Chapter Three: Rising Tension - Shadows Close in
The night was thick with mist as Tiara and Howye moved through the outskirts of the town. The old doctor's house loomed in the distance, faintly lit.
Howye: "That's the place. I can feel it."
Tiara (nodding): "Be ready for anything. He's not just a doctor - he's a manipulator."
They quietly approached, only to hear faint humming - a lullaby - through the cracked window. Ciare sat inside, holding a scarf in her lap, humming a tune she didn't know how she remembered.
Ciare (softly): "hush now... Ride your bike... Stars will guide you through the night…"
Ashue entered, noticing her distant expression.
Ashue: "That tune again? It's nothing but a dream."
Ciare (still humming): "Then why does it feel more real than anything you've told me?"
Outside, Tiara turned to Howye.
Tiara: "She's in there. She remembers something."
Howye (determined): "We're not leaving without her."
Back in the woods, Hoeychan stumbled upon Torini resting beside a burnt-out lantern.
Torini (startled): "Papa?"
Hoeychan (breathless): "Torini! I thought... I thought I lost you."
Torini (crying): "We found Mom. I think we did. She's near the doctor's house."
Hoeychan (gritting his teeth): "Then it's time to bring her back."
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Back at the house, Ashue locked the door and poured something into Ciare's tea.
Ashue (whispering to himself): "You will never leave me. Not again."
But before Ciare could take a sip, a loud knock shook the door.
Tiara (shouting): "Ciare Robert! Your family is here! Open the door - he's lying to you!"
Ciare (shocked, standing): "Robert ...? My name... Is Ciare Robert?"
Ashue reached for her arm.
Ashue (desperate): "They're tricking you! Don't listen - "
Ciare (jerking away): "No. You've tricked me long enough."
High-stakes moment - breaking the spell
The front door burst open with a loud crash. Tiara stood in the doorway, chest heaving, fists clenched. Behind her, Howye held a flashlight, his jaw tight with fury.
Tiara (yelling): "Mom! Step away from him!"
Ciare turned, startled. The broken teacup lay in pieces at her feet. Ashue froze, stunned by the intrusion.
Ciare (confused): "You... You called me mom?"
Howye (softly): "Yes. You're our mother. You used to sing to me that song you just
hummed. You told me I was your little comet."
Ciare touched her forehead, memories flashing like lightning.
Ciare: "a comet... Yes... You had a red bike, and I would watch you ride until sunset..."
Ashue (angrily): "No! That's not real! I'm the one who's been here for you!"
Tiara (stepping forward): "You lied to her. You stole her life!"
Ciare backed away from Ashue, finally seeing him.
Ciare (trembling): "You kept me trapped. I don't even know who you are anymore."
Ashue (desperate): "Without you, I have nothing! Don't leave me!"
Suddenly, the door behind them opened again - Hoeychan and Torini stood there, soaked from the rain, eyes wide as they saw Ciare.
Torini (in tears): "Mama..."
Ciare turned, stunned.
Ciare (softly): "Torini... Hoeychan... I remember now. I remember everything."
Hoeychan (voice breaking): "We've waited for this moment every day."
Ashue lunged forward, but Tiara stepped in, twisting his arm and knocking him to the floor.
Tiara (coldly): "Touch her again, and you'll regret ever being a doctor."
Police sirens wailed in the distance.
Howye (calling out): "They're coming. It's over."
Ciare (clutching her family): "No more running. No more lies. We're whole again."
Echoes of the Past
The sirens faded into the night as the authorities took Ashue away. Rain continued to fall, soaking the ground and washing away the remnants of the twisted life he'd built on lies. But inside the quiet of the Robert family's temporary shelter, the storm had only just begun to settle.
Ciare sat close to the small fireplace, a blanket around her shoulders. Hoeychan placed a gentle hand over hers, his thumb brushing her knuckles.
Hoeychan: "You're home, finally. But I can't stop thinking... How did he manage to twist everything so deeply?"
Ciare (softly): "Because I was broken. And he knew exactly where to dig."
Tiara (leaning forward): "Maybe it's time we understood where he came from. Why did he do what he did?"
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Flashback begins
A young Ashue Roy walks down a narrow alley, a single rose in his hand. He knocks on the door of a rundown apartment.
Young Ashue (hopeful): "Mom? I brought you something."
No response. The door creaks open - empty. Only the sound of silence. His eyes well up.
Young Ashue (to himself): "I'll become someone... Someone no one forgets."
Years pass. Medical awards, applause, certificates. Yet each success feels hollow. Until he meets the Robert family.
Ashue (watching from a window): "So much joy... So much light. It should've been mine."
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Back to present
Howye (angrily): "So he wanted to steal our joy because he never had any? That's not an excuse."
Torini (quietly): "But it's a reason. Maybe knowing it can help us forgive."
Ciare (closing her eyes): "I don't know if I can forgive. But I won't let his darkness take any more from us."
Hoeychan (firmly): "Then we rebuild together. One brick, one moment, one memory at a time."
Tiara (smirking): "And if anyone else tries to mess with us... Well, they'll regret it."
They all laugh - softly, warily - but it's the first real laughter they've shared in a long time.
To be continued...