Chapter 110: Despair
Chapter 110: Despair
(Olivia’s POV)‘
I stood before Ethan, my body trembling with grief and rage. The truth about Lily’s death had been buried for too long, and I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Ethan Stone, Lily suffered so much…” My voice cracked as memories of my daughter’s pain flooded through me. “I finally found a compatible donor, just one step away, she could have
been healthy…”
My emerald eyes burned with intensity as my wolf howled with anguish beneath my skin. The
animal part of me wanted to tear into Victoria, to make her pay for what she’d done to my
precious daughter.
“But Victoria Frost, that vicious woman, deliberately redirected Lily’s kidney donor, cut off her
chance of survival, and let her die tragically on the operating table.” I stepped closer to Ethan,
searching his face for any sign of understanding. “Shouldn’t I make her pay for Lily’s life?”
Ethan remained silent, his amber eyes clouded with shock and what looked like a dreadful
premonition. His silence only fueled my despair.
“Do you know how much Lily suffered in her final days?” I asked, my voice barely above a
whisper. “She kept asking for you. ‘When is Daddy coming?‘ Every single day.”
Ethan flinched as if I’d struck him. Good. Let him feel a fraction of the pain I’d been carrying.
“She believed in you until her last breath,” I continued, tears streaming down my face. “Even
when the doctors told us the donor was no longer available, she said, ‘It’s okay, Mommy. Daddy will find another one for me.”
I watched as guilt washed over Ethan’s features. He hadn’t been there. He’d been with Victoria
and Emma while our daughter died alone.
“Ethan Stone, you can distrust me, you can distrust your grandmother.” I pleaded with him,
appealing to whatever paternal instincts he might still possess. “But, can you please not
blindly protect Victoria Frost? The one who died is Lily, your biological daughter.”
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought I’d finally broken through his stubborn denial.
But then his expression hardened again, shuttering away whatever momentary doubt he’d felt.
“You have no proof,” he said flatly. “Just accusations and coincidences.”
< Chapter 110: Despair
+15 Points >
I stared at him in disbelief. Even now, after everything, he was choosing Victoria over the truth.
“Your grandmother had proof,” I reminded him. “Why do you think Victoria killed her? She knew
Matriarch Evelyn had discovered what she’d done.”
Ethan’s eyes flashed with anger. “My grandmother died of heart failure, not murder. And I won’t
have you spreading these accusations without evidence.”
I laughed bitterly, the sound hollow and broken. “Evidence? What more do you need? The
timing of Emma’s miraculous recovery? Roland Warner’s confession? Your grandmother’s
death immediately after confronting Victoria?”
Ethan remained unmoved, his expression cold and distant. “Coincidences, all of them. I need
facts, not your emotional outbursts.”
My shoulders slumped as the last of my hope drained away. There was nothing I could say to
make him see the truth. Victoria had him completely under her spell.
I collapsed back into my chair, tears silently streaming down my face. My wolf whimpered
with grief, curling into itself as the last of my hope faded away.
“Fine,” I whispered, too exhausted to fight anymore. “Believe what you want. But remember this
moment, Ethan Stone. Remember when you chose to protect your daughter’s killer over
seeking justice for her death.”
Ethan’s expression flickered with unease as he watched me surrender to despair. He pulled out
his phone, his fingers moving quickly across the screen.
I didn’t care what he was doing. Nothing mattered anymore. Lily was gone. Matriarch Evelyn
was gone. And the man I’d once loved was standing before me, a stranger who refused to see
the truth.
Ethan approached me cautiously, draping his Black Alpha Overcoat over my shoulders. The
gesture was so unexpected that I didn’t immediately push it away.
“You’re shivering,” he said quietly, his voice softer than before.
I didn’t respond. The coat smelled like him–pine and winter air–a scent that had once brought me comfort but now only reminded me of betrayal.
Dr. Harold Bennett arrived moments later, his medical bag in hand. He knelt before me,
examining the cuts on my leg with professional detachment.
“These need cleaning,” he said, opening his bag. “Some of the crystal fragments are still
embedded in the wounds.”
< Chapter 110: Despair
I nodded numbly, beyond caring about physical pain. Dr. Bennett worked methodically, removing the shards and cleaning the wounds. Each piece he extracted sent sharp pain through my leg, but I remained stoic, my face a mask of indifference.
+15 Points
Ethan watched from a few feet away, his expression unreadable. I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to meet his gaze.
“All done,” Dr. Bennett announced, applying the final bandage. “Try to keep weight off this leg
for a few days, Miss Winters.”
I thanked him quietly, my voice hollow. As he packed up his supplies, I stared at the floor, lost
in thoughts of Lily and what might have been if Victoria hadn’t stolen her chance at life.
The days that followed passed in a blur of grief and numbness. Before I knew it, it was time
for Matriarch Evelyn’s funeral.
I dressed in traditional white mourning clothes, the color of grief in werewolf culture. My wolf was subdued, sharing my sorrow as I made my way to the Stone Ancestral Hall where the ceremony would be held.
As I approached the entrance, Eleanor Stone and Isabelle stepped into my path, their faces
twisted with hatred.
“Get out! You killed Grandmother, and you still have the nerve to come!” Eleanor snarled, her
eyes flashing with anger.
I tried to move past them without engaging. I was here to pay my respects to Matriarch Evelyn, not to fight with her family.
“Your.accusations drove her to confront Victoria,” Isabelle added, her voice dripping with
venom. “Her death is on your hands.”
I kept my gaze fixed ahead, refusing to be baited. My wolf remained quiet, too numb with grief to respond to their provocations.
Eleanor, enraged by my silence, shoved me roughly. I stumbled backward, nearly falling before a strong hand caught my elbow.
Ethan had appeared beside me, his face stern as he steadied me. “Enough,” he said, his voice carrying the unmistakable authority of an Alpha.
Eleanor faltered, clearly not expecting his intervention. “But Ethan, she-”
“Is the mother of my daughter,” Ethan cut her off, his eyes flashing dangerously. “And Lily was Grandmother’s great–granddaughter. Olivia has every right to be here.”
3/5
< Chapter 110: Despair
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His words silenced both women, though their eyes still burned with resentment. Ethan’s hand
remained on my elbow as he guided me past them into the hall.
I pulled away from his touch as soon as we were inside. “I don’t need your protection,” I said
coldly.
Ethan nodded, stepping back. “As you wish.”
The funeral ceremony was elaborate, befitting Matriarch Evelyn’s status. I knelt in a corner,
away from the main gathering, offering my prayers in solitude. My wolf mourned silently
within me, grieving for the kind old woman who had been the only one to believe us.
Hours passed, and gradually the mourners departed. I remained kneeling, lost in memories of
Matriarch Evelyn’s kindness toward Lily and me.
“Olivia.”
I looked up to find Ethan standing over me, his face drawn with exhaustion and grief.
“Everyone has left,” he said quietly. “You should rest.”
I rose stiffly, my injured leg protesting after hours of kneeling. “I’m leaving now.”
Ethan hesitated, then offered, “You can stay at the Alpha’s Private Residence tonight. It’s late,
and you shouldn’t drive with your injury.”
I looked at him coldly, my heart hardened against his belated concern. “No, thank you. I prefer
to be alone.”
Without waiting for his response, I turned and limped toward the exit. My wolf, once so responsive to Ethan’s presence, remained silent and withdrawn.
Outside, the night air was cool against my tear–stained face. I made my way to my car, each step a reminder of the physical and emotional pain I carried.
As I drove away from the Stone Estate, my mind was a whirlwind of grief and guilt. If only I’d been more vigilant about Lily’s donor. If only I’d discovered Victoria’s scheme sooner. If only I’d been able to convince Matriarch Evelyn to wait for solid proof before confronting Victoria.
So many “if onlys,” and all of them useless now.
My wolf howled mournfully inside me as I blamed myself for Lily’s unwavering faith in Ethan’s love, a love I now realized had never truly existed. I had encouraged that faith, telling her
stories of her father’s strength and kindness, even as he neglected us for Victoria and Emma.
“I’m sorry, Lily,” I whispered to the empty car. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you.”
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< Chapter 110 Despair
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The road blurred before me as fresh tears filled my eyes. I drove aimlessly, with no destination
in mind, just needing to be away from the Stone family and their cold rejection.
Eventually, I found myself near the Silvermoon River. I pulled over, drawn to the sound of rushing water. Getting out of the car, I limped to the edge of Moonstone Bridge, looking down
at the dark waters below.
The river was swollen from recent rains, its currents swift and dangerous. As I watched the
water swirl and churn, a strange calm settled over me.
What was I fighting for anymore? Lily was gone. Matriarch Evelyn was gone. Victoria had won, securing her place at Ethan’s side while I was left with nothing but grief and bitter memories.
The urge to end my suffering became overpowering, my wolf no longer fighting against the
crushing despair. For the first time since Lily’s death, my wolf and I were in perfect agreement.
I reached for the Lily’s Ashes Crystal Pendant around my neck, the small container that held a portion of my daughter’s remains. The crystal felt warm against my palm, almost as if it
contained some essence of Lily’s spirit.
“Lily, Mommy is sorry…” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. “Mommy is coming to be with you.”
I climbed onto the bridge railing, my injured leg screaming in protest. The pain didn’t matter
anymore. Nothing mattered except being reunited with my daughter.
Clutching Lily’s Ashes Crystal Pendant, I closed my eyes and fell into the swirling waters
below.