It's Gone

Chapter 44 - It's Gone

Torin’s house was finally finished. After months of work, the last repairs had been completed, the rooms had been cleaned, and the contractors had removed the final traces of construction. The contractor handed Torin the keys after receiving the remaining payment and having him sign the last set of documents. Torin stood outside for a moment, looking at the house beneath the afternoon light. The fresh paint, restored windows, and clean garden made it difficult to imagine how damaged the place had once been.

He entered with Lenna beside him and walked through each room one last time. The floors were new, the lights were working, and everything had been put back into place. Torin checked the kitchen, the bedrooms, the bathrooms, and the common areas before returning to the hallway.

“We'll shift today,” he said.

Lenna nodded and immediately took out her phone. While she made a short call to arrange the move, Torin locked the front door and followed her toward the car.

When they returned to Blazing Tower, a white minivan was already waiting near the curb. The driver stepped out and opened the rear doors, giving Torin a clear view of the empty space inside. Torin began carrying his belongings out, loading boxes of clothes, kitchen supplies, and the few pieces of furniture he needed immediately. Lenna helped organize the boxes while the driver secured them inside the van.

When the last box was loaded, Lenna turned toward Torin.

“Should I put your apartment on the rental sites?” she asked. “It's the most luxurious one, so it should bring in a pretty good amount.”

Torin shook his head. He looked at her for a moment before placing a hand on her shoulder.

“List your apartment instead.”

Lenna stared at him. “Mine?”

“You and Misty can move to the ground floor. It's more space than you have now, and there's no reason for you to keep paying for the other place.”

She looked at him as though she had not expected the answer.

“Torin, that's too much.”

“It's not.” He gave her shoulder a light pat before stepping back. “Move there today with Misty. Put your current apartment on the market, and we'll deal with everything else later. I'm going home.”

Before Lenna could argue again, Torin walked toward his car. The minivan pulled out behind him, and the two vehicles made their way across the city toward the renovated house.

By the time they arrived, the afternoon had begun to fade. Torin helped the driver carry the boxes inside, placing the essentials in the kitchen and living room while the driver brought in the remaining ones. Once everything had been unloaded, Torin went into the kitchen and made a quick cup of coffee for the man.

“Here,” he said, handing it to him. “You've been working since morning.”

The driver accepted it with a grateful nod. Torin paid him, thanked him for the help, and watched as the minivan disappeared through the gate and down the road.

For the first time in a long while, Torin stood alone inside the house.

The silence felt different now.

He walked slowly through the hallway before stopping outside his sister's old room. The workers had completely changed it. The broken floor was gone, the blackened walls had been repainted, and the damaged furniture had disappeared. In its place was a quiet study with a clean desk, new shelves, and a comfortable chair near the window. Soft afternoon light entered through the glass and fell across the floor.

Torin stepped inside and looked around.

He took the photograph of his sister from the new frame he had bought and held it carefully for a moment before placing it on the wall above the desk. He adjusted it slightly until it sat straight, then stepped back.

Against the fresh paint, the photograph looked almost as though it had always belonged there.

Torin remained in the room for a few seconds before leaving.

He walked farther down the hallway and stopped at his parents' old bedroom. The room had been restored as the master bedroom, almost exactly as he remembered it. The large bed stood beneath the same tall windows, and the furniture had been arranged in a way that brought back memories he had not thought about in years.

He sat on the edge of the mattress and slowly leaned back.

For a moment, he simply stared at the ceiling.

Then the memories came.

His mother's laugh from the kitchen. His father's hand resting on his shoulder. Quiet evenings when the entire family had been together in this same house. Small conversations that had seemed meaningless at the time but now felt more valuable than he could have imagined.

Torin closed his eyes and allowed the memories to remain for a while.

His phone suddenly rang.

He opened his eyes and reached into his pocket.

Kelly.

Torin sat up and answered immediately.

“Kelly?”

He heard crying on the other end. Her breathing was uneven, and for several seconds she could not form a complete sentence.

“Kelly, what's wrong?” Torin asked, sitting upright. “Calm down and tell me what happened.”

She tried to speak, but another sob interrupted her. Torin pressed the phone closer to his ear, his expression tightening as he listened.

“It’s gone, Torin,” she finally managed to say.

“What is?”

Her breathing became heavier.

“I’m dead. It’s gone.”

Torin frowned. “What are you talking about? What's gone?”

For a few seconds, there was nothing but her crying.

Then her voice broke again.

“Money, Torin.”

She struggled to breathe between the words.

“The money is gone.”

Guys, a special discount for a week on Patreon is live. Discount code = 0955D : https://www.patreon.com/c/KDaddy935?vanity=user