The Silent Flame of Brilliance By Selena Virelle 76

Kylee rose gracefully from her seat, a soft smile playing on her lips. She picked up a clean bowl, ladled some soup into it, and approached Jessica. “Here, Jessica,” Kylee said gently, extending the bowl toward her. “Try some of this soup.” Jessica looked up at Kylee, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly as she studied her step-sister. The air between them grew taut with an unspoken tension. Kylee pressed her lips together, as if gathering her courage, and continued, “Jessica, I realize now that you didn’t mean to embarrass me in front of our colleagues. I was at fault too. I was so shocked when I heard about your position at Grand Plains General Hospital that I spoke without thinking. I’m truly sorry for my words. Do you think you could forgive me?” Her tone was soft, almost pleading, and her words sounded heartfelt. Yet, Jessica remained unmoved. She maintained her steady gaze, her expression unreadable, as though weighing the sincerity of Kylee’s apology. Baker, unable to tolerate the silence, spoke up in an impatient tone. “Jessica, why are you just sitting there staring at Kylee? She’s apologized to you and even brought you soup. Aren’t you going to say anything? Just take the soup and let this matter be!” Jessica’s eyes flickered with something unreadable before she slowly rose to her feet. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached for the bowl. Her curiosity was piqued. What was Kylee trying to achieve with this act? But just as her hand was about to touch the bowl, Kylee unexpectedly loosened her grip. The bowl slipped, the steaming soup splashing out violently and landing on Kylee’s hand. “Ah!” Kylee screamed, her voice filled with agony as the hot liquid scalded her skin. Her hand turned an angry shade of red almost instantly. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her injured hand, her complexion turning ashen. The room was stunned into silence. “Kylee!” Baker leaped to his feet, rushing to his daughter’s side. His face was etched with worry and distress as he gently cradled her injured hand. “It hurts… it hurts so much! Dad, it’s so painful!” Kylee sobbed, her tears flowing freely. Baker’s face contorted with sorrow as he looked at his daughter’s hand, the pain in her voice piercing him deeply. The Wright family butler hurried over, his voice urgent. “Miss Wright, we need to cool the burn with cold water immediately.” “Yes, yes! Quick, help her!” Baker barked, springing into action and gesturing for the butler to assist. With the butler’s help, Kylee was carefully escorted from the room to treat her injury. ________________________________________ The Aftermath As soon as Kylee left, Baker turned his furious gaze on Jessica. His eyes were filled with accusation, his fury radiating in waves. “Jessica, how could you be so cruel?” he thundered. “Kylee came to you with kindness, offering an apology and soup, and this is how you repay her? You scalded her hand on purpose!” His voice rose with each word, his anger barely contained. The veins in his forehead bulged as he advanced a step closer to Jessica. Jessica, now fully composed, met his fiery gaze with a calm, steady voice. “I didn’t burn her. She dropped the bowl herself.” “Enough!” Baker roared, his voice echoing through the room. “Don’t even try to deny it! You’re blaming Kylee for your own vicious actions? You’ve gone too far this time, Jessica. I won’t let this slide. You need to be taught a lesson!” Baker took a determined step toward Jessica, his intention clear. But before he could reach her, a desperate voice rang out. “Stop, Baker, please!” Holley stepped forward, grabbing Baker’s arm to hold him back. Her voice was pleading, trembling with urgency. “Please spare her! It was an accident, a simple misunderstanding!” “Let go of me!” Baker growled, shaking off Holley’s grip with force. “Your constant coddling has spoiled her! This is why she behaves this way!” As Baker pushed past her, Holley’s knees gave out, and she collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud. ________________________________________ The Room Falls Silent The sound of Holley hitting the ground reverberated through the room, momentarily freezing everyone in place. Jessica’s expression tightened, though she remained standing calmly. Her sharp eyes flicked between Baker and Holley, her lips pressing into a thin line. Baker hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze flickering toward Holley before returning to Jessica. His fury seemed to falter, replaced by a mix of frustration and helplessness. Meanwhile, Holley struggled to rise, her tearful eyes locking onto Baker. “Baker,” she said in a choked voice, “please don’t let your anger blind you. Jessica is your daughter too. You can’t treat her like this.” Baker said nothing, his jaw tightening as he turned away sharply. Jessica finally broke the silence. “I’ve done nothing wrong, and I won’t accept blame for something I didn’t do,” she said firmly. Her voice was resolute, yet there was a quiet strength in it that made her words resonate. The tension in the room hung heavy, like an unspoken challenge. Kylee’s absence, coupled with Baker’s anger and Holley’s despair, left a charged silence behind, one that seemed to foreshadow an even greater storm on the horizon.