Chapter 158

Third Person POV.

Weeks Later…

Amber stood in front of Marlene's grave, wearing a somber black dress, which was an indication that she was very much in mourning. In her hands, she held a bouquet of black roses, which she had specifically ordered as she wanted something that would be a symbol of the darkness that had consumed so much of Marlene's life.

It had been over a month since Marlene's death, and with each passing day, the reality had settled on Amber's heart. The knowledge that Marlene was truly gone and that it wasn't a mere figment of her imagination elicited a sense of liberation in Amber like nothing she had ever felt before.

Her gaze focused on the engraved words etched into Marlene's grave. The words, MARLENE GREY, November 2000–May 2022, gleamed dully in the sunlight.

The realization that Marlene had only been twenty-one years old sent a chill coursing down Amber's spine, a reminder of the wasted potential and the malicious intent that had ruined her sister's life.

Memories crowded her mind—the venomous words, the betrayals, the relentless torment. Marlene had been a shadow, intent on devouring the happiness that Amber deserved. But now, as Amber stood before the grave, she felt no pity for the sister who had wasted her own existence in a futile attempt to ruin hers.

With a heavy sigh, Amber released the black roses, allowing them to drop gently onto the freshly turned soil. She couldn't help but mutter aloud, "I hope you're rotting in hell where you belong, my dear, Marlene."

The bitterness in those words settled on Amber's tongue, and she let out a frustrated sigh before proceeding to shield her eyes with dark sunglasses.

She then made her way to her car, getting into the driver's seat. She had refused to take a driver with her, not wanting anyone around her when she visited all the places she felt like she needed to visit. Her mind was already made up on her next destination—prison, where her father Martin would be released on her request.

She wanted to be the first to see him after his release because she had a present for him, and she wanted to tell him herself.

***

After an hour and a half drive, Amber finally arrived outside the prison where her father was. She had kept her word, ensuring her father's release, just like she had assured him.

She waited in her car, her eyes scanning the prison's entrance, the minutes stretching into eternity. And then, amidst the unfamiliar faces coming out from the gates, she finally caught sight of him—her father, who looked even older, his mere weeks of imprisonment etched across his face.

As their gazes met, Martin's worn features broke into a smile. But Amber's countenance remained impassive, her emotions veiled. She got out of the car and watched him approach her, her body poised for the conversation ahead, knowing that closure awaited her.

As Martin reached where Amber stood, he opened his arms, intending to embrace his daughter and express his gratitude for her role in his release. But Amber sidestepped his gesture, maintaining a cautious distance between them.

"I kept my word, Father," Amber began "I got you out of there. But I sincerely hope you do not forget why you were there in the first place."

Martin's smile faltered. He nodded. "I understand. I'm grateful to be free, but I know the consequences of my actions. I made my choices, and I believe I have paid for them. I'm just glad we can finally put this behind us and be father and daughter again."

Amber let out a dry laugh, her anger and disgust evident. "Paid for them? Do you really think that's enough? After all the pain you brought to my life, you think we can just go back to being father and daughter?"

Martin's face fell, the glimmer of hope fading from his eyes. He reached out to hold Amber, but she was quick to brush his hand away. "Amber, I've spent weeks reflecting on my mistakes. I know I can't undo the past, but I'm ready to be different. To be there for you, to be your father again."

Amber stepped back. "Don't be delusional, Father. You can't just walk back into my life and expect everything to be forgotten. I didn't come here to rekindle a relationship that never really existed, so instead of wasting both our time, how about you just listen to me?"

“What is it you want to say to me? Are you just here to pick me up?” Martin asked.

"No offense, but I didn't come here to pick you up," Amber responded, her tone steady. "I came because I had something to tell you, and I also wanted today to be the last day we see each other. And what better day than the day you are released from prison?"

Martin's eyes widened in a mixture of confusion and alarm, but he said nothing.

"For starters, don't bother going to your house," she said. "It has been confiscated by the police, so it's no longer accessible."

Martin's eyes widened further, disbelief etched across his face. "Confiscated? How... How did that happen? What are you talking about?"

Amber's response held no sympathy as she answered. "As you may already know, Marlene's dead body was found in the house, Father. To top it off, the authorities charged both you and Mary with a crime. As a result, the house, along with all your other properties, have been seized."

An expression of distress settled on Martin's features, a realization of the magnitude of his loss. "How... how could everything be seized? What is happening?"

Amber regarded her father with a cold look. "Everything was seized because you acquired it with the dirty money you received from the Black family," she said pointedly. "I saw no reason to preserve any remnants of your ill-gotten wealth."

Martin's eyes remained locked on his daughter, and the expression on his face was horrified. His voice trembled as he voiced his disbelief. "But... but my money, my savings... everything?"

"It's that bad, Father. Every cent of the money in your accounts has been confiscated as well, and I made sure that you were left with nothing. That is what I came to tell you myself, so you wouldn't be surprised," she told him clearly, much to Martin's horror.

Martin's voice quivered as he asked Amber what he was supposed to do now.

Her determined gaze held his, her resolve unwavering even as she pulled an envelope from her coat and extended it toward him.

"Inside this envelope, you will find a little bit of money, enough to get yourself together, and an address—a one-room mini apartment that I've secured for you."

Martin's trembling hands hesitantly accepted the envelope. He felt a wave of resignation wash over him, realizing that his once comfortable existence had been reduced to a meager existence.

"Father, you deserve to live the rest of your days alone in that one-room apartment, with little to no money to survive," she said. "Every day, you should reflect on all your terrible life decisions—the pain you've caused and the choices you've made. An example is your involvement in poor Diana's death. She didn't deserve it, and you're more responsible than Mary, because if he hadn't walked into her life, she would still be alive."

Amber's voice trembled with anger as she continued, her words laced with a finality that brooked no argument. "I hope, Father, that you will never forgive yourself," she said. "I hope you carry the burden of your actions for the rest of your life, and you die in misery for failing both me, Marlene, and Diana."

Martin opened his mouth to speak, but Amber silenced him with a raised hand, her gaze cold and unyielding. She turned, her footsteps echoing as she moved towards her car, without sparing him another glance.

Without a word, she got into the car, and as her car pulled away, Martin stood alone, watching his daughter leave him for good.

***

Amber made her way back to the Romero mansion, where she now stayed with the entire family. As she stepped through the entrance, silence enveloped the empty halls, indicating that no one was lurking around.

With determined steps, Amber sought out the only person she was concerned about, the man whose gaze had become both distant and empty, a reflection of the pain he had endured.

Standing before his closed door, she hesitated, a brief moment of nervousness gripping her. But she steeled herself, knowing that she needed to face him again and again.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door and walked in, meeting the face seated by the window, his gaze fixated on a world outside that seemed as void as the emptiness in him.

She moved closer, and the space between them was heavy. The sound of her voice, trembling with a mix of hope and vulnerability, carried through the room. "Richard? Are you okay?"

As if yanked from a distant reverie, Richard turned to face Amber. The unfamiliarity that had etched his gaze had been replaced by a gaze that was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

"Hi, Amber," he whispered, and she almost couldn't believe her ears.