Chapter 191

"Don't go over there, come back."

Zach yanked me back hard. "Edward's lost it. If you show up now, he might drag you down with him."

I didn't respond or peek again, just held my breath and listened to their conversation.

I knew Edward had been targeting Raymond. He'd even asked me if I wanted Raymond dead...

I hadn't given a clear answer at the time, but my hesitation had already revealed my thoughts.

Now... it was even clearer.

I didn't want him to die.

No matter what, I wanted Raymond to stay alive in this world.

Some things only became clear to me when I was truly confronted with life and death.

"Will he die?" I asked, my voice trembling. "He won't die, right?"

I was talking to myself, seeing the pity in Zach's eyes.

He said, "Maybe... Raymond came here knowing he might not make it out alive."

In that moment, my mind went blank again.

My thoughts were a mess, and I couldn't grasp any of them.

"Even if you want to change things now, it's too late. If you had left with Raymond before the party, there might have been a chance."

Zach tugged at my wrist. "He always wanted to handle his issues with the Lopez family on his own. He never wanted to drag you into it. He knew from the start that Emily and Kaia were Edward's people. You know the rest, don't you?"

"Caroline, it's too late."

A cool sensation spread across my cheeks as tears streamed down uncontrollably.

"Too late? What does that have to do with me? Do you think I want to save him? All of this was his fault. I won't feel guilty if he dies."

I forced a smile, but the tears only flowed harder.

Raymond, you were so... awful. How did I ever meet you in this lifetime?

A toxic relationship.

Before turning away, I suddenly shouted into the hall, "Raymond, I'm telling you, if you die here, I'll forget you in no time!"

Zach was startled by my outburst and tried to pull me away, but it was too late. He could only hide himself.

"If you survive, I'll hate you forever. If you die, I'll forget you immediately and marry someone else. If Edward survives, I'll marry him! Remember that!"

Ignoring how the two men reacted, I turned and ran.

I didn't want either of them to catch up to me.

But Zach couldn't keep up.

At the corner, I couldn't help but look back.

Zach and Edward were already grappling with each other.

"Run!"

He managed a wry smile. "I told you not to come, why don't you ever listen? You don't value your life, but Raymond values yours more."

"Go!"

I saw Edward pull out a short knife from somewhere and aim it at Zach's neck, but Raymond stopped him just in time.

Two against one, Edward was at a disadvantage.

I knew I should leave, but my feet felt like they were filled with lead, keeping me rooted to the spot.

"Caroline, don't you want him dead? Stay and watch me avenge you, okay?"

Edward's words echoed in my mind.

I kept my eyes on Raymond, watching him pin Edward down.

His hands, his forehead... they were covered in blood. If they kept fighting, someone would die.

"Run too, okay?"

I spoke before I thought.

Raymond suddenly looked at me.

I had never seen such intense emotion in his eyes.

He moved his lips, forming words I couldn't make out.

Then, an explosion sounded in the hall.

A sharp pain shot through the back of my neck, and my consciousness faded quickly.

But I suddenly knew what Raymond had said to me.

Would that be the last thing he ever said to me?

When I woke up again, I was back home.

Natalia was by my bedside.

I was momentarily confused.

"Why are you here? I..."

How did I get back?

Natalia shook her head and sighed. "It's a long story, but there's something... don't be too upset."

"Raymond is missing."

Everything that happened before I lost consciousness flooded back, but I was surprisingly calm.

I said, "It's not necessarily a bad thing. No body means he might still be alive."

Whether he was dead or alive, we would never be together in this lifetime.

A faint pain in my chest was proof that I still loved Raymond.

"You're right. Maybe we can still find him. Don't be sad..."

I interrupted, "Why would I be sad? Whether he's dead or alive has nothing to do with me anymore."

If he was dead, I would have forgotten him. If he was alive, I would have hated him. Raymond, of course, left me in limbo.

"What about the others? What happened to Edward and Zach?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was... Tamsin.

In fact, the entire Reyes family was there.

"You're finally awake, Caroline. You've been out for two days."

I looked around at everyone present.

The Reyes family, Avery, even Chloe was there.

"What happened? Why are you all here?"

Milo snorted. "All that training for nothing. Your fists are just for show?"

He wasn't wrong. I could have fought Edward... but I was too shocked at the time to remember I could.

"Edward planted explosives in the hall. I should have stopped him sooner."

My hatred for Raymond had made me complicit, and I bore some responsibility for how things turned out.

"He planted them, but if he hadn't been so hasty, I wouldn't have found evidence of his illegal dealings."

Theo scoffed. "But Raymond came to the party because of you. He didn't have to."

"So what? He owed Caroline. Did he think this would make her forgive him? Dream on!"

Avery was still furious. "Either way, he doesn't lose. If he dies, it's over. If he lives, Caroline might forgive him, and all past grievances would be wiped clean. Nice try."

"Shut up!" Milo snapped, and Avery left the room. "I'm going to check on Liliana."

I clutched my chest, my heartbeat steady as if Raymond's fate no longer mattered to me.

Avery was right. No matter what, Raymond didn't lose.

But what about me?

How could our grievances be wiped clean?

"What about Edward? Is he dead? I heard the Lopez family has fallen."

I never thought I'd see Chloe again.

I had risked everything to help her escape her arranged marriage...

"He's dead. Carbon monoxide poisoning. That's the autopsy result. It's confirmed to be Edward."

Tamsin said flatly, "Kaia and his son also died at the scene."