Patricia couldnât feel her brotherâs affection anymore. She reached out, her hand shaking, and grabbed onto Balfourâs pant leg.
âBrother, Iâm not like that⦠The things I just said were all influenced by Ellinorâs ghost⦠She gets her kicks seeing this; even after death, she torments me. She wonât be satisfied until she sees me abandoned! Brother, donât fall for her tricks!â
Balfour, standing over her, frowned in disgust. He kicked his leg free from Patriciaâs grip and took a few steps back, distancing himself from his sister, who had utterly disappointed him.
Throwing her dignity to the wind, Patricia scrambled on the floor, attempting to get closer to her brother, hoping for a shred of his affection.
âPatri, just let it go!â
As Patricia was crawling towards him, she suddenly heard her grandmotherâs voice. She froze and turned to the source of the sound, her eyes wide in shock.
She saw Ellinor helping Alyssa walk in, and Dean, who was also being supported by his old attendant.
Ellinor was alive?
Patricia glanced back at âEllinorâsâ disfigured corpse, trembling with fear.
The body was still on the morgue table; it hadnât disappeared.
The spot where Ellinorâs ghost had originally appeared was now empty, with only Veronica standing there, arms crossed and looking pissed off.
How could Ellinor be alive and help her grandmother? Wasnât she dead?
Patricia was certain that when she threw her phone at Ellinor earlier, it passed right through her.
What the hell was going on?!
Everyone showing up here and hearing what she shouldnât have said wasnât a coincidence.
It had to be Ellinorâs doing! Was she not dead?
While Patricia was going over everything in her head, Dean and Alyssa had reached her.
Alyssa sighed in disappointment, âPatri, we heard everything you said to Ellinor. Thereâs no point in making excuses now.
Over the years, weâve been very fond of you, partly because you remind us of Pearl. But just like Pearl, youâre a Howard. How could we not care about you? Did you really think you were just a stand-in?
Especially your brother. Heâs been spoiling and protecting you all these years; you know that better than anyone. How could you say such things about him?
And using people for your own gains, you think this is the right way? Are these the values your mother instilled in you?â
Patricia shook her head vigorously, her voice shaky, âGrandma, no, itâs not like thatâ¦â
Dean huffed, âDonât hold your breath for her to change! Sheâs becoming more and more like her calculating mother, stooping to any lows with no remorse!â