"D-Dad, please calm down—" Irene stuttered, her voice trembling. She attempted to plead again, but Steve abruptly cut her off.

"Calm down? YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!" he hollered, his breath shuddering with rage.

Irene and Margaret stepped back as Steve's fury seemed to fill the entire room. Irene's eyes welled up with tears as she tried to reason with him again.

"D-Dad, please... Jeremy needs help." As much as she hated to be concerned for Jeremy after what he had done, she had to divert Steven's attention to the dire situation. "We need to take him to the hospital."

Steve's face twisted in anguish, and for a moment,...