Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The Drayton family sat around the dinner table in silence .

The men all seemed to lack energy , their eyes glazed and distant .

It was as if an invisible weiglu hung over them .

Althea , sitting at the head of the table , felt a wave of unease sweep over her

Most unseling of all was Torin , whose gaze kept flicking toward her in a way that made her stomach churn .

Finally , unable to bear the tension any longer , Althea cleared her throat and spoke up .

“ What’s going on with all of you today ? Is it the food ? Are you not hungry ? ” she asked , glancing at the uneaten plates before them .

“ Would you like something else ? 1 can have the kitchen pr

o prepare something different ” she added .

Carlan , who had been unusually quiet , perked up at the mention of food .

He sat up straichter , an eager gleam in his eyes ,

“ Mom .

I’m craving your famous barbecue pork ribs ,” he said , his voice unusually animated

Althea paused , her fork halfway to her mouth

That wasn’t a dish she ever made .

It had always been Elysia who prepared them , the girl who had left the Drayton family recently , taking with her the warmth she used to bring to these dinners ,

With a soft , inward sigh , Althea tried to keep her smile intact ,

“ Sweetheam , why don’t we just have the kitchen prepare it ? ” she said , trying to deflect the awkwardness .

“ My hands have been bothering me lately .

It was fortunate that it was her son who asked , so she could refuse without too much guilt .

Still , the conversation left her feeling unsettled .

Her words didn’t seem to land as expected .

Instead , Rupert looked up with raised eyebrows , clearly surprised “ Wait , you can make harbecue pork ribs ?

Aren’t you i

allergie to pork ? ”

Before Althea could think of a response , Caellan and Fenwick , who had tasted Elysia’s cooking before , both turned to her with wide eyes , as if realizing something .

The three of them were stunned – except for Torin , who sat with his head down , lost in thought .

.

Althea froze , her face fishing with heat .

“W – well , I suppose I could , I seem to no longer be allergic to pork Albea stammered , immediately regretting her words before .

Meanwhile , in the basement of a nearby hospital, the air was thick with tension

A researcher in a lab coat leaned in as Stellan approached .

“ Dr.

Rookwood , we’ve got a situation , the man said , his voice worried .

“ A woman just showed up demanding to see Miss Drayton .

She’s causing a scene .

We tried to stop her , but she refused to leave ”

Stellan’s face remained impassive .

He already knew who it was .

Till be better for her to face the truth , ” he thought ,

“ Let her in Stellan said with a sigh

As predicted , the woman who entered was Odessa

Compared to her poised and commanding appearance earlier in the day , she now stood before him disheveled , with her clothes askew and her hair a tangled mess , as if she had been in some kind of aberration .

Without caring about her appearance , she grabbed Stellan’s sleeve , her voice franc .

“ Please , you have to take me to Elysia ! I need to apologize Shell forgive me , I know it !

Stellan merely smiled faintly , shaking her off gently .

“ Follow me .

” The sterile white walls of the hospital basement seemed to close in as Odessa followed Stellan down the dimly lit corridor .

Her footsteps echoed , uneven and frantic , a stark contrast to Seellan’s steady pace ,

When the door finally opened , the sharp scent of antiseptic hit her like a wall .

The room was roll and clinical , illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights .

The sterile room fch more like a hospital ward than a lab .

There , in the center of it all , was Elysia .

She lay perfectly still , her pale face framed by tubes and wires .

A black screen beside her flickered with an eerie stillness

13

Chapter 27

This was the first time Odessa directly saw her appearance in such a long while , Odessa’s breath caught in her throat as she looked at her

“ She’s … so beautiful ,” she whispered to herself , her voice tinged with awe

Elysia hand always been beautiful , but now , there was something ghostly about her beauty .

She looked like a sleeping angel – too still , too pale , roo

unreal .

Just like … she’s dead , Odessa thought .

No … No , it can’t be , Odessa thouglu , trying to push away the thought forming in her mud .

“ Elysia ! ” Odevu cried , rushing to the bed , and grabbing her wrist .

Desperation clawed at her as she reached out , her fingers brushing against Elysia’s hand .

A jolt of cold shot through her fingerups , making her recoil in shock .

“ Cold … why is she so cold ” she murmured , her voice barely above a whisper .

Stellan stood nearby , watching the scene with a detached expression ,

“ Not enough , he thought .

His voice was icy when he spoke .

“ She’s gone .

Odessa .

If you don’t believe me , you can check for younell ”

Odessa whipped around , her eyes blazing with anger “ If anything happens in her , I swear I’ll make you pay for this ? ” she threatened , her voice

harsh .

She reached down her hand trembling as she shipped it under Elysia’s clothes .

Stellan was caught off guard when Odessa actually went ahead and did it , but only when her hand was deep inside did he react , grabbing her by the back of the neck and yanking her away .

“ Odessa , are you out of your mind ? You should be checking her pulse at her neck , not there he scolded .

She stumbled back , sitting on the floor , her body numb as pain surged through her

The moment her body made contact with the floor pain surged through her , yet it felt distant – like it wasn’t real .

Her mind replayed the warmth she had just fell under her fingertips , the senution .

Suddenly , her eyes widened in shock , her gaze vacant .

Slic was completely lost , unable to think straight

“ There’s no heartbeat “ Odessa gasped , her body trembling uncontrollably .

“ My Elysia .

She has no heartbear ! ”

It was as if time itself had frozen .

The world around her blurred into nothingness , and only memories of happier days with Elysia – laughing .

joking – flashed before her eyes .

“ We’ll always be best friends , ” Odessa had promised before

But now , she could never keep that promise .

Odessa’s legs buckled , and she collapsed in the four , her body shaking violently .

Tears flowed and she had no strength to hold herself up .

All the could feel was the overwhelming loss , the crashing grief that slammed into her from all sides .

by did this happen ? Why is the world so cruel to me she muttered , her voice filled with anguish

“ Why

As she wept a dark thought crept into her mind .

She turned to face Stellan , her hands gripping his collar as rage filled her .

“It’s your fault ! You killed her ?” she screamed

Stellan frowned , shaking off her grip with practiced ease .

The cold , indifferent tone of Stellan’s voice cut through her hysteria .

“ It wasn’t me who betrayed Elysia

“ It wasn’t me who left her with those traffickers to suffer .

I wasn’t the one who locked her our and stood by while she was harassed online .

I wasn’t the one who turned her heart cold .

”

“ You really want to know who’s responsible ? Do you need me to remind you ? ” he asked , a hint of mockery in his tone .

Odessa stood frozen , her face pale as Stellin’s words struck her like a physical blow

Odessa broke down , tears streaming uncontrollably .

She shook , her body wracked with the memory of the pain and sorrow she’d experienced earlier when she’d connected with Elysia

“I never got the chance to apologize … She never forgive me .

.

How could she just die like that ? ” Her voice trembled , cracking with grief .

“ Why ?

10:50 AM

Chapter 27

“ Why did you have to make me know all this ? Why did you invent that damned device ! Wouldn’t it have been better if I’d stayed in the dark ? ”

She turned to glare at Stellan , her eyes burning with fury , an anger that seemed to rise like a tidal wave ,

“ Stupid , ” Stellan’s expression was cold , his disdain evident

He hadn’t expected Odessa to be this stubborn .

If she needed to be jolted hack to reality , he was more than willing to oblige .

“ You think this was just for your eyes only ” Stellan asked , his tone sharpening .

“ Or did you imagine you were the only one who hurt Elysia ! Her death .

.

it was because she lost her heart ‘

The works hit Odessa like a physical blow .

Her vision blurred , and her ears rang .

“ Lost her heart … She had no heart … Her thoughts scrambled , trying to make sense of the impossibility ,

“ Instead of wallowing in your guilt , ” Stellan pressed , his gaze never wavering , “ why don’t you keep watching and find out who stole her heart!

“ Everyone who had a hand in what happened to Elysia should suffer as much as you , riglur ! ”