Chapter 261
Because if there’s even the slightest chance answers are sitting there…i need to see for myself.
I rise slowly from my chair ignoring the pull of pain in my side.
“Come with me.”
Lucas immediately narrows his eyes.
“To the site?”
“Yes.”
His posture stiffens slightly, that reaction doesn’t surprise me. Nobody likes that place, not after what happened there.
“It’s okay,” I tell him quietly. “The place has been untouched since we weren’t partners any more .”
Lucas still looks wary as I grab my keys from the desk.
“I just need to see if I can pull records from that day off the cameras.”
Silence. Then finally Lucas nods once.
“Alright.”
And for the first time in years…I have a feeling we’re finally getting close to the truth.
——
Elaine’s POV
When I wake up, the room is dark. For one terrifying second, I panic thinking something is wrong, then I realize it’s almost evening already.
“Oh shit.”
I blink sleepily while pushing myself upright against the pillows. My body feels much better than before though, less heavy and nauseous. Still emotional as hel though and pregnant.
That thought immediately makes me stare blankly down at my stomach again.
Jesus Christ.
A tiny laugh leaves me before I rub tiredly at my face and climb carefully out of bed.
The house is unusually quiet as I head downstairs. Too quiet actually
The smell of food reaches me before I enter the kitchen.
“Tessa?”
The second she looks up from the stove, her face brightens instantly.
“Oh my God, finally!”
She hurries toward me immediately wrapping me into a tight hug before I can react.
“You scared us earlier.”
I laugh softly.
“I was just tired.”
“You looked like death.”
“Wow. Such kindness.”
She squeezes me once more before pulling back and Honestly, seeing her feels comforting.
The kitchen immediately feels alive with her in it. A large pot simmers on the stove while chopped vegetables sit scattered across the counter.
“You feeling better?” she asks carefully.
“Yeah,” I admit. “Much better.”
“Good.”
She smiles warmly before dragging me toward one of the stools near the island counter.
“Sit.”
“Yes ma’am.”
She snorts softly before returning to the stove. I watch her quietly for a minute while she stirs something.
Something feels… off but I can’t place my finger on it.
I notice her glance toward the doorway quickly before looking away again. Myaybe I’m imagining it today has been emotionally insane after all.
“You okay?” I ask finally.
She turns too quickly.
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m fine.”
There’s the smile again bt something underneath it feels strained.
Still, she immediately changes the subject before I can think deeper into it.
“Actually,” she says while wiping her hands with a towel, “I wanted to ask you something.”
I tilt my head.
“What?”
“I need to pick up a few things for dinner later.” She gestures vaguely toward the stove. “You mind escorting me?”
I blink.
“Escorting you?”
She grins.
“Yes, bodyguard.”
I laugh softly.
“You know there’s like fifty actual guards around this place right?”
“Yeah but they’re boring.”
Fair enough.
“Where are June and Lila anyway?” I ask while climbing off the stool.
Tessa grabs her bag from the counter.
“They went out.”
“Without you?”
“Rude.”
I shrug innocently.
“You’re all attached at the hip usually.”
She rolls her eyes dramatically but still avoids looking directly at me for a second afterward.
Again that weird feeling crawls through me.
But before I can think harder about it, she grabs my wrist lightly
“So? You coming?”
Honestly…i don’t really want to stay home either.
The house feels weirdly empty and after everything today, distracting myself sounds nice.
“Sure,” I say finally. “I’m not doing anything anyway.”
Tessa’s face lights up immediately.
“Perfect.”
She practically drags me toward the front entrance. I laugh breathlessly.
“Okay damn. Relax.”
“We’re losing daylight.”
“You sound eighty.”
Outside, the evening air feels cool against my skin.
Thomas is already waiting beside one of the cars, like he knew we were coming out.
Odd.
Usually he asks first before preparing the convoy.
But honestly? My brain is too tired to care deeply.
Especially when he opens the backseat door calmly like everything is okay.
“Ma’am.”
I slide inside with Tessa beside me and the car immediately pulls away from the mansion gates while security vehicles follow behind us as usual.
Tessa chats beside me about random things while city lights blur softly outside the windows. She tells me about June accidentally burning rice earlier, about some ridiculous show she’s obsessed with lately.
I laugh more during that drive than I have all day. Which honestly feels good.
At one point she even grabs my hand excitedly while describing some dramatic scene from the show.
“You should’ve seen her face!”
I burst out laughing.
“You’re way too invested.”
“She cheated on him with his cousin!”
“That does sound serious.”
“Exactly!”
The car continues driving, longer than expected actually and I glance outside briefly.
“We’re going kinda far for groceries.”
Tessa pauses only briefly.
“Oh the closer store didn’t have what I needed earlier.”
Makes sense.
Still…Something in my stomach twists faintly.
Then suddenly Tessa turns toward me strangely quiet.
I blink.
“What?”
Her expression softens oddly, almost guilty.
Before I can process it properly, she reaches into her bag.
“What are you….”
Then suddenly a handkerchief presses tightly against my nose and mouth and my entire body jerks violently.
“What the fuck?!”
A sharp chemical smell slams into me instantly and I shove hard against her arm in panic.
“Tessa!”
My voice comes out muffled against the cloth.
“Tessa what are you doing?!”
She looks horrified, actually horrified.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers shakily.
Fear explodes through me instantly as I thrash harder trying to claw the handkerchief away from my face but my movements already feel wrong, heavy and Slow.
Oh God. No no no.
I suck in another accidental breath and dizziness crashes into me almost immediately afterward, the car blurs.
“Tessa….”
My limbs suddenly feel weak, panic pounds violently through my chest while I try fighting harder but my strength disappears frighteningly fast.
The last thing I see before darkness swallows everything is Tessa crying quietly while still holding the cloth over my face.
Then everything goes black.