**Chapter 7: Darkness Descends**

It was 4 in the morning, and Ashley was finally allowed to see her mother. The hospital room was dimly lit, with only a few machines beeping softly in the background. Ashley's heart sank as she saw her mother's frail body lying in the bed, surrounded by tubes and wires. The doctor's expression was somber as he began to explain the test results. "I'm so sorry, Ashley. The bleeding was caused by a tumor in your mother's throat. It's cancer," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Ashley's world came crashing down around her. She felt like she had been punched in the gut, and she couldn't breathe. She looked at her mother, who was struggling to open her eyes. Ashley took her hand, trying to hold on to her as she felt her slipping away. The doctor continued to explain the situation, but Ashley's mind was a jumble of emotions. She couldn't process what was happening. She just knew that she had to be strong for her mother and Ender. As the night wore on, Ashley stayed by her mother's side, holding her hand and talking to her softly. Eventually, the doctor told her that she could take Ender home, and Ashley reluctantly said goodbye to her mother. The drive home was a blur, with Ender sleeping in the backseat. Ashley was on autopilot, her mind still reeling from the news. She got Ender settled into bed and then collapsed onto the couch, exhausted. The next morning, Ashley woke up to the sound of Ender stirring. She quickly got out of bed and started getting ready, trying to rush through her morning routine. She threw on some clothes and dressed Ender, making him a quick breakfast before they set out for daycare. As they walked to daycare, Ender chattered excitedly about his day, oblivious to the turmoil that was brewing inside Ashley. She tried to put on a brave face, but her mind was still reeling from the news about her mother. After dropping Ender off, Ashley rushed to work, already running late. She burst through the door, out of breath, and was immediately greeted by her boss's angry face. "Where have you been?" he yelled, his face red with rage. "You missed a whole day of work yesterday, and now you're late again. You're really testing my patience, Ashley." Ashley tried to apologize, but her boss cut her off. "Get to the office, now," he snarled. Ashley's heart sank as she followed him to the office. She had a bad feeling about this. As soon as they were alone, her boss slammed the door shut and lunged at her. Ashley was in shock as her boss assaulted her, his hands all over her. She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare, and she couldn't wake up. When he finally stopped, Ashley was shaking, her heart racing. "Now, get back to work," he yelled, his face still twisted in anger. Ashley stumbled out of the office, her mind reeling. She tried to compose herself, but she was shaking as she took orders from customers. The yelling and chaos around her only made her feel more anxious, and she struggled to keep it together. As the day wore on, Ashley felt like she was losing herself, like she was drowning in a sea of despair. She just wanted to escape, to get away from it all. But for now, she was trapped, stuck in a living hell of her own making.