To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 201

“Do I need you to tell me this? You wretched woman!”

Nanette Winters’s adrenaline spiked as she scanned the DNA report. She sprang off the bed and lunged at Elara Jules.

Ryan Lawrence caught her by the wrist and shoved her back down.

Nanette’s head slammed against the edge of the bed. She couldn’t get up, gasping for air, cold sweat dotting her forehead.

Elara stared down at her, all traces of sympathy gone from her eyes.

“You think taking the blame for everything your daughter did somehow makes you a good mother in her eyes? No. You’re nothing but a scapegoat.”

“Shut up!”

Nanette’s eyes were bloodshot. She clutched her own shoulders, face ashen.

Elara pressed on. “You think Gareth Vincent’s affection is love? You’re just a convenient cover for his act. Now that another woman is pregnant with his child, he can’t wait to be rid of you. And you—late-stage cancer, nothing left to save.”

“Which woman? Who is it? Tell me who it is!”

Nanette’s voice was frayed with hysteria.

Ryan murmured, “Let’s go. No one needs a death on their hands tonight.”

Elara fixed Nanette with a cold, cruel smile.

“Ms. Winters, your daughter abandoned you, your husband cast you aside. In the end, the only place you belong is dying behind bars.”

At one in the morning, the two of them left North Precinct.

Elara’s hands were clenched so tight her knuckles turned white.

Ryan didn’t trust her to drive, so he took the wheel and brought her home.

Elara stayed silent the whole way.

When they pulled up outside her building, Ryan said quietly, “Go get some sleep. Try not to think about any of this.”

Elara’s throat was dry. Her voice came out hoarse. “After everything I’ve done… am I just like them now? Am I a monster too?”

She used to flinch at the thought of killing a fish.

Now, to survive, she’d shattered Stella Knightley’s future and sent Nanette straight to hell.

Her hands were stained with blood. Nothing would ever wash them clean.

Ryan reached over, covering her tense fingers with his palm, his eyes full of concern.

“No, you’re not like them. They never feel a thing for the damage they cause, but you do. That’s what makes you human.”

His thumb brushed gently along her cheek.

“Elara, you did what you had to do to survive. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m just glad you thought of me in your darkest moments. Whatever happens, I’ll be here for you—I’m not leaving again.”

But with an oxygen mask on her face and life slipping away, all she could do was listen, helpless.

Gareth staggered to her bedside and dropped to his knees, clutching her hand—IV still in place—his face etched with anguish.

“Nanette, I’ll get the best doctors. I’ll save you, I promise.”

Nanette struggled to open her eyes and managed to whisper something he couldn’t catch.

“What did you say?”

Gareth lifted her oxygen mask.

“Where’s Lina?”

Her voice was little more than a breath.

In truth, Lina was the first family member the police had tried to reach.

But she hadn’t picked up.

“I’ll call her now.”

Gareth reached for his phone.

But Nanette stopped him, her voice barely audible. “Tell me… what have you done behind my back?”