I shoved Yael away and stared at the smug curve of his lips. He looked almost... pleased with himself, like this was a ga he’d already won.
"Elena," he said brightly, "I knew you’d co back."
I lifted my hands and signed with sharp movents.
You lied to .
For a second, guilt flashed across his face. Then it disappeared, replaced by that pitiful mask he liked to wear, like he was the one being hurt.
"Elena, I’m sorry," he said, voice soft. "If I hadn’t lied, you wouldn’t have taken the dicine. If I hadn’t poisoned you, you would’ve left . I’ve seen Whitney chained up before. Day after day, the light in her eyes dimd. Vito regretted it, but it was too late. I don’t want you to end up like that."
My chest tightened. The hypocrisy made sick.
I extended my hand toward him.
Antidote. Now.
"Elena, just wait a couple more days," he coaxed, like I was a child begging for candy.
He tried to take my hand again and led toward Bloom Valley. "It’s beautiful inside. You’ll love it."
I shook him off and pointed at my face, showing him I wasn’t scared.
"It’s fine," he said casually. "Vito already knows who you are. With that person gone, you’re safe. Co on."
I rejected his touch again, but he didn’t look offended. If anything, my return alone was enough to keep him happy. His eyes kept flicking over like he was checking that I was real.
As we walked, he wouldn’t stop talking. He was all chirpy words and fake warmth, filling the space so I couldn’t think.
"Elena, I was miserable after you left," he said. "Every day, I thought about what I could do to bring you back. In the end, I had to threaten you with soone else’s life. Don’t you have even a little feeling for in your heart?"
I shot him a cold look.
Did he truly expect tenderness from after poisoning ?
He seed to feel my silent rage. His tone softened again. "Elena, don’t be mad at , okay?"
He bent down, tall fra folding, and gently shook my arm like he was trying to charm a child out of a sulk. "I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you again."
I didn’t believe him for one second.
In the distance, Riley’s voice floated toward us. "Whitney, look at all the butterflies!"
The sight ahead almost didn’t belong in the sa world as Yael.
Whitney had finished her wedding photo shoot and changed back into her own clothes. Her makeup was still flawless, making her look delicate and unreal, like sothing painted. She turned toward Riley’s voice, and a white butterfly landed on her fingertip.
Whitney froze instantly, holding her breath like she was afraid she might break it.
Then she stared at the butterfly with quiet curiosity, her eyes soft in a way I hadn’t seen in a long ti.
Not far away, Vito stood in a pristine white suit, watching her with a calm kind of affection. He didn’t interrupt. He didn’t reach for her. He just watched like a man watching sothing he wanted to keep.
From the outside, they looked perfect together.
But I could feel the truth under the surface, the way you can feel a storm coming even when the sky looks clear.
Vito could keep Whitney’s body close.
He could never keep her heart.
If Whitney had her full strength back, if she had her freedom, I knew exactly what she’d do.
She’d bury a blade in his chest without blinking.
Riley turned, and the mont she saw , her smile froze. Her eyes widened, then quickly narrowed, mind racing. She didn’t rush over. She didn’t call my na. We weren’t close enough for that without raising questions.
But she couldn’t hide the worry in her eyes.
Whitney followed Riley’s gaze and saw .
She didn’t hesitate.
She lifted her dress and ran toward , scattering butterflies as she moved. Her face shifted from soft wonder to fierce alarm in one breath.
She reached and threw herself in front of like a guard protecting the weak, glaring at Yael as if she wanted to claw him.
"What are you trying to do to Elena?" she snapped.
Yael lifted both hands, innocent and open. "Whitney, don’t misunderstand. I just invited Elena as a guest. I haven’t done anything."
Riley forced surprise onto her face, eyes darting between us. "Mrs. Hale? What brings you here? What’s going on?"
I tapped my throat and shook my head, letting her see the truth.
No voice.
Yael turned to Riley smoothly, wearing his perfect-host smile. "Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. Hale is my guest. By the way, Mr. Pearson should be here to pick you up soon. Thank you for accompanying Whitney today. She seems much happier."
His words were polite.
But the ssage underneath was sharp.
Leave.
Riley caught it instantly. I saw it in the way her posture tightened. He had called Harlan. He was forcing her out without making a scene.
I glanced at Riley and gave a small, firm signal.
Go.
Because I didn’t know what this lunatic would do if he felt cornered.
Riley hesitated, swallowing her worry, then left reluctantly. She couldn’t risk exposing any connection between us. Not here. Not under their eyes.
Whitney stayed tense, still shielding , eyes locked on Yael.
Vito, anwhile, looked like the calst one of all. He barely glanced at , no shock, no reaction.
As I suspected, he already knew who I was.
Whitney was agitated, and Vito finally stepped in, giving us space the way a man gives a bone to a growling guard dog—enough to quiet her, not enough to free her.
"Catch up with your sister," he said evenly. "We’ll stay at Bloom Valley tonight."
Then he reached out, gripped Yael’s arm, and dragged him away before Yael could step closer to again.
Compared to before, Vito had given Whitney more freedom.
But it was still freedom inside his grip.
He probably hoped I would lift her spirits. Keep her calm. Keep her compliant.
Whitney grabbed my hand the second they were gone, her eyes reddening.
"Elena... you already left," she whispered. "Why did you co back?"
I pointed to my throat again. I didn’t want to say it was because of her. Or because of Riley. I couldn’t stand the thought of her carrying that guilt.
"Can’t Lewis cure you?" she asked quickly, panic creeping into her voice.
I shook my head and mouthed carefully.
Not for now.
Figuring out what poison I’d been given and finding an antidote within days wasn’t easy. Waiting too long wasn’t safe either. It could spread, sink deeper, ruin more than just my voice.
That was why Lewis hadn’t forced to stay with him.
Neither of us could afford that gamble.
But I had my own reasons for coming back.
Even if Amber showed up, I wasn’t afraid the way I used to be. I now knew the truth about her connection to Lewis. Everything she did was tied to him. If I told her Lewis and I had already swapped fates, then hurting would an hurting him.
Would she still dare?
Lewis had beco my strongest shield, even from far away.
And the Blackwell brothers wouldn’t hurt either. Not now. Not when my existence was tangled up in their blood and their secrets.
So my goals were simple.
Get the antidote.
And get Whitney out.
I took out my phone and typed my plan for Whitney. I kept it clear and short. When she read it, her shoulders finally loosened. She breathed out like she’d been holding her breath for months.
"Elena," she asked softly, "you’ll be okay... right?"
I nodded.
Then I opened a video call to Lewis.
He picked up imdiately.
The screen showed and Whitney. The mont Whitney saw Lewis’s cold, stern face, she stiffened like she was standing in front of an Alpha who could judge her with one look.
"H-hello, L-Lewis," she stamred. "Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Elena."
For a split second, helplessness softened Lewis’s eyes. He answered with a simple, "Hello."
Whitney got flustered instantly and slipped out of the cara’s view, like she couldn’t breathe under his gaze.
Lewis’s attention settled fully on . His voice lowered, gentler than it had any right to be in a place like this.
"Elena," he said, "don’t push yourself too hard."
I nodded.
"Don’t cut off contact with ."
I nodded again.
"Hurry and get the antidote."
Okay.
"Don’t hang up yet," he added quickly. "Let see where you are."
I turned the cara around and showed him Bloom Valley. The flowers. The wide open space. The places where people could hide. The spots where danger could co from.
I explained my situation as best as I could without speaking. The fact that the Blackwells hadn’t forced into anything seed to ease him a little.
We stayed connected until my battery dipped low and the screen dimd.
I had to hang up.
From a distance, Yael walked back toward , his gaze landing on my phone like he was counting seconds.
I calmly slipped it away.
There was no point hiding anymore. The truth was already out in the open.
He stopped in front of , holding a flower crown in both hands. It was crafted beautifully, delicate and careful, like soone took their ti.
He bent down and placed it gently on my head.
"Elena," he murmured, eyes shining, "you look so beautiful."
My skin crawled.
Because I knew what he really ant.
You’re back where I can control you.
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