Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
DYLAN\u00a0<\/p>\n
95\u00a0<\/p>\n
My parents were evasive, dancing around my questions and dodging every attempt I made to pin them down. Their vague excuses only fueled my frustration. I couldn\u2019t understand why they were being so secretive. Finally, after I made it crystal clear that I wasn\u2019t going anywhere until I knew where they were, they reluctantly sent me their address.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at the message on my phone, my frown deepening as I read the unfamiliar address. This didn\u2019t make any sense. I might not have memorized every property my father owned\u2013there were too many for that\u2013but I was certain this place wasn\u2019t one of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The address was in Midtown. My father\u2019s properties were all in quieter neighborhoods or posh suburbs. Midtown, with its busy streets and bustling noise, wasn\u2019t his style at all. What were they doing there? Was this some kind of temporary arrangement? And why hadn\u2019t they told me anything about it?\u00a0<\/p>\n
A dozen questions buzzed in my mind, each one more pressing than the last. My parents loved that house. They poured their hearts into it for years. Selling it didn\u2019t just feel wrong\u2013it felt impossible.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t wait any longer. My chest tightened with a mix of confusion and determination. If they weren\u2019t going to explain things over the phone, I\u2019d have to confront them face\u2013to\u2013face. I grabbed my keys, heart pounding, and headed out the door. Whatever was going on, I needed answers, and I needed them now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The cab ride to Midtown felt like forever, even though the driver assured me it wouldn\u2019t take more than fifteen minutes. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur together, my mind racing as fast as the car. I had so many questions, and every possible answer made my stomach twist tighter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why didn\u2019t they tell me they sold the house? Why Midtown? And why did it feel like they were hiding something from me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror, probably noticing my restless fidgeting. \u201cRough night?\u201d he asked casually.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething like that,\u201d I replied, my voice clipped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t ask anything else, and I was grateful for the silence. I wasn\u2019t in the mood for small talk, not when my entire world felt like it was crumbling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the cab finally pulled up in front of the address, I froze for a second, staring at the building. It was a modest apartment complex, the kind that blended into the city without drawing attention. Definitely not the type of place my parents would\u2019ve chosen. My dad had always prided himself on big, sprawling houses, properties that screamed wealth and success. This? This felt like it belonged to someone else entirely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHere you go, miss,\u201d the driver said, jolting me out of my thoughts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure this is the right address?\u201d I asked, still clinging to the faint hope that this was nothing but a\u00a0<\/p>\n
mistake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, miss. This is definitely the right address,\u201d he replied before pointing at the plaque hanging beside the\u00a0<\/p>\n
door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:23 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blew a loud sigh before I handed him the fare, murmured a quick \u201cthank you,\u201d and stepped out of the cab. The cold air hit me immediately, making me shiver. I zipped up my coat and walked up the steps to the entrance, my boots clicking against the concrete.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at the intercom panel for a moment, hesitating. Part of me wanted to turn around, climb back into the cab, and pretend I hadn\u2019t seen any of this. But I couldn\u2019t. I needed answers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pressed the button for their unit, my finger lingering for just a second too long.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The intercom crackled, and my mom\u2019s voice came through, soft and hesitant. \u201cWho is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s me, Mom,\u201d I said, trying to sound calm even though my chest felt tight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
95\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a pause, long enough to make me shift uncomfortably, then a buzz as the door unlocked. I pushed it open and stepped into the dimly lit hallway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The elevator was out of order, so I climbed the stairs to the third floor. I was struggling with my luggage, but I did make it to the floor. My legs felt heavy, as if they knew I was walking toward something I might not want to hear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet hallway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The door opened a moment later, and there she was\u2013my mom. She looked different, smaller somehow, like the weight of the world had settled on her shoulders. Her hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, and there were dark circles under her eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCome in, sweetheart,\u201d she said softly, stepping aside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I walked in, glancing around the apartment. It was simple, with just the basics. A small sofa, a tiny dining table, and a few family pictures scattered here and there. Nothing like the warm, sprawling home I grew up in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s Dad?\u201d I asked, my voice firmer than I expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s in the other room. I\u2019ll get him,\u201d she said, her tone uneasy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As she disappeared down the hallway, I sank onto the edge of the sofa, my fingers gripping the cushion. My heart raced as the sound of low voices reached my ears, and then my dad walked out, looking just as worn as my mom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sat across from me, his expression serious. My mom joined him, taking the seat beside him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d I said, breaking the tense silence. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on? Why are you here? Why did you sell the house? And why didn\u2019t you tell me anything?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My dad took a deep breath, exchanging a glance with my mom before turning back to me. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to worry you,\u201d he began, his voice heavy with something I couldn\u2019t quite place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWorry me about what?\u201d I asked, my frustration bubbling over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot you don\u2019t know,\u201d my mom said again, her voice barely above a whisper, trembling with the weight of whatever secret they had been keeping.\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:23 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
?))\u00a0<\/p>\n
95\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stomach twisted, a sick, uneasy feeling settling in. I clenched my fists and leveled my gaze at them. \u201cThen tell me,\u201d I said firmly, my voice cracking just a little despite my attempt to stay composed. \u201cI have the right to know what\u2019s going on with my parents. You should\u2019ve told me before it came to this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They exchanged a look\u2013one of those silent conversations that couples have when trying to decide who would take the fall for delivering bad news. My dad ran a hand down his face, looking older than I\u2019d ever seen him. After what felt like an eternity, he finally broke the heavy silence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI got mixed up with some\u2026 bad people,\u201d he said, his voice low and full of regret. \u201cIt started with the business. It didn\u2019t take off the way I\u2019d hoped. Investors pulled out, and we were losing money faster than I could fix it. I thought I could turn it around, but\u2026\u201d He sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging under the invisible weight. \u201cIt only got worse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blinked, not fully understanding at first. \u201cWhat do you mean, \u2018worse\u2018?\u201d I asked, my tone sharper now, laced with fear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI lost everything,\u201d he admitted, his voice breaking. \u201cAll the money I put into the business. And not just ours- people who invested with me, friends, colleagues\u2026 they lost their money too. They trusted me, and I let them down.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart pounded in my chest as his words sank in. I glanced at my mom, hoping she\u2019d say something, but her head was bowed, her hands clutching a tissue like a lifeline.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI had no choice but to declare bankruptcy,\u201d he continued, his voice heavy with shame. \u201cBut some of the investors weren\u2019t satisfied with that. They wanted their money back, and they weren\u2019t willing to wait. I had to sell everything\u2013the house, the cars, the properties\u2014just to cut the losses and pay back as much as I could.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2026 sold everything?\u201d I asked, my voice barely audible. The words felt foreign in my mouth, impossible to process.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded slowly. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to tell you,\u201d he said. \u201cWe thought we could handle it ourselves, that we could protect you from all this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cProtect me?\u201d I repeated, my voice rising. \u201cHow is keeping me in the dark protecting me? I lived in that house, Dad! I built my life in that house! And now it\u2019s gone, just like that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My mom finally spoke, her voice soft and pleading. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want you to carry this burden, sweetheart. It\u2019s not fair for you to have to deal with the consequences of our mistakes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood up abruptly, pacing the small living room. \u201cDo you think it\u2019s fair finding out like this? I thought something terrible had happened to you when I couldn\u2019t reach you! And now you\u2019re telling me it\u2019s because you were too ashamed to tell me the truth?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My dad flinched at my words, and guilt flashed across my mom\u2019s face,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said, his voice thick with emotion. \u201cI didn\u2019t know how to face you, how to explain. I thought I could fix it somehow, but\u2026 I couldn\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about the money you invested in Beckett\u2019s company?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They fell silent for a moment before they lowered their heads. \u201cWe already sold our shares to Beckett. We used the money for the new business as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:23 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stopped pacing and looked at them. \u201cYou did what?\u201d I exclaimed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s all fine now, sweetheart,\u201d Mom quickly defended. \u201cIt may be far from the life we used to have, but we\u2019re slowly getting used to it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I blew a loud sigh. \u201cWell, I suppose we have no other choice but to live with it,\u201d I agreed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean, Dylan? As long as you\u2019re married to Beckett, you\u2019ll be fine. Don\u2019t worry about us,\u201d Dad said, his tone firm, as if that should settle everything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I took a deep breath, bracing myself. \u201cBeckett and I are getting a divorce,\u201d I admitted, the words hanging heavy in the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
95\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?!\u201d My father exploded, his face turning a shade redder. \u201cWhat did you do this time, Dylan Elizabeth?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I frowned, my patience already paper\u2013thin. \u201cWhy do you always assume I\u2019m the one at fault here?\u201d I shot back, irritation clear in my voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all know why,\u201d my mother interjected, her tone cool but cutting. \u201cYou\u2019re the one who\u2019s always the first to shout \u2018divorce\u2018 over the smallest inconvenience. Beckett was just kind enough to go along with your\u00a0<\/p>\n
tantrums.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
my\u00a0<\/p>\n
voice\u00a0<\/p>\n
I let out a sharp breath, barely keeping my temper in check. \u201cThis isn\u2019t a tantrum, Mom,\u201d I said, trembling with the effort to stay calm. \u201cBeckett didn\u2019t just cross a line\u2013he burned it to the ground. He brought *Sarah* into our house.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That finally shut them up. Their disapproving looks wavered as confusion flickered in their eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not all,\u201d I continued, my chest tightening as I forced the words out. \u201cThey have a child. A *son*. He\u2019s been keeping it from me all this time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room fell deathly silent. My parents exchanged a look, their usual synchronized unity showing cracks. When they finally responded, it wasn\u2019t with outrage or shock but with a long, heavy sigh\u2013together, like they had practiced it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to go back to your house, Dylan,\u201d Dad said, his voice calm now, as if that was the obvious solution.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo! Absolutely not!\u201d I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest defensively. \u201cDid you not hear me? Beckett brought his ex\u2013girlfriend into our home, into my life, like it was no big deal!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard you, sweetheart,\u201d Dad said, raising his hands as if to placate me. \u201cI heard you loud and clear the first time. But you\u2019re still his wife. That house is yours just as much as it\u2019s his. You have every right to be there. Don\u2019t let her take your place.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My blood boiled at his calm tone, at how easily he dismissed my feelings. \u201cShe can have that place for all I care,\u201d I said, my arms tightening across my chest as I glared at them both.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mom leaned forward, pinning me with a stern look. \u201cDylan, don\u2019t be dramatic. Walking away just gives her more power. If you leave, you\u2019re giving up without a fight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFight for what, Mom? A marriage that was forced to begin with?\u201d My voice cracked, the weight of everything\u00a0<\/p>\n
10:23 Thu, Dec 25\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
A 95\u00a0<\/p>\n
crashing down on me. \u201cYou think I\u2019m going to stand there and play hostess while Beckett parades his son and his ex around like we\u2019re one big happy family?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not saying it\u2019s fair, sweetheart,\u201d Dad said softly. \u201cBut this is the only choice you have right now. Only Beckett can give you the life you used to have. We have no money, Dylan. Look at this place. Your walk\u2013in closet was bigger than this whole apartment. I can\u2019t let you live in this kind of place. So, please, sweetheart. Go back to Beckett,\u201d my father pleaded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shook my head, the sting of betrayal still fresh in my chest. \u201cNo, Dad. I\u2019m not going back to that place. Not now, not ever. Let Sarah have the house\u2013and Beckett, too, for all I care. They deserve each other.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My voice wavered slightly, but my resolve didn\u2019t. There was no way I could walk back into that house, where every corner would remind me of what I\u2019d lost, of the lies I\u2019d unknowingly lived with. No, that chapter was closed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My parents exchanged another look, the kind of glance that carried more concern than words ever could. I could see the unease etched on their faces, but I wasn\u2019t about to let them carry the weight of my problems. Not when they already had their own burdens to bear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced a small smile, though it barely reached my eyes, and moved to sit between them on the worn couch. It creaked softly under my weight as I took their hands in mine. \u201cWe\u2019ll get through this,\u201d I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. \u201cMom, Dad\u2026 let me handle everything now. It\u2019s my turn to take care of you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
***************\u00a0<\/p>\n
AD\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Alchemist of Broken Dreams by Sienna Rose Blackwell 5 Chapter 5\u00a0 DYLAN\u00a0 95\u00a0 My parents were evasive, dancing around […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-alphas-golden-cage-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24356\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}