Chapter 463 Self-Reproach
"You were unaware?" The officer's surprise was palpable. "We retrieved Mr. Miller's records and discovered a previous false accusation, one that nearly landed him in prison. It was in the aftermath of this ordeal that he sought counseling and treatment for depression..."
Sarah's comprehension of the officer's words ceased. She was consumed by the shocking revelation, numbly receiving the treatment records from his outstretched hand. The handwriting was unmistakably her brother's—graceful and vibrant, a signature she had come to recognize with ease.
How could this be possible...
On the brink of collapse, Sarah's mind was pulled back to that time, a period when she was deeply entwined with Antonio. She had believed that clearing her brother's name would rectify everything, never once considering the possibility of him spiraling into depression as a result...
If only.
If only she had been more attentive to her brother then, could the day's tragic events have been averted?
Observing Sarah's obliviousness to Brady's depression, the officer pondered another perspective. He broached the subject with caution: "Ms. Miller, while it may not be my place to say this, please consider—since you were uninformed of Mr. Miller's mental condition, could an unintentional remark from you have provoked an extreme reaction from him?"
Sarah's body jerked as she stared at him, disbelief expanding in her tear-filled eyes.
"I...I don't know...I'm sorry, I'm just not sure, I..."
From the moment Sarah discovered her brother's struggle with depression, she was engulfed in self-reproach. The police officer's probing questions only amplified her distress.
Could she be the cause? Could she have unwittingly triggered her brother's suffering? Was it all her fault?
"Ms. Miller, are you alright?" the officer inquired.
Relying on Antonio for support, Sarah bit her lip, attempting to steady her quivering voice. "I'm fine... Thank you for your assistance. Please, keep me updated if any new leads surface."
Once the officer departed, Sarah's facade of composure shattered, and she crumbled onto the floor, clutching her brother Brady's medical report. Tears cascaded down her face uncontrollably, shaking her to her very core.
Caught off guard, Antonio hurried to her side. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Sarah! This wasn't your fault. The police were merely conducting their routine questioning. Please, don't internalize it."
"No! It is... Antonio, it is my fault, I've been too self-centered!" she cried out in her anguish. "I was so engrossed in my own life that I never paid enough attention to my brother's mental health. Now all I can think of is our past interactions. Could it have been something I said that shattered his heart and made him surrender to despair? If so, am I the one responsible for his..."
"That's not true, Sarah! How could you even entertain such a thought? Brady loves you more than you realize. Don't burden yourself with such thoughts," Antonio held her close, attempting to comfort her. "There must be something we've missed. Brady is resilient, and he's always been committed to his treatment. He wouldn't just surrender to despair so easily."
"I don't know anything, anything about my brother... Antonio, I'm such a failure as a sister..." Sarah was teetering on the edge of despair.
Antonio gently cradled her face, his fingers brushing away the hot tears from her cheeks. "Listen to me, Sarah. This is not your fault. Remember what you said? Your brother was always proactive in his treatment. He's a positive-minded person; he wouldn't easily throw his life away over something you said."
In the midst of her tear-streaked confusion, Sarah managed to regain a fragment of her composure. Her voice barely more than a whisper, she asked, "Then why? What could it possibly be?"
Antonio found himself at a loss for words, but then he remembered the bracelet the officer had mentioned. "Sarah," he began tentatively, "can you tell me about the bracelet?"
She gave a slight nod of her head. "That bracelet was a keepsake from my mother; I wore it constantly. I lost it during a mishap on a trip once and was devastated for what felt like an eternity. Before Brady left for his trip abroad, he found one almost identical to it in an antique shop and bought it for me. But beyond that, there's nothing special about it."
"You still haven't found that bracelet, have you?" Antonio asked.
"That's correct," she confirmed. "After all, it fell from the building. It could have landed anywhere."
With that, Sarah suddenly clutched Antonio's hand tightly. Her voice trembled as she pleaded, "Antonio, will you find it for me, please? My brother gave it to me. I can't bear the thought of it being lost and alone in some forgotten corner."
"Of course, sweetheart," Antonio reassured her. "Don't worry, I'll find it for you. You trust me, don't you?"
Sarah gave a small, obedient nod. Antonio's heart ached for her. He gently soothed her, "Now, you need to be a good girl and rest. I'll be back in time for dinner, all right?"
Softly, Sarah agreed. Antonio coaxed her back to bed, waiting until she had fallen into a deep sleep before he quietly stepped out of the hospital room.
The police had forwarded the courier information from Brady's delivery to Antonio. He wasted no time in tracking down the seller.
Picking up the phone, Antonio began, "Hello, I'm calling about a tracking number."
After a brief search, the voice on the other end responded, "This bracelet again? It's been signed for. Is there a problem?"
Antonio's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry," he said, "what do you mean 'again'?"
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