Love Unspoken

Swiftly, he swiveled his head, hastily brushing away his tears with his sleeve.

A sniff echoed in the silence as he attempted to mold his features into a semblance of a smile.

"I appreciate your kindness," he said, his voice strained with the effort to maintain composure. "However, I can't deny that I am the root cause of this catastrophe. I refuse to hide behind excuses."He paused, his tone light yet laced with a hint of

sarcasm.

"My father's sins are mine to bear as well. After all, he is my father." With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the lighter he held onto the ground.

Instantly, flames erupted, spreading voraciously in every direction. Within moments, the fire had consumed all the cages, transforming half of the base into a raging inferno.

The flames cast an eerie glow on their faces, the fiery tendrils leaping from the iron cages, performing a macabre dance in the wind. Thick plumes of smoke spiraled into the sky, seemingly carrying with them the spirits of those unjustly slain. The air was heavy with the scent of gasoline and the overpowering aroma of burning flesh. The searing heat emanating from the fire made Quinn feel feverish.

Orion, noticing her discomfort, took her hand and guided her into the base. They ascended to the second floor, pausing to look down at the fiery spectacle below.

Quinn noticed that the sun had risen at some point, its rays harshly illuminating their faces. She tilted her head slightly, realizing that the sun's light was devoid of warmth, only glaringly bright.Below them, the fire raged on, and he watched it with an intense gaze.

The sunlight fell into his eyes, but it seemed to be rebuffed. His focus remained on the inferno, his expression pensive and silent.

As Quinn was lost in her thoughts, Orion's voice broke the silence. "I've been raising them for years, and my dad never found out. How did he find out now?"

Quinn was taken aback. As his words sank in, the image of Alexander flashed in her mind, along with the look he had given her at the movie theater. Could he be involved in this?

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The thought made her heart flutter with anxiety, and she lost the courage to meet Orion's gaze. If Alexander was the one orchestrating this event, then she was indirectly responsible for harming Orion and these innocent lives. Her fingers nervously fiddled with her sleeve, her gaze fixated on the fire below, as if she could see Alexander's cold, ruthless face amidst the charred remains.

Overwhelmed, Quinn lowered her gaze, succumbing to silence. She couldn't fathom why he refused to let her go, even after their divorce.

Perhaps she had hurt him unknowingly. But her memory loss prevented her from remembering anything, a fact that filled her with profound sorrow.

The fire continued to burn for two hours, finally extinguishing as daylight broke and the sun's rays pierced through the clouds. All that remained of the inferno was a pile of ashes and the charred skeletons of the cages. Orion wordlessly descended the stairs and opened the cages to clear out the remnants.

Quinn picked up a broom to help him. Neither of them spoke as they quietly swept the scorched earth. The ground was a charred wasteland, and no matter how much they swept, they couldn't erase the evidence of the fire. These were the remnants of the pets, the only proof of their existence, and they would likely remain for a long time.

Suddenly, Orion turned to Quinn. "You have work today, don't you?"

Quinn hesitated, her lips pursing as she debated whether to admit that she had forgotten where she worked.

Orion dropped what he was holding, took her hand, and led her toward the parking area. "Don't worry about cleaning up. I'll drop you off at work first. I can manage this myself. I had planned to show you the puppies last night, but I didn't expect this to happen. I apologize for taking up your time."

Quinn shook her head, assuring him it was okay.Given the circumstances and her deteriorating health, sleep was a luxury she couldn't afford.