"Shut up!" Ray's voice cracked as he shouted, his chest rising and falling heavily. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Shut up! How many times are you gonna say 'it's your fault'?! What is your fault?! That accident three years ago was NOT your fault!"
His voice shook, and for the first time, Esme saw the sheer weight of the emotions he'd been carrying.
"And today? This is my fault! I hit you! I made you leave! So why—" His voice broke for a second before he forced himself to continue. "Why are you always saying 'sorry' for things that aren't even your fault?"
His pain, his anger, his desperation—it all spilled out at once.
And Esme?
She had no idea how to answer.
Ray's grip on Esme's collar loosened as he slowly slid down to his knees, his body trembling. Tears streaked down his face, his voice breaking with every word.
"Why? Why are you doing this to us?" His voice was hoarse, filled with raw pain.
