Mother isn't real

Kael landed in his bed with a thud, the soft mattress offering no solace for the storm raging within him. The familiar surroundings of his room mocked him, the warmth of his childhood haven now a stark contrast to the icy grip of grief that had tightened around his heart.

His body felt heavy, weighed down by the crushing truth he had unearthed. The phantom embrace of his mother, the memories he had built upon a foundation of lies, crumbled around him, leaving behind only the gaping hole of their absence.

He squeezed his eyes shut, tears carving hot tracks down his cheeks. Images of a smiling woman, her face forever blurred, a ghost in his own life, flashed before him. The promise he had made to himself, the shield he had built against the unbearable pain, now lay shattered at his feet.