Elissa asked Raphael to go to sleep after a while because he had work the next day.
Softly, she told him, âYou should sleep now.
Iâll just sit here for a little bit.â
Raphael refused to leave her alone, leaning against the headboard and holding her in his arms.
He gently patted her back, making her feel calmer by the second.
This time, she slept soundly through the rest of the night.
When morning came, Elissa woke up to an empty bed.
Raphael was not beside her.
She heard muffled voices coming from the living room, mentioning something about a deceased person and a third party, though she couldnât make out the details.
Elissa quickly threw on some clothes and went out.
In the living room, several men in with badges stood conversing with Raphael.
When they noticed Elissa, one of them asked, âIs this their daughter?â
Elissa froze, her face turning pale as a bad feeling swallowed her up.
She turned her gaze to Raphael for an explanation.
For a long moment, she couldnât find her voice.
Raphael quickly walked over, and put an arm around her shoulder.
Speaking in a very low, gentle voice, he said, âThere was a car accident last night.
Neither your mother nor two others in the opposite vehicle didnât survive.â
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It was harsh, but he told her the truth.
Elissaâs face turned ashen.
It took a long time for her to process the news, her lips trembling as she said, âBut she came to see me yesterday.
She even made me lunch.
How could she suddenly be gone?â
Then Elissa asked, âRaphael, were the people in the other car my father and his mistress?â
This time, not only did Raphael fall silent, but the police officers did too.
Elissaâs parents were well-known celebrities, and a scandal like this would be disastrous.
After some consideration, one of the men said, âMrs.
Jones, perhaps you and Mr.
Jones should handle this together.
That woman had left behind a young boy.
With no other relatives, he might end up in foster homes or even an orphanage if you donât take him in.â
He paused, adding, âAlthough he wonât be living on the street, itâs nothing compared to a real home.
Mrs.
Jones, please do think about it.
Of course, itâs just advice.â
Elissa instinctively rejected the idea.
If it wasnât for the boy, her mother might still be alive, and her family wouldnât be in this mess.
But she also knew the true villain was her father, and it seemed her mother had chosen to perish with him.
She remained silent, and Raphael, understanding her turmoil, led the men outside to talk.
When he returned, Elissaâs face was streaked with tears.
She asked if he could help her with her motherâs funeral.
Raphael gently hugged her.
In that moment, they were truly united in their grief, relying solely on each other.
The funeral was kept small given the circumstances of their deaths.
Yousef had been clever.
His will clearly stated that all his assets would go to his son, Brantley Palmer.
As his spouse, Marcia had signed it too.
Yousef must have somehow tricked Marcia into signing the document.