THORN LOVE

Triumphant disquiet

"Once you hear the details of victory, it is hard to distinguish it from a defeat." ― Jean-Paul Sartre.

~

A hollow core.

At first, it was shock, then upset, anger, and finally, numbness. There was only so much he could take, but at that moment, it felt like he had lost himself. Kinn left with a single letter. His attorney, Troy, contacted him and revealed that Kinn had bequeathed all his wealth to him. From company shares to his personal accounts, everything now bore his name, and that infuriated Porsche even more. He didn't want Kinn's money; he had more than enough to last generations. Yet, in the back of his mind, a nagging feeling told him it was Kinn's way of compensating, further fueling his anger. He just left, making Porsche feel utterly abandoned. It had been five days since Kinn left, and somehow Porsche still held onto the belief that he would return. Kinn's phone was unreachable, his car abandoned, and no credit card showed any recent activity. His clothes are still here, as if he never left.

Porsche stood in their bedroom, staring at their wedding picture. His anger intensified as he stared at their wedding picture hanging on the wall. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room as he forcefully threw a vase at the wedding picture frame.

"How is it so easy for you to walk away each time?" Porsche whispered, tears streaming down his puffy, red eyes. He cried a lot, exacerbating his emotional turmoil. "How quick of you to abandon me, yet again." He stared at the broken picture scattered on the floor with a mournful expression. "Why is it always so easy for you to leave me?"

His gaze shifted to the letter and wedding ring still on the nightstand. Consumed by rage, he barged into their walking closet, ripping Kinn's clothes off the hangers and flinging them onto the floor.

"You should have taken everything with you if you were going to leave," Porsche murmured as he frantically destroyed everything. He yanked Kinn's clothes from the drawers and flung them onto the carpet. "You should take everything. I don't need you. I never needed you." Tears blurred his vision as he continued to hurl Kinn's clothes onto the floor. His eyes caught the cologne he had bought for him. It was still there. He threw it against the mirror, shattering it. "Why you... till the end... you are..." Porsche collapsed onto the pile of clothes on the ground. "How could you..." He clutched his stomach, laying his head on the heap of clothes. Exhausted from crying and the surge of anger, sleep eluded him in that desolate moment.

***

This was the first time in years that Edward felt so invigorated. Maybe the moment he felt like this was when he first met Porsche. It shattered his heart, leaving him bewildered at the evilness one can have towards their own child. The image of the baby Porsche haunted his thoughts incessantly. It entailed considerable effort to bring his grandson to where he stands today. He was there to see it all unfold - the struggle, the moment of defeat as he crumpled down, and the triumphant as he rise to the top. He saw him at his best and also at his worst. His joy and sorrow.

He often spent nights by his grandson's side, seeking to protect him from the nightmares that plagued him. Yet, he raised him to be resilient and robust. He took pride in all of his achievements. His happiness grew even more when he married a man who he love more than anything, and he was thrilled to start his own family. He understood, just like everyone else, that marriage wouldn't be a walk in the park. But he was certain that their love would prevail no matter what. And that's where he got it all wrong. Love, despite its power, couldn't save his grandson or his grandson-in-law. Right under his eyes, they went to a place they couldn't turn back from. He watched as they drifted apart, their once unbreakable bond now shattered beyond repair.

With his intuition and astute observation skills, Edward excels at deciphering people's true character. He always said the innocence of a person shines through their eyes, revealing their story without words. And those who harbor evil intentions conceal themselves so skillfully that one must delve deeper to perceive their sinister nature. Perhaps that's why he had a soft spot for Kinn. He saw the hidden turmoil lurking beneath the façade of smiles and in the depths of those eyes.