To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 267

He turned off the stove and walked over to her.

“Wash your face before you come out to eat,” he said, spinning her gently around and steering her toward the bathroom.

By the time Elara finished washing up, the egg noodles were ready.

The broth was a warm amber, speckled with bits of chopped green onion floating on top.

Ryan’s signature “house special”—a dish he’d perfected—was one Elara had tried to recreate countless times, but she could never quite capture the taste.

She dug in with enthusiasm, finishing more than half the bowl in no time.

Ryan chuckled as he watched her eat.

“I really can’t finish the rest,” she admitted, pushing the remaining noodles away. “I’ll save it for later—I’ll just heat it up for dinner.”

Ryan’s smile faded. “If you like it, I’ll make it fresh for you again tonight.”

Elara looked up at him, her gaze unusually serious. “So, you’re really not planning to fight Jason anymore?”

Ryan dabbed his mouth with a napkin. After a moment of silence, he said quietly, “When I first went to the Lawrence family, all I wanted was to make enough money so you and Mom could have a better life. But now that Grandpa’s gone and you don’t need me anymore, I’ve decided to leave the Lawrences and take Mom abroad.”

He added, “If all goes as planned, we’ll be gone in a few days.”

It was clear he had no intention of letting the Lawrences know—he was planning to disappear without a word.

Elara was surprised, but she also thought maybe this was for the best.

Just then, Ryan’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen and declined the call.

He handed her some medicine. “Your fever’s down, but you still need to finish the meds. And stay away from anything cold or raw for the next couple of days, okay?”

After taking the medicine, Elara set down her glass, remembering something. She grabbed her bag.

“I really have to go to the office. Summer’s been juggling all the client outreach by herself—I can’t just sit here and slack off.”

Ryan didn’t try to stop her; instead, he packed her midday pills in a little bag, tucked them into her purse, and insisted on driving her.

He got several calls on the way, but ignored them all.

Ingrid was still being held at the police station. The moment Mrs. Goldsmith saw Elara, her face twisted with fury.

But instead of launching into a tirade, she walked straight over and suddenly grabbed Elara’s hand.

She broke down, sobbing, “Miss Jules, please—please have mercy on my daughter! She’s still so young, she didn’t know what she was doing. If she goes to prison, her life will be ruined!”

Elara tried to pull her hand free, but Mrs. Goldsmith held on with surprising strength.

Elara frowned. “Your daughter is twenty-eight, not eighty-two with dementia. She knew exactly what she was doing when she bought those illegal drugs. If you want help, talk to a lawyer—not me.”

Tears streaked down Mrs. Goldsmith’s face. “If you could just forgive her, we’ll find a way to fix the rest.”

With a sharp tug, Elara finally freed her hand and replied flatly, “Not a chance.”

Seeing that pleading was useless, Mrs. Goldsmith’s expression changed in an instant. With a loud thud, she dropped to her knees right in front of Elara.

The lobby had been a noisy swirl, and no one had paid their argument much attention—until Mrs. Goldsmith suddenly collapsed to the floor, instantly drawing every eye in the room.