Chapter 251 CHAPTER 251

Chapter 251 CHAPTER 251
Ella stepped out from the shadows just as the guards moved toward Seraphine, her hand already raised before anyone could react. The air shifted sharply, tightening around two figures behind her, and in the next second, Helena and Jocelyn were pulled forward, their bodies held rigid by an unseen force that closed around their throats.

“Stop.”

The word didn’t need to be loud.

It carried.

Ella stood behind them, her fingers slightly curved, her control precise, unshaken. Helena’s hands lifted instinctively to her neck, her breath catching as she tried to steady it, while Jocelyn’s shoulders tensed, her jaw tightening as she fought against the pressure.

The movement across the clearing halted.

Seraphine, still weakened but upright, turned slowly, her gaze settling on Ella with a flicker of something unreadable.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then Ella’s eyes lifted, settling on Isabel.

“You’ll let her go,” she said calmly, her tone steady. “And I’ll release them.”

Isabel didn’t move.

Her gaze dropped to Helena first, then to Jocelyn, taking in the strain in their faces, the way their bodies held too still under the force pressing against them.

“Mom…?” She whispered.

Behind her, Lisa stepped forward, her breath catching as her eyes locked onto Helena.

“Mom…”

The word slipped out before she could stop it.

Helena’s gaze shifted, her eyes finding Lisa through the tension, something soft breaking through the strain for just a second.

“Lisa…” she said, her voice thinner than usual, her breath uneven.

Ella’s fingers tightened slightly.

Helena’s body stiffened, her breath cutting short again.

“Don’t move,” Ella said without looking at her. “I don’t need much to end this.”

Isabel took a step forward.

“Let them go,” she said, her voice controlled but not steady.

Ella’s lips curved faintly. “You know I won’t.”

She tilted her head slightly. “You’re strong,” she added. “Stronger than most. But you’re new to it.”

Isabel’s hand lifted slightly, her fingers trembling just enough to show the effort it took to keep them steady.

“You won’t reach me in time,” Ella continued. “I can break both their necks before you even finish raising your hand.”

The words settled heavily.

Jocelyn’s breath came unevenly, but her eyes found Isabel.

“Don’t listen to her,” she said, her voice strained but firm. “Do what you need to do.”

Helena shook her head slightly, her eyes still on Lisa. “No… no, listen to me.”

Lisa stepped closer, her hands lifting halfway before she stopped herself.

“This is my fault,” Helena said, her voice catching as she forced the words through. “Everything that happened… your father… Seraphine… I brought her into our lives.”

Her gaze held Lisa’s. “I didn’t stop it when I should have.”

Lisa shook her head quickly. “No…”

“I did,” Helena said softly. “And people paid for it.”

Her breath faltered again, but she kept going. “If this is where it ends for me… then maybe it’s what I deserve.”

Lisa took another step forward, her voice breaking now. “Don’t say that.”

Helena’s lips trembled slightly. “You shouldn’t have to carry what I couldn’t fix.”

Lisa shook her head again, tears gathering in her eyes. “I already know,” she said. “I’ve known.”

Helena blinked.

“And I forgave you,” Lisa added, her voice softer now but stronger in a different way. “Ethan forgave you too.”

Helena’s expression shifted, something breaking through the weight she had been holding.

Lisa stepped closer again, her hands lifting slightly as if she wanted to reach her but couldn’t.

“He needs you,” she said. “Now more than ever. He’s carrying everything on his own.”

Her voice steadied. “You don’t get to leave him like that.”

Helena’s breath hitched.

“You don’t get to give up now,” Lisa added.

A quiet stretch followed.

Behind them, Seraphine’s gaze shifted to Jocelyn.

“And you?” she said, her voice smoother now, almost coaxing. “Do you want your daughter to live with this?”

Jocelyn didn’t look at her immediately.

“Do you want her to carry the weight of killing her own blood?” Seraphine continued.

Jocelyn turned slowly, her eyes sharp despite the strain. “You are not my blood anymore,” she said.

Seraphine’s smile didn’t falter.

“You made that choice a long time ago,” Jocelyn added.

Her gaze returned to Isabel. “Listen to me.”

Isabel’s chest rose and fell unevenly, her hand still lifted, trembling now.

“Do the right thing,” Jocelyn said. “Not the easy one.”

Tears slipped down Isabel’s face, but she didn’t lower her hand.

“She doesn’t deserve mercy,” Jocelyn continued. “Not after everything she’s done.”

Seraphine’s gaze flickered briefly.

Jocelyn’s voice softened slightly. “You found people who love you,” she said. “People who chose you.”

Her lips curved faintly despite the tension. “That’s more than I gave you.”

Isabel shook her head slightly. “Mom…”

“I wanted you to live a different life,” Jocelyn said. “One where you didn’t have to carry this.”

Her breath faltered. “I thought if I kept it from you… you’d be safe.”

Isabel’s hand lifted higher, her fingers shaking.

“I’m sorry,” Jocelyn added. “For leaving. For not telling you.”

Her gaze held Isabel’s. “But I’m not sorry for who you became.”

The air tightened.

Ella’s fingers pressed further.

Helena’s body tensed again.

Isabel drew in a sharp breath, her hand rising fully now, her power gathering, the space around her shifting in response.

Seraphine watched her.

Waiting.

Ella’s lips curved slightly. “Go on,” she said. “Let’s see if you can do it.”

Isabel’s gaze locked onto Seraphine.

Her hand trembled.

Her breath broke.

Then—

She stopped.

The tension in her arm faltered, her hand lowering just slightly as her head shook.

“I can’t… I can’t do it.” she said.

The words came out barely above a whisper.

Ella’s smile deepened. “I thought so.”

Before anyone could move—

Her other hand lifted.

The air tore open beside her, a portal forming in a sharp, twisting motion.

Seraphine didn’t hesitate.

She stepped toward it.

Isabel moved instinctively, her hand lifting again—but the moment had already passed.

Ella’s grip held firm.

Helena and Jocelyn remained frozen.

Seraphine crossed the threshold.

Ella followed.

The portal snapped shut behind them.

Silence fell.

The pressure lifted.

Helena and Jocelyn dropped to their knees, pulling in air as the force around their throats released.

Isabel stood frozen where she was, her hand still half-raised, her chest rising and falling unevenly.

Lisa moved first.

She reached Helena, dropping beside her, her hands steadying her shoulders.

“Mom,” she said softly.

Jocelyn leaned forward slightly, her breath still uneven, her hand pressing against the ground.

Isabel didn’t move.

Her hand lowered slowly to her side, her fingers curling slightly as if holding onto something that had already slipped away. Her gaze remained fixed on the space where the portal had closed, her breath uneven, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady it.

“I… I couldn’t,” she said, her voice breaking softly. “I’m sorry.”

The words came out before she could stop them.

She didn’t look at anyone.

Didn’t move.

Jocelyn reached her first, her hand coming gently to Isabel’s arm before she pulled her into an embrace, firm and steady, grounding in a way that didn’t ask questions.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “It’s okay, baby.”

Isabel’s breath hitched as she leaned into her, her hands gripping lightly at Jocelyn’s back as if she needed something solid to hold onto.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, quieter this time.

Jocelyn shook her head slightly, her hand moving over Isabel’s hair.

“No,” she said. “You did what your heart told you.”

She pulled back just enough to look at her, her gaze calm but certain.

“And that matters more than anything else.”

Isabel blinked, her eyes still wet, her shoulders slowly easing as the words settled.

“I missed you, mum.” She finally whispered.