Page 72 of Shattered Echoes

Henry turns to me, his expression softening. “We’ll find him, Colette. We just need to stay calm and work together.”

I nod, but the guilt is still there. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, more to myself than anyone else. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

I try to think, but my mind is a whirlwind of what-ifs and regrets. Every scenario runs through my head, each one worse than the last. I can’t shake the image of Antonio alone and in pain because of my mistake.

Leo’s phone rings, a sharp sound that cuts through the tension like a knife. He answers it, his voice terse. “Yes? Any news?”

We all hold our breath, watching him. His expression shifts, a flicker of hope, then frustration. “Keep looking,” he says, hanging up. “They’ve got nothing.”

I nod, but the fear in my chest remains. We have to find him. We have to.

Leo’s eyes flash with anger, and he takes a step closer before speaking up again. “Why did you give him a phone?”

Leo isn’t done, and I don’t blame him.

I feel the guilt clawing at me, but I stand my ground. “The phone wasn’t the problem. It’s because you hid it from him,” I insist, my voice shaking. “He was bound to find out.”

Leo’s face contorts with fury. “Are you trying to tell me how to handle my brother? You think you know better?”

I flinch at his words, but I can’t back down now. “Yes, because we could have avoided this if we had just been upfront with him. We could have helped him through it.”

“Helped him?” Leo scoffs. “You’re not in any position to help anyone, Colette. You have your own issues to deal with.”

Now he’s just being a jerk.

His words hit me. “That’s not fair,” I whisper, feeling the tears well up. “I’m trying to help.”

Henry steps in, his face flushed with anger. “Don’t talk to her like that, Leo. She’s doing her best.”

Leo’s fury shifts towards Henry. “Her best isn’t good enough! If anything happens to Antonio, I’ll blame you both.”

Leo’s words are sharp, cutting deep into my sense of self-worth.

Gabriela steps forward, her voice calm. “Leo, please. Yelling isn’t helping. We need to stay focused.”

Leo takes a deep breath. “We need to find him, and fast. I can’t lose him, not again.”

Leo’s anger doesn’t abate. “This is a mess of your making,” he says, his voice cold. “You should have stayed away from him. Do you even understand the gravity of this situation, Colette? You’re messing with things you don’t understand.”

How could he say that?

I feel my heart rate spike; the panic setting in. “I understand more than you think,” I say, my voice trembling. “I know what it’s like to be in pain.”

Leo’s face contorts with anger. “Don’t you dare compare your situation to his? You do not know what he’s been through.”

Henry steps in again, his voice rising. “That’s enough, Leo. She’s trying to help. We all are.”

Leo’s accusations ring in my ears. “You and your sister are fucking up my brother’s life again!”

The room feels like it’s about to explode. Henry and Leo are almost nose-to-nose, their tempers flaring. “Never talk to my sister like that and don’t you dare threaten us, Leo,” Henry warns, his voice low and dangerous.

Gabriela steps between them, her hands raised in a plea for calm. “Stop it, both of you! This isn’t helping.”

The surrounding chaos is too overwhelming for me. My heart races, my vision blurs, and I feel like I’m about to collapse. The shouting continues, but it feels distant, like it’s happening in another room.

Henry’s anger is tangible. “We’re not the enemy here, Leo. We all want Antonio safe.”

Despite Gabriela’s efforts, the chaos ensues. Henry and Leo are still on the verge of blows. Their anger contained. “I can’t lose him again,” Leo says, his voice breaking with emotion.

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