Chapter 77 — PICTURE.

The sterile white walls of the infirmary room seemed to close in on Pearl as her consciousness slowly returned. Her eyelids fluttered open, and her gaze fell upon a familiar face. Ethan sat in a chair beside her, his features etched with worry. She managed a weak smile.

“Ethan,” she rasped, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Thank you for saving me.”

Relief washed over Ethan as he realized that Pearl was awake and conscious. He reached for her hand and gently squeezed it. “You don’t need to thank me, Pearl. I couldn’t just leave you there.”

Pearl nodded in gratitude but then her expression grew somber. “Ethan, someone is after me. I need to be safe.”

Ethan’s brows furrowed with concern. “Who is after you, Pearl? Do you know who it is?”

Pearl shook her head, her eyes filled with fear. “I don’t know, Ethan. It was all so sudden. I was driving, and then the next thing I knew, I was in that accident.”

Ethan’s gaze softened, and he leaned in closer to hear her better. “Tell me everything, Pearl. How did the accident happen?”

Pearl’s voice trembled as she recounted the events leading up to the accident. “I was on my way back from the Auction site. I had just left when I noticed a car tailing me. It kept getting closer and closer, and then suddenly, it rammed into the back of my car. I lost control and crashed.”

Ethan’s eyes darkened with anger. “Someone intentionally caused the accident?”

Pearl nodded, her eyes filled with tears. “I believe so, Ethan. I didn’t recognize the driver, and I had no enemies. But there was something about the way they were chasing me that felt… calculated.”

Ethan’s protective instincts kicked in, and he gently hugged Pearl, holding her close. “I promise you, Pearl, I’ll do everything in my power to find out who is behind this and keep you safe.”

Pearl sighed, her head resting against his shoulder. “Thank you, Ethan. But I have a feeling it might be the rogue immortal.”

Ethan tensed at the mention of the rogue immortal. He knew that the enigmatic figure posed a significant threat to Silverwood and its supernatural inhabitants. “We can’t ignore that possibility, Pearl. But we won’t face this danger alone. I’ll make sure of it.”

As Ethan and Pearl discussed their predicament in the infirmary, Amara was waking up in her own room. The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over her surroundings. She stretched and yawned, ready to start the day.

Amara noticed the beautifully wrapped package on her dressing table, the diamond necklace nestled within. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she carefully unwrapped it, revealing the dazzling piece of jewelry. She couldn’t help but be mesmerized by its intricate design and the way it caught the light, creating a brilliant dance of colors. It was indeed as beautiful as the auctioneer announced.

Unable to resist its allure, Amara decided to try it on. The diamond necklace felt cool against her skin as she fastened it around her neck. It was heavier than any piece of jewelry she had worn before, but she couldn’t deny its elegance and charm. She admired herself in the mirror, her reflection adorned with the exquisite necklace.

Impulsively, she snapped a picture and sent it to Ethan, eager to share her excitement with him.

Meanwhile, Ethan had temporarily left his phone on the table beside Pearl’s bed as he went to consult with the medical team about her condition. Pearl, still feeling a surge of emotions over the accident and Ethan’s proximity to Amara, noticed the incoming message on his phone.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she picked up the device, unlocking it with her supernatural speed. The image of Amara wearing the diamond necklace filled the screen, and anger coursed through her.

“Is this what he’s been distracted by?” Pearl muttered to herself, her jealousy and frustration boiling over. In a fit of irrational anger, she slammed the phone down on the nearby table, cracking the screen, “what a petty mortal.”

But Pearl’s fury didn't stop there. In her heightened emotional state, she lashed out at the table itself. With inhuman strength, she struck it, and the furniture splintered and cracked under her power, splitting in half.

It was a violent outburst, fueled by jealousy and fear of losing Ethan to Amara. Pearl knew that her actions were irrational, but she couldn't help herself. She needed to talk to Ethan, to make him see the danger of his feelings for Amara.

As Amara stood in her room, admiring the diamond necklace, blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding miles away, Pearl's future remained uncertain. Her injuries would heal, but the wounds of her heart and the complex web of emotions between her, Ethan, and Amara would take much longer to mend.

Amara gazed at her reflection in the mirror, a sense of pride and contentment washing over her. The diamond necklace adorned her neck like a piece of royal regalia. She couldn’t help but smile as she imagined the look on Ethan’s face when he saw her wearing this exquisite gift.

Unbeknownst to her, a rift was growing miles away in the Zathkanan Palace, where Ethan had returned to check on Pearl’s condition. As he approached the infirmary room, he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had settled within him. His conversation with Pearl had been deeply troubling, and he just walked into a scene with a broken table and his phone on the floor with the screen cracked “What happened here?” he asked.

“Why her? Why did you choose her? I’ve waited for you for a hundred years and only to see that you have brought yourself this low to serve a mortal.”

Ethan was surprised by this sudden outburst from Pearl. She was just frail moments ago, but now she was acting almost mad.

“You bought that necklace for her? Ha,” Pearl said.

“I think it is better for you to calm down at this point in time, it is not necessary for you to be so mad with such severe injuries,” Ethan responded, his voice showed that he was unfazed and wasn’t ready to start an argument.

“Do you know what happens if you break the ancient ritual? The one we did together?” Pearl asked.

“I know, but it never happened before though. I never asked for this to happen. I just got pulled into a drama with Amara by the gem of Fate and Destiny. The rest is unknown,” Ethan replied, his voice calm.

“Hmm, just, let me be for now,” Pearl sighed.

Ethan nodded, he looked tired anyways so he left without saying another word. Wondering what was going to happen next, and why destiny had decided to bring Pearl back at this point in time.