set like stone, his silence a sharper blow than any word.

When begging didn’t work, Sierra’s tone shifted in an instant. Her voice rose into a screech, raw and furious. "How could you do this to me? I’m still your daughter! Blood or not, I am your daughter! You raised me! You were supposed to protect me, for fuck’s sake!"

Her words twisted sharp as knives, cutting through the room. Selena flinched at each one, her sobs breaking as Sierra’s accusations struck deeper.

Selena stumbled forward, reaching for her. "No—Sierra, no. We love you. You’re my only daughter. I would never hurt you. Please, please—just hold on. I’ll fix this. I’ll bring you home, I promise."

Sierra laughed then, the sound hysterical, fractured. Two men pinned her arms while another secured the straps around her. "Shut up! You’re so stupid and pathetic. Always coddling me, always smothering me—you’re annoying! I don’t need you!"

Selena recoiled as if slapped, her hands trembling in the air.

From the side, Shane’s voice cut cold and final. "Enough. She’s right—we’re not bound by blood. But we adopted her, gave her everything she ever wanted. And what has she given us in return? Nothing but destruction. This—" his eyes flicked toward Sierra, writhing against the restraints, "—this is only the consequence of her own actions."

Silence fell for a beat. Then Sierra broke it with a wail, the fight leaving her body as she sagged between the men holding her. "It’s not fair," she whispered, the anger crumbling into grief. "Everyone abandoned me. Now you too..."

David closed his eyes, his voice heavy. "Take her away."

And just like that—she was gone. Dragged out of the mansion, with Selena being held back by David, her cries echoed until the doors slammed shut.

From the railing above, Erisia had watched the entire thing without moving, without speaking. When the hall finally stilled, she turned, walked back into her room, and shut the door. She lay down again, letting sleep reclaim her.

⸻

Downstairs, Selena’s body convulsed with sobs as she clutched at David’s arms, her fingers digging into his sleeves in desperation. Tears streamed down her face, her voice hoarse as she begged, shaking him like a drowning woman grasping for air. "Bring her back! Please, David, please! She’s our daughter—our daughter! Don’t you have a heart?!"

But his face stayed cold, distant, inapproachable.

When he didn’t answer, her grief erupted into rage. She screamed, pulling at his collar, her voice raw. "You heartless bastard! You ruined everything—you, and that cursed girl, Erisia! This is all because of her!"

David didn’t so much as flinch at her insults, nor at her rough handling. But when Selena raised her hand to strike him, his own shot up, catching her wrist and holding it tightly.

His gaze was hard. Not a flicker of warmth or hesitation crossed his face as he looked at her. When he spoke, his voice was clipped and flat, stripped of all softness. "You’re not in the right state of mind. You need rest."

He pried her fingers off his shirt and pushed her gently but firmly away before turning and walking off.

Selena’s body shook uncontrollably, her legs giving way beneath her as if the strength had drained out all at once. Her knees hit the floor, and she sagged forward, her sobs breaking into gasps that barely carried sound. Leander darted forward, catching her in his arms. "Mom!" he shouted, his voice tight with panic.

"Call the doctor!" he barked to the nearest maid. Another rushed upstairs to inform David, while one more scrambled to fetch smelling salts. Without hesitation, Leander carried Selena up the stairs, her limp form in his arms, while a maid trailed behind in alarm.

Shane stood motionless amid the wreckage, his shoes crunching faintly against shards of porcelain at his feet. His head tilted upward, gaze tracing the empty railing where Erisia had been. His eyes lingered there for several long seconds, calm but veiled, giving away nothing of what he thought, before he lowered them again.

He gave the staff a single order, his tone calm.

"Clean this up."

⸻

The sun hung high but gentle, casting rays across rooftops and rustling leaves. Wrenford Mansion lay majestic in its compound.

Inside her room, Erisia pulled two suitcases behind her, phone in hand. A maid waiting outside hurriedly came to assist, taking one case and helping her carry it down the stairs.

At the bottom of the staircase stood David, Shane, and Leander.

Erisia descended the staircase slowly, her suitcase wheels bumping softly against the marble stairs. The maid at her side kept pace, careful not to let the luggage drag. At the bottom, David, Shane, and Leander stood waiting.

When she finally reached them, Erisia set her suitcase down and straightened her back. Her voice was calm, steady.

"I’ll be leaving now."

Shane stepped forward first, his expression restrained but his tone practical. "I’ve already transferred five million into your account. A house realtor has been in touch—I asked him to prepare options in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. The contracts will be waiting for your review."

Erisia’s lips curved into a faint smile. She nodded. "Thank you, Shane. Thank you, Father."

But David shook his head, his face etched with a heaviness that words alone couldn’t soften. "No, don’t thank us. This is what we should have done since you were little. We’re only doing it now. If anything..." His voice caught slightly before he steadied it. "If anything, we should be apologizing for not being there all these years."

Erisia gave a small chuckle, light but not mocking. "Well, it was fated that way, I guess. And besides, it’s all gone now. There’s no need to dwell in the past." She glanced at each of them briefly before shifting her grip on the handle of her suitcase. "So, Father, Brother, I’ll be taking my leave now. Goodbye."

She turned, her footsteps beginning to carry her toward the door—when David’s voice called after her.

"Erisia."

She paused, glancing back over her shoulder.

David stepped forward, stopping in front of her. Though his tone was careful, there was an edge of vulnerability that hadn’t been there before. "I have something to say before you leave. Don’t worry—I’m not asking you to stay."

She gave a small nod, waiting.

He drew in a breath, his lips pressing into a thin line before curving into a bitter smile. "I am so sorry. Sorry for the faults of my mother and myself. Sorry for the years you spent in that orphanage, for going through things I can’t even begin to imagine. And then to come back here, only to suffer more because of Sierra’s doing..." His voice faltered, thickening with emotion. "I am so sorry. Please, I’m not asking for anything else. I just want you to forgive me. Please, Erisia. Please forgive me."

For a moment, silence stretched between them.

Erisia’s eyes softened. She stepped closer, her smile warm and steady now. Without hesitation, she reached out, pulling David into an embrace. Her hand brushed gently through his hair, soothing, steady.

"It’s all right," she murmured.