Chapter 179 - The Truth That Broke Us

Chapter 179 - The Truth That Broke Us
“I need an answer.” Vivian’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.

“Why don’t you answer me?” she continued, stepping closer, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “Tell me, Elara… how exactly do you love him?”

I couldn’t lift my head. I couldn’t even breathe properly.

“If you love Edward,” she pressed, her tone rising now, “why didn’t you heal him?”

A wave of murmurs spread across the room. Shocked voices and curious voices.

“She’s a healer?”, “Is that true?”, “I didn’t know…”

The sound wrapped around me like chains.

Vivian didn’t stop. “You could see,” she said, pointing at me. “You knew everything. You saw how broken he was. How down he was. How much pain he was in.”

Her words hit me one after the other.

“You watched him suffer,” she added, her voice dripping with accusation. “For months.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. I still couldn’t speak.

“And you did nothing. That is not love.”

And then the murmurs grew louder. “She let him suffer?”, “That’s cruel…”, “How could she?”

I wanted to explain. I wanted to tell them everything, but the words refused to come out.

I slowly lifted my head and looked at Edward.

He hadn’t said a single word but his silence hurt more than anything Vivian had said.

His eyes were on me. Waiting for me to deny it. Waiting for me to say something. Anything. But I couldn’t, I just stood there crying helplessly.

Ma’am Albright was walking toward me slowly, her face filled with concern. “Elara, dear…”

But before she could even reach me, someone else got here first.

“Elara.” Jasper said. His voice was gentle.

He pulled me into his arms. My body trembled as I leaned into him.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered softly, holding me close. “There has to be an explanation for all of this.”

His words only made me cry harder.

“Explanation?” Vivian scoffed loudly. “Why doesn’t she tell us how she sneaks behind the mansion every evening?”

My breath hitched.

“To meet a man,” she added sharply.

“That’s not…” I tried to speak, but my voice broke.

“She stands there with him like some love-struck fool,” Vivian went on, not even letting me finish. “Laughing, talking…”

“That’s enough.” Kian’s voice was firm. But Vivian turned to him instantly.

“No, you don’t get to shut me up,” she snapped. “Not this time.”

Her eyes came back to me. Burning with hatred.

“You have no shame,” she said coldly. “Pretending to be this innocent, sweet girl so everyone will love you.”

Each word felt like a slap.

“But they don’t know the real you,” she added. “They don’t know you’re a snake, a fake, deceitful, promiscuous…”

“That is enough, Vivian!” Kian’s voice thundered again.

The room fell silent. But Vivian only laughed softly.

Like she was enjoying every second of it. Across the room, I noticed Calista. She was just smiling, like this was exactly what she wanted.

My chest tightened. I felt Jasper’s hand gently rubbing my back.

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “You don’t have to listen to her.”

But I was already breaking. Then I noticed something else.

Damien. He was standing a little away, watching everything unfold.

Then his phone buzzed. He glanced at it quickly. He walked toward Kian and leaned in slightly.

“I have to go,” he said quietly. “It’s urgent.” Kian looked at him for a second, then nodded. Damien gave a small nod back.

Then he turned and walked toward Selene.

“Come,” he told her.

Then she followed him and the both left.

I looked at Edward again. He hadn’t moved.

His eyes were still on me, waiting for me to say something but I couldn't.

Edward already knew I was a seer but I never told him I was a healer.

I never told him I could have helped him. I never told him the full truth.

And about the fence… about Felix. I told him I hadn’t heard from my brother since after that first vision.

He had tried to help me find him and all along, I had been seeing Felix.

Edward’s jaw tightened, his eyes darkened and then without a word he turned his wheelchair and started moving toward the stairs.

“Edward…” I whispered. But he didn’t stop.

“Wait.” The voice came suddenly. Seraphina.

Everyone turned. She stepped forward, her gaze sharp as she looked at Edward.

“The man at the fence,” she said, her voice steady. “He is not who you think.”

Edward stopped. But he didn’t turn around. Seraphina’s eyes flickered toward me for a brief second. Then back to him.

“He is not someone Elara is cheating on you with,” she continued. “That man… is her brother.”

A ripple went through the room. “Felix,” she added.

Then Seraphina turned to Vivian. “So maybe next time,” she said coldly, “you should get your facts right before you open your gutters.”

Vivian’s face twisted with anger. But for once she didn’t speak.

I looked at Edward. My heart trembling. This should have fixed something. Right?

This should have made things better. But it didn’t. He slowly turned his head and looked at me. The pain in his eyes was still there. Stronger than ever because he remembered asking me about Felix.

He remembered how I told him I hadn’t seen or heard from him after the vision I had of him.

He remembered how he tried to help me and I lied.

And then there was something else even more painful, the fact that I'm a healer.

The truth I never told him. The power I hid. The help I never gave.

Edward didn’t say a word, not to me. He just turned back and continued toward the stairs. Titan moved quickly to his side, helping to guide him up the stairs.

I watched them go. Step by step, further away from me.

Each second felt like something tearing inside my chest.

“Elara…” Jasper’s voice was soft beside me.

Seraphina stood on my other side now. But I barely felt them.

Because all I could see was Edward leaving.

When he finally reached the top of the stairs, he stopped.

For a moment, I thought maybe he would look back. Maybe he would say something. Maybe he would give me a chance. But he didn’t look at me.

Instead, his voice came down from above.

“Vivian.” Everyone looked up. “I don’t want to see you in my mansion by tomorrow morning.” He said.

Vivian froze.

“You will pack your things,” Edward continued, his tone unwavering. “And you will leave.”

Then he turned and moved toward his room.

I stood there, still and broken. Tears streaming down my face.

I had only Jasper, Seraphina and Ma’am Albright consoling me. Every other person just stood and stared at me.