Chapter 248

Chapter 248

Elena wiped the tears from her face and repeated herself with unwavering resolve.

"I'm going back. I have to save Nora."

The moment Elena said she was returning home, Olivia and Zoe froze, shock written all over their faces. They exchanged a glance, both seeing the same disbelief mirrored in each other's eyes.

Over the past five years, they'd tried more than once to convince Elena to move back.

Olivia's hotel business had grown substantially, and she'd established a solid foothold in Harmony City. Though she couldn't match Kian's influence, she had her own network and resources—more than enough to protect Elena.

Besides, E Studio had an explosive reputation in Astoria. With Elena's talent, she could easily make it back home too.

But no matter how hard they pushed, Elena always refused. She never wavered.

Olivia and Zoe both understood why. Harmony City held too many memories Elena couldn't bear to touch. She didn't want to go back, and she definitely didn't want Nora exposed to those toxic people and situations.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

Seeing the determination and desperation in Elena's eyes, they both realized—she truly had no other choice.

Olivia was the first to snap out of it. She pushed down her shock and spoke firmly:

"Okay. If you're going back, you're going back."

She paused, thinking it through.

"I'll head back first and get everything ready for you."

"I'll find you a place to live—somewhere nice, close to the hospital. I'll also scope out locations for the studio. By the time you arrive, you can just move right in."

Zoe nodded quickly, chiming in:

"Right. Olivia will go ahead and handle everything. I'll stay here with you and Nora. Once things are settled, we'll all go back together."

Looking at her two best friends offering their unconditional support, Elena felt warmth flood her chest. Her eyes stung with fresh tears.

She nodded gently, her voice catching. "Thank you. With you two by my side, I feel like I can actually do this."

Olivia squeezed her shoulder, her tone soft but steady:

"Don't be ridiculous. After everything we've been through together, we're family."

"You just focus on taking care of Nora. Leave the rest to us."

That evening, after settling Nora in for the night, Elena sat in the chair beside the hospital bed, watching her daughter's peaceful sleeping face. Exhausted, she pulled out her phone and opened Design Haven.

Design Haven had become an essential tool for designers everywhere.

As soon as the app loaded, a notification chimed. A message from 'K.'

K was now her dedicated liaison on Design Haven, handling all of E Studio's major commercial events, online promotions, and resource coordination.

Over the past five years, they'd worked seamlessly together—longtime partners and something like casual friends.

Elena tapped the message. K's text popped up, his tone tinged with concern:

[Haven't heard from you in a couple days. Everything okay?]

Another message followed immediately.

[By the way, there's something I wanted to tell you.]

[There's a major design charity event in Harmony City. The theme is creating specialized recovery spaces for children with leukemia. The organizers specifically requested your participation. It's not just a good cause—it's also a great opportunity to raise your profile domestically and expand your network.]

The words "children with leukemia" hit Elena like a punch to the chest. Her thoughts flew instantly to Nora lying in that hospital bed.

Her fingertips trembled as she typed her reply:

[I know about the event. I'll have Jenny attend in my place. I'll also make a personal donation to do my part.]

Jenny and William were both star designers at E Studio now.

Jenny rarely attended events—her grandfather constantly had her entering competitions at school, and she'd long grown tired of those spotlight circuits.

But if Elena asked her to go, she'd give it everything she had. She could absolutely handle representing her at the event.

More importantly, Elena's mind was consumed with Nora's illness. She had no mental space for events. All she wanted was to get back home as quickly as possible and figure out how to sleep with Kian and save Nora.

K's reply came quickly, his confusion evident:

[Why won't you attend yourself?]

He tried patiently to persuade her, his tone full of concern for her career.

[This event carries serious weight. It could be huge for your business. Plus, the organizers really want you there—they specifically asked for you.]

What K didn't mention was that the organizers were the newly merged Lancaster Group.

Elena stared at the message for a long moment. Finally, she replied:

[I'm moving back to Harmony City. My daughter is sick. I don't have the bandwidth for events right now. I'll make the donation as a way to bring her some good karma—hopefully it'll help keep her safe.]

After sending the message, Elena closed her phone, leaned back in the chair, and shut her eyes. Exhaustion and anxiety weighed heavy on her chest.

She had no idea what waited for her back home. But she had no other options. She could only push forward.

But there was still one problem.

Her health had been so poor before that Dr. White had declared she'd likely never have another child besides Nora.

Over the past five years, she'd worked to rebuild her health. She didn't know if she could conceive again now.

If she couldn't...

Her gaze turned cold.

Meanwhile, back home.

In a sleek, minimalist office, Kian sat in front of his computer, staring at Elena's message on Design Haven. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, frozen.

Only one thought ran through his mind.

Elena was coming back.

From what she'd written, it didn't sound like she'd be leaving anytime soon. She might even be putting down roots in Harmony City permanently.

For Kian, this was good news.

But for some reason, a wave of inexplicable panic washed over him.

The 'K' account had originally just been a convenience during beta testing.

The app had long since matured. Kian's work could easily be handed off to someone else.

But he hadn't done that.

For the past five years, he'd stayed on as her liaison, quietly following Elena's journey, connecting her with domestic resources, handling her business issues—all while never daring to reveal who he really was.

He was afraid that showing up would shatter the peaceful life she'd built. Even more afraid she'd run away again.

Just watching her grow and transform from a distance—that had been enough.

Then his eyes caught on the words "my daughter is sick."

His heart clenched. Instinctively, he wanted to know more. His fingers typed out:

What happened to your daughter? Is it serious? Which hospital?

But after typing it, he hesitated. His finger hovered over the delete key, unable to press down.

He was afraid his concern would come across as too intrusive. That it would push Elena away.

Over the past five years, he'd tried to engage her in conversations beyond work—just as a friend online.

But every time he asked about her personal life, Elena never replied.

It reminded him of their marriage. Back then, whenever Elena had asked him about everyday things, he'd always brushed her off, his mind focused only on work and treating her hand injury.

Now the tables had turned.

In the end, he deleted the message and typed only:

[Got it. I'll coordinate the donation details for you. Wishing you and your daughter all the best.]

After hitting send, Kian leaned back in his chair, staring at Elena's profile picture on the screen.

Worry. Heartache. And beneath it all, a flicker of hope he couldn't quite suppress.

Elena was coming back.