**Chapter 20: The Unbearable Goodbye**

The silence that had filled the room was oppressive, heavy with unspoken emotions and unmet expectations. Ashley's eyes were fixed on Kody, her mind still reeling from the medication he had given her. She felt a sense of numbness spreading through her body, as if she was observing everything from outside of herself. Kody's expression remained unreadable as he walked back to the spot where he had placed Ashley's babies. He picked them up, cradling them in his arms with a gentleness that seemed almost out of place given the circumstances. Ashley's heart skipped a beat as she saw him approach her, the babies held tightly in his arms. As Kody drew closer, Ashley saw that he was holding her babies, their tiny bodies limp and still. She felt a surge of hope mixed with fear as she reached out a trembling hand. Kody's eyes flicked to hers, and for a moment, Ashley thought she saw a glimmer of something there, something that looked almost like empathy. But it was quickly extinguished, replaced by the cold, calculating gaze she had grown to expect from him. Kody handed Ashley one of the babies, his movements economical and detached. Ashley took the baby, cradling it in her arms as tears streamed down her face. The baby felt warm in her arms, and for a moment, Ashley forgot to breathe. She forgot about Kody, forgot about the pain and the grief, and all she could think about was the tiny human in her arms. But her joy was short-lived. Kody handed her the second baby, and Ashley took it, holding both babies close as she felt a sense of desperation wash over her. She looked up at Kody, her eyes pleading. "Say goodbye," Kody said, his voice devoid of emotion. Ashley's eyes widened in horror as Kody's expression turned cold and hard. He took a step back, his eyes never leaving hers, and Ashley felt a sense of dread building in her chest. As she looked at her babies, Ashley realized that she was saying goodbye, not just to them, but to the hope that they would ever be okay. Kody's eyes seemed to bore into her soul, and Ashley felt a chill run down her spine. And then, in a movement that was both swift and brutal, Kody dragged Ashley's babies away from her, holding them at arm's length as he backed away. Ashley screamed, her voice hoarse and raw, as she realized that she was being forced to watch something she would never forget. Kody's face was twisted into a cruel smile as he pulled out a small pillow from behind his back. Ashley's eyes widened in horror as she realized what he was going to do. With a swift and merciless motion, Kody silenced her babies' lives, their tiny bodies going limp in his arms. Ashley's world shattered into a million pieces as she watched, her mind unable to process the horror that she was witnessing. The sound of her own screams was deafening, a raw and anguished wail that seemed to come from somewhere deep within her soul. As Kody turned to face her, Ashley saw something in his eyes, something that looked almost like satisfaction. He had played her, used her, and now he had taken everything from her. The darkness that had engulfed Ashley seemed to have a new depth, a new level of despair that she never thought she would reach. But as she looked at Kody, she knew that she would never be the same again.