SIMON THE ZILLIONAIRE FROM NOWHERE

291

Eddie stood on the porch long after Jennifer and Andrew’s car disappeared from view. The fading sound of the engine echoed in his mind as he struggled to grasp the reality of his sister leaving, even if just temporarily. It was the first real step Jennifer had taken since Frank’s death, and Eddie was proud of her—though a knot of worry twisted in his stomach.

As Eddie finally turned to go back inside the house, the emptiness hit him harder than expected. The house had been quiet since Frank’s passing, but knowing Jennifer was somewhere within those walls had been his small source of comfort. Now, with her gone, it felt like he was alone with his thoughts—and those thoughts were relentless.

He couldn’t shake the nagging guilt about Frank. Despite the many reassurances from others, Eddie couldn’t let go of the idea that Frank’s death was somehow his fault. It had been a fluke accident, a terrible twist of fate, but Eddie had been there. He had seen it happen, powerless to stop it. And