Chapter 99 The talk

Chapter 99 The talk
Elara’s POV

The pain in my hands vanished almost immediately as I felt it.

I finally felt a little better, but it still felt like I was in a different body. There was a lingering weakness in my limbs, and my neck felt strange — as if someone had been gripping it too tightly. I was alone in the room. Carl was nowhere to be found. I didn’t know what had happened to me, but the timing felt strange. I was supposed to leave the mansion today.

The bedroom door opened, and the last person I expected to see stepped inside.

Fiona.

Seeing her brought back a flood of emotions and the awkwardness from the last time we had spoken. Part of me wondered if this had happened so I could finally talk to her about it.

“Glad you’re awake. I was told you passed out… how are you feeling, Elara?”

Her voice carried the same calm professionalism I remembered, though something about it felt more restrained than before.

“I’m okay.” I refused to meet her gaze and simply nodded.

She walked over, her expression unreadable as she placed two fingers lightly against my wrist to check my pulse. After that, she leaned closer, shining a small light into my eyes.

“I’ll take a quick reading… do you feel dizzy?”

I shook my head.

“No.”

“Nausea?”

“No.”

“Pain?”

“My neck feels a little sore.”

She nodded thoughtfully before taking a step back.

“That’s expected after the fall.”

Silence settled between us. Not the comfortable kind. The awkward kind. The kind that had existed ever since the day she walked in and saw Damian kissing me. Neither of us had spoken about it. Until now.

I lowered my eyes to my hands, twisting my fingers together.

“I’m leaving today.”

The words slipped out quietly.

“I figured…” Fiona replied.

Another silence followed. I drew in a slow breath before forcing myself to meet her eyes.

“Before I go… I don’t want things to stay awkward between us.”

Her expression softened.

“I’m sorry.” The apology came easier than I expected. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

For a long moment, Fiona simply looked at me before a small smile finally appeared on her face.

“You didn’t.”

I frowned slightly. She gave a tiny shrug.

“Damian and I talked.”

My brows lifted.

“We’re back together.”

For a moment, I simply stared at her. Back together? A strange mixture of surprise and relief washed through me. So that was where Damian had been. I hadn’t seen him in days, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I’d wondered if it had been because of me. Now I finally understood. He hadn’t been avoiding me. He’d been fixing what had broken between the two of them.

A genuine smile tugged at my lips.

“I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

The heaviness that had lingered between us for days seemed to disappear almost instantly. Just then, a knock sounded against the door. Carl stepped inside. The moment he saw me sitting upright, the tension on his face eased.

“You’re awake.”

“I’m okay.”

He crossed the room in three quick strides.

“How are you feeling?”

“Much better.”

His eyes searched mine for a long moment, making sure I was telling the truth. When he seemed satisfied, he nodded once.

“Good.” He didn’t hesitate. “If you’re strong enough… shouldn’t we leave?”

The words landed heavily inside my chest. I had known this moment would come. I had even convinced myself I was ready for it. Yet hearing it spoken aloud felt strangely final. I nodded slowly.

“Okay.”

Carl gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled back despite the ache settling deep inside my chest.

“I know.”

Fiona quietly gathered the bottles she’d brought with her.

“I’ll leave you both.”

She offered me one last smile before walking toward the door. Her hand had barely reached the handle when it suddenly opened from the outside.

Every conversation inside the room came to an abrupt halt.

Vincent and Monique walked in.