Where Love and Hate Fade

When Kayla sent people to dig up the graves, my mother tried to stop them. She clashed with the workers, screaming and pleading. In her agitation, the illness she'd been fighting for years relapsed. She collapsed on the ground, clutching her chest. By the time she was rushed to the hospital, she had already lost consciousness.

Amber stared at me, completely unfazed. "Miss Anderson said your mother's surgery is scheduled in five hours. She needs your signature to proceed. If you leave now and delay the operation..." She tilted her head with mock concern. "That won't be good. Shall we take you to the hospital?"

I was trembling with rage. My fists clenched at my sides, but I knew I had no choice. My mother's life was hanging by a thread and Kayla was holding the scissors.

I forced myself to take a breath and nodded. "Let's go."

Charles stepped forward, worry written all over his face, but I stopped him with a look. There was no point resisting—not now. I had to keep my mother safe first. As for the ancestral tomb, the shattered remains... I would deal with it another way. Let them take the land. Let them claim victory. But they'd need more than power to survive what came next.

Before I got into the car, Amber added one last reminder. "Mr. Harvey is staying at the Anderson residence now. Miss Anderson said you must never mention the child in front of him."

Her voice was syrupy sweet, but her words stung like venom. "Mr. Harvey is kind-hearted. He never harms any living creature. If he finds out about the child, he'll be filled with guilt and sorrow."

I turned to her, my gaze ice-cold.

A woman who had her own unborn child carved out of her womb. A man who desecrated another family's resting place for his so-called recovery. And now they dared speak of kindness?

It was a cruel, twisted joke.

I sank into the car seat, eyes burning, my chest aching. I closed my eyes, trying to silence the storm in my head—only for the phone to ring.

"Mr. Green," the voice on the other end was shaking. "Your mother... she jumped off the building. It's suicide."

The world blurred. I don't remember how I got to the hospital. I only remember sprinting through the sterile halls, hoping it was all a mistake.

But it wasn't. I didn't even get to see her one last time.

"Why would my mother suddenly commit suicide?" My voice cracked as I stood in front of Kayla. "Where did you hide her body?"

Kayla's expression darkened, but she didn't answer right away.

"You still have the nerve to ask me that?" she snapped. "Your mother stabbed Stefan with a knife. If he hadn't dodged, he'd be dead! I was going to confront her about it, but before I even had the chance—she jumped!"

I stared at her, stunned. "My mother wouldn't attack someone without a reason. Stefan must've provoked her."

I turned to leave. I needed to see Stefan. I needed the truth.

But Kayla raised her hand and her people surrounded me. "He's still recovering. You're not allowed to disturb him."

They dragged me into a basement and locked the door. The air was damp and cold, thick with mildew. The concrete walls were stained, the ceiling low. I could feel every bone in my body start to ache. The wound on my chest, barely healed, flared with pain.

Night fell. The silence was suffocating.

Then I heard footsteps.

Stefan walked in slowly, hands in his pockets, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Liam," he said casually, "you look exactly like your mother did before she died."

My head snapped up. Blood roared in my ears. "You killed her!"

He shrugged. "All I did was tell her that I dumped all your family's bones in the forest. Then she lost it and attacked me."

He chuckled, the sound low and cruel. "Her body was sent to Greymoor too. I had my exorcists perform a ritual. With the right methods, their souls will never reincarnate. That's the price for offending me."

I snapped.

The fury that had been simmering exploded. I tackled him to the ground, my hands around his throat. "Stefan, go to hell!"

Before I could tighten my grip, a sharp pain tore through my chest.

Kayla had burst in.

She kicked me with all her strength. I flew backward, slammed into the wall and crumpled to the floor. My old wound split open again and blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

I groaned, trying to sit up. "Kayla... it was him..."

"Shut up!"

She didn't even look at me. She rushed to Stefan and helped him to his feet like he was the one who had been wronged.

"Stefan, are you alright? I'll take you to the hospital."

I watched them leave, her hand cradling his cheek, his arm around her waist.

My vision swam, the edges going dark. I couldn't move. My head fell back, hitting the ground with a thud.

I passed out.

When I woke again, the basement was still dark. The pain in my chest came in sharp waves.

A voice called out softly, "Sir, you're finally awake."

It was Charles. He knelt beside me, his eyes red-rimmed. "When I arrived, you'd already passed out. I gave you some painkillers. But we need to get you to a hospital."