Bernard's mother stood by the door of the small, rustic cottage, her hand clutching her chest as if trying to hold together the shattered pieces of her heart. Her face was streaked with tears, the droplets falling unheeded as she murmured to herself, "I needed to do this… I am doing this for everyone's sake…" Her words were a desperate mantra, a feeble attempt to justify the unbearable reality that was unraveling before her.
Just a few paces away, Bernard—normally a towering figure of strength with a body built like a fortress—looked heartbreakingly small and fragile as he crouched on the ground. His knees, once so strong, trembled uncontrollably.
