onda Gates Jumps Off of Former Gates Corporation Building

The news about the suicide of Jacob Gates and Miranda D'iablo's second child have spread across the country like wildfire. Conspiracy theories popped up all over the internet discussing different reasons for why Rhonda Gates killed herself; she got caught up in the mafia, her family staged a planned murder to make it look like a suicide, one even said she was having lunch on the top of the building, choked on some of the food, and fell off the building.

Two of the most popular theories were Rhonda jumped off because she had depression after Jacob Gates abandoned his family and her family fabricated the event to resemble a suicide because Rhonda was openly trans and liked guys.

Soon enough, the family was harrassed by the paparazzi and deemed as homophobes and transphobes.

"Why did Rhonda Gates kill herself?"

"Did you have anything to do with it?"

"Are you against the LGBT+ community?" These were a small portion of the questions each member of the family had to deal with in public.

"Damn it!" Robert D'iablo- Rhonda's maternal grandpa- slammed his fist on the table, "that brat has ruined our family's name!"

"I always knew she was a rotten child, that one. She had no consideration for us at all whatsoever," Miranda (Rhonda's mother) sipped her red wine.

"..." Matthias, Matthew, and Cora kept quiet. They knew it was the family's fault Rhonda did this in the first place. All because Rhonda resembled their father to a T. However, they weren't going to voice their thoughts aloud. That would make the situation worse.

"What are we going to do now? I suppose none of you have any idea how to clear this up?" Mike- Rhonda's uncle- questioned from the recliner across the room.

"It's too late to clear this mess up. We'll just have to wait it out until it eventually dies down," Robert sighed.I

"What do we do until then? My dear Cora will get bullied at school with what's going around." Miranda dabbed her eyes with a cloth.

"..." Cora felt she could take care of herself. "Can I go to my room?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Don't worry about going to school tomorrow." Cora stood up and walked into the hallway. She paused by the stairs going up to the attic which was Rhonda's room.

A sour taste filled Cora's mouth. Part of her wondered if she was one of the reasons her sister- no, brother- took his life. What if Cora had focused more on him rather than burying herself in schoolwork?

"We all should've paid closer attention." Matthias put a hand on Cora's shoulder, Matthew did the same on the other side.

"Yeah, we were being petty and put our pride before Rhonda... Rhon," Matthew corrected himself. They stood there for a few solemn moments.

"Alright, Cora, you should go to your room. We'll talk to the others." Cora obliged and shut her bedroom door, muffling the conversation in the living room.

"...I wonder if he knows..." Cora pulled out a slip of paper with a ten digit number. She had found the personal number of Jacob Gates after Rhon's funeral on a whim. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her phone and typed in the number.

"Hello?" The once familiar voice shook something inside Cora. She felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Is this Jacob Gates?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"It doesn't matter. Your daughter- or son- Rhon has... passed away."

"What?! How?" Cora grimaced at the concerned tone of his voice. He didn't deserve to know, he knew he would hurt Rhon by leaving, yet he did it anyway!

"Does it matter?! Rhon's gone and you're part of the reason why!" Cora sniffled and hung up. What did she hope to gain from this? All it did was bring up bad memories.

"I'm sorry... I knew you weren't being treated right, but I didn't do anything." With another glance at the dark screen of her phone, Cora climbed into bed.

~

Jacob sat at his desk, staring down at the phone with a dazed look. Ever since he had left that rotten woman all those years ago, he always regretted not taking Rhonda with him. She always followed him and held no resemblance to the woman who ruined his life.

Now his little girl was gone. and his little girl wasn't a girl, but a boy!

"...Dammit! If only I wasn't so focused on myself..." Jacob sat there, regretting everything.