Chapter 50. Reunion with Mother
Ethan Caelan found himself in an unfamiliar place where darkness engulfed everything—a cold, desolate void.
“Where am I…?” Ethan’s voice echoed through the empty space, lost and unanswered, as the howling winds seemed to want to swallow him whole.
He realized he could no longer feel his body, as if his soul was wandering aimlessly in an unknown dimension, surrounded by thick, hazy fog. He walked unconsciously along an endless path, with no sense of direction or end.
Around him, fragmented images flickered—one moment it was him, Ethan, committing suicide in despair, another was Julian Pierce leaping from the top of a corporate high-rise, and another was a young general being executed. These seemed like his past lives, each marked by tragedy. The blurry images and the feelings of hatred and despair were all too familiar, as though he had truly died, and this place… could it be the Underworld?
Suddenly, a gentle light appeared far away, as if guiding him. Ethan wandered aimlessly toward the light.
As he drew closer, the surroundings gradually became clearer. It was a serene garden, separate from the chaos of the Underworld. The vibrant flowers bloomed, releasing a fragrant aroma into the air. Pure white lotus flowers stood out across a crystal-clear pond, their petals gently swaying in the soft breeze. The sound of birds singing created an unusual sense of peace and calm.
Under the shade of a willow tree, a woman stood, as though she had been waiting for him for a long time. Her eyes, full of tenderness, were fixed on Ethan, and a gentle smile, as beautiful as it was heartbreaking, adorned her face. Though her face seemed unfamiliar, her eyes and smile stirred a deep sense of recognition in Ethan’s heart.
"Ethan! You’ve come." Her voice was sweet and warm, echoing like a soft melody.
Ethan froze. That name… only his mother used to call him by that. He struggled to recall the faint memory of his mother, who had cared for him for just three short months. Though her face had long faded from his memory, the eyes, the smile, and the voice of the woman before him seemed to be imprinted deep within his subconscious, like an invisible thread connecting them across the flow of time.
“Who are you?” Ethan asked softly, though deep down, he already knew, but he didn’t dare to believe it.
“Ethan… don’t you recognize your mother?” Her voice was as gentle as the breeze.
As if something inside him broke after years of separation, Ethan cried out in a choked voice, “Mother? Is it really you?”
Victoria Everglow nodded, tears filling her eyes as she opened her arms and embraced him. Ethan’s tears flowed like a river. All the pain, the sorrow, and the years of longing for a mother’s love came crashing down on him. All he wanted now was to remain in this warm embrace forever, forgetting all the tragedies and wounds he had endured.
“Mother… it really is you. I’ve finally found you,” Ethan sobbed, his words filled with heartache and grief.
In this moment, all the hatred and sorrow seemed to dissolve, leaving only the overwhelming happiness of reuniting with the mother he had been separated from since his infancy.
Victoria gently stroked her son’s hair, savoring the familiar softness. Her voice was thick with emotion: “Ethan, I’m so sorry… I couldn’t be there for you, to protect you.”
Victoria held her son tightly, her heart aching. For all these years, she had lingered in the Underworld, unable to reincarnate because of her attachment to him. She had watched him grow through countless lifetimes, unable to intervene, powerless to stop the endless suffering he endured.
She sighed, wiping away Ethan’s tears with her hand: “Look at you, Ethan. Do you realize how much hatred has built up within you? It’s eating away at your soul, plunging you deeper into despair.”
“Hatred…?” Ethan was puzzled. “Mother, I don’t hold any hatred. Why would there be?”
“Because you have not yet died and cannot fully remember the lives you’ve lived. The hatred stems from your very first life—your life as Ethan Caelan.”
“I’m not dead yet? How am I able to meet you then?”
Victoria shook her head, “I have entered your dreams.”
With a wave of her hand, the past began to unfold before them. It was a vision of Ethan’s first life as Ethan Caelan, the fourth prince of the kingdom of Aria. The mist revealed the events of his life with vivid clarity.
Images of Victoria, who had doted on him since his birth, caring for him day and night, her every look, smile, and gentle touch filled with the sacred bond of motherhood. But that happiness was short-lived. Jealousy made her a target for the queen’s schemes. She was tormented, stripped of her child, and before her death, she had to kneel for hours outside the door, pleading with the queen for a chance to see her son one last time.
Ethan watched as his infant self lay in a cradle, the Queen of Aria standing nearby, her expression one of deceitful affection. She pretended to care for him but secretly controlled everything, poisoning him so that his health deteriorated over time. When he turned twelve, she saw that he was growing into a smart, handsome boy, far surpassing the other princes. She ordered someone to drug him and throw him into the lotus pond, but Alexander Caelan saved him.
More tragic scenes followed. As Ethan grew older, the queen’s poison continued to weaken him. And then came the day when he was sent as a hostage to the kingdom of Helios. For the sake of Aria’s safety, Ethan endured the twisted desires of Valerius Evander.
As if that weren’t enough, another nightmare awaited. When Valerius left the palace, Lucian Evander and other noble sons, always resentful of Valerius’ favoritism toward Ethan, conspired with the queen of Helios. They kidnapped Ethan and took turns violating him. Finally, Ethan, consumed by despair, threw himself into a deep well, ending his tragic first life. Ethan’s hatred soared. “ "I swear, even if I become a ghost, I will not spare them!"