Chapter 142Elena stood there frozen, watching her best friend collapse in pain, knowing that it was all her fault.The image burned into her mind - Mia's face twisted in agony, her white pants stained red with blood, Stefan's panicked expression as he caught her falling body. Elena's legs felt like lead, rooted to the spot by the crushing weight of her guilt.Stefan gradually and slowly helped Mia to her feet, supporting her weight as she leaned heavily against him. His movements were careful and deliberate, like he was handling the most precious thing in the world. Which, Elena realized, he was."It's okay, baby," Stefan whispered to Mia, his voice soft and reassuring even though Elena could see the terror in his eyes. "We're going to get you help. Everything's going to be fine."They walked slowly toward the door, Mia taking small, careful steps while Stefan kept one arm around her waist and held her hand with his free one. She was so pale that her skin looked almost transparent, a
Chapter 141They must have just walked in from their game, probably laughing and talking about their scores, only to walk into this emotional explosion.They had clearly heard enough of the conversation to understand what Elena had been about to reveal.The look on their faces was a mixture of shock, anger, and something that looked very much like hate. Stefan's face had gone completely white, all the color draining from his cheeks like someone had pulled a plug. His hands were gripping his golf club so tightly that his knuckles had turned white too.Ethan looked like someone had walked up and slapped him across the face as hard as they could. His mouth was hanging open and he kept blinking, like he was trying to wake up from a bad dream. His golf shirt was still tucked in neatly, his hair still perfect from their day out, but his eyes looked lost and confused.And James. James was staring at Elena with an expression of cold disgust that made her blood run cold. There was somethin
Chapter 140Mia blinked. Then she laughed."You're joking," she said, waiting for Elena to crack a smile.But Elena just stared back at her without blinking, her face completely serious.The laughter died on Mia's lips."You're serious?" she asked, her voice rising in disbelief.Elena didn't answer. She just continued to look at Mia with that same unwavering stare, her dark eyes steady and determined in a way that made Mia's stomach drop.Mia slowly pulled her hands away as if Elena had suddenly caught fire."You're SERIOUS?" she said again, much louder this time. She could hear her own voice cracking. "You want to get married to my brother?""Do you love him?" Mia demanded, standing up from the couch so fast the coffee table shook. "Tell me right now, Elena. Do you love Ethan?"Elena remained silent, and that silence told Mia everything she needed to know. It screamed louder than any words could have.*She doesn't love him,* Mia thought, her heart pounding. *She doesn't love him and
Chapter 139Over the next few days, Elena started spending more and more time with Ethan.At first, it seemed innocent enough. During lunch breaks at work, she would text him asking if he wanted to meet up at the little café down the street. When it was time to leave the office, she would call and ask if he could pick her up instead of taking her usual taxi home. Small things that could easily be explained as friendship.But as the days went on, everyone started to notice the pattern. Elena and Ethan were always together, always talking, always finding excuses to be in the same room. They would sit close together during dinner, their heads bent toward each other as they spoke in low voices that excluded everyone else.Mia noticed, of course, but she didn't think much of it at first. She knew Elena was still grieving for Mose in the most complicated way possible - mourning someone who was both dead and alive, lost and found, gone and yet still breathing somewhere she could see, but c
Chapter 138Elena's hands shook as she walked toward the garden where James had asked to meet her. James. Not Mose. She had to keep reminding herself of that.The evening air was crisp against her skin, and she pulled her cardigan tighter around herself. Her heart was racing so fast she was afraid he would hear it when she got close to him. He stood by the old oak tree, the one where she'd seen him and Sienna kissing the other day. She buried the thought immediately.When she reached him, he didn't turn around immediately. His shoulders were tense, hands shoved deep in his pockets."James?" Her voice came out smaller than she'd intended.He turned, and the expression on his face made her stomach drop. This wasn't the look of someone who was remembering love. This was something else entirely."Elena." He said her name like it tasted bitter. "We need to talk."She nodded, trying to keep the hope alive even as it started to wither in her chest.That was why they were standing opposite e
Chapter 137Elena's head pounded as she fumbled with her keys at the front door. Her dress from last night was wrinkled, her makeup smeared, and she could still taste the regret on her lips. The metallic taste of too much alcohol mixed with the bitter flavor of poor decisions made her stomach churn as she tried to steady her shaking hands."Please let everyone still be asleep," she prayed silently, turning the key to her room as quietly as possible. The last thing she needed was to face anyone in this state, disheveled, reeking of whiskey and shame, wearing the same dress she'd left in the night before.But of course, life had other plans.She had managed to slip inside Stefan's penthouse quietly, the expansive space eerily silent in the early morning light. The penthouse was massive but right now, it felt like a tomb. The penthouse had six bedrooms spread across two floors, and hers was at the end of the hallway upstairs.She was still fumbling with her room key at her door, she h