To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 154

Summer nodded.

"I'm not going to the hospital," Elara said, her voice steady. "I need to go home, change clothes, then head straight to the summit."

"Elara…" Summer's voice wavered, tinged with tears. "Look at yourself. You're hurt badly. You need a doctor."

Elara shook her head. "They dosed me with enough drugs to keep me awake during the shocks. I'm not about to collapse anytime soon. I still have to deliver Brian his second surprise—today."

Summer was at a loss for words. She didn't know how to convince her.

The man glanced over his shoulder. Even he, who'd seen plenty in his time and rarely showed emotion, frowned at the sight of Elara's battered skin—faint purple traces still marred her arms where the electricity had coursed through, blood scabbed dark beneath her fingernails. Her face was ghostly pale, but her stubbornness shone through.

His assistant picked up on the silent cue, asked for the address, and soon the car pulled up outside Elara's apartment building.

Summer helped Elara out of the car, but after a few steps, Elara turned back.

She opened her battered palm toward the front seat.

"You've saved me four times now… At least let me know your name."

The man's gaze swept across the mess of scars on her hand. His fingertip hovered, then gently traced the lines, deftly avoiding any open wounds.

"Zane Lawrence."

As he finished writing the name in her palm, he pulled his hand away almost instantly, as if afraid that even a second longer might cause her pain.

"Thank you."

Elara bowed to him—a small gesture, but all she could manage in her exhausted state. If fate allowed, she silently promised herself, she would repay him next time.

"Shall we go, sir?" the assistant asked with a smile.

"Don't you know my schedule today?" Zane replied, closing the window.

His assistant grinned. "This Miss Jules—her eyes, her features—she does look a bit like the AI-generated portrait of your wife as an adult. Fate has a funny way of repeating itself, doesn't it?"

Summer chuckled, settling onto the couch beside Elara. "Elara, if you're ever looking for a man, find someone like President Lawrence. With him, it's like having armor—nothing can touch you."

Elara took a sip of milk, her lips curling into a tired smile. "Dream on. There's no chance. I saw the ring on his left hand."

And after everything with Brian, marriage was the last thing on her mind. She wanted to be alone.

"Oh…" Summer looked a little disappointed.

During the day and a half Elara had been locked up, Wayne hadn't given her a single bite to eat. But with all the drugs they'd pumped into her, she hadn't felt hungry.

Once the effects started to fade, she changed into fresh clothes, covered her wounds with gloves and a mask, and hurried out with Summer toward the convention center.

But as soon as they reached the entrance, they were stopped.

A staffer glanced at the invitation in Summer's hand, then looked at them apologetically. "I'm sorry, but Ignition Dynamics' invitation has been revoked."