To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 96

"Elara, there are two bodyguards here asking for you. They say Gareth sent them to keep an eye on you at work, and then ‘escort' you back to the hospital after."

So Gareth was involved in this too?

Elara didn't jump to conclusions.

"I'm not going back to Ignition Dynamics. Stall them for as long as you can—doesn't matter if you can't hold them off forever."

She hung up and hailed a cab to Platinum Bay.

When Mrs. Archer saw her come in, she looked genuinely surprised.

"Ma'am, you didn't come home at all last night. Miss Vincent showed up and refused to leave, so I—"

"Mrs. Archer," Elara cut her off, "none of that has anything to do with me anymore. My hands are still a mess—could you help me pack a few things?"

Mrs. Archer hesitated, but then she caught sight of Elara's reddened, blistered fingers and said nothing more, simply following her upstairs.

Elara didn't pack much, just the essentials.

"Mrs. Archer, when I let you know I won't be coming back, please just toss out anything I've used."

"Ma'am…"

Mrs. Archer's eyes reddened.

She hated to see Elara go, but she supported her decision to leave.

After all, no one could live in such a suffocating household forever.

As they came downstairs, Elara's gaze landed suddenly on the wedding portrait in the hallway.

She thought of how last night, Brian and his sister had been wrapped up in their own little world right here, beneath that photo.

Elara strode over, took the frame down from the wall, and carefully cut herself out of the picture before heading downstairs.

She had barely reached the living room when the front door was shoved open.

Two bodyguards flanked the entrance as Gareth strode in.

He showed not a flicker of surprise at the sight of her.

"You think hiding out here means you get to escape the consequences?"

Elara stood at the bottom of the stairs, expression calm and unmoved.

"I'm not hiding. I just came to pick up a change of clothes. Is that a crime now?"

Elara didn't want Mrs. Archer to get dragged into any more arguments with Gareth.

She squeezed Mrs. Archer's hand gently.

"Don't let this upset you. Thank you for looking after me these past days. I'll have a courier pick up my things—no need to trouble yourself."

To anyone else, her words sounded ordinary, but Mrs. Archer knew—this was goodbye.

Elara would never return.

As she watched Elara's figure being led away, Mrs. Archer felt a lump rise in her throat.

But the moment Elara got into the waiting van outside, two housekeepers immediately pinned her arms.

A third person, face covered with a surgical mask, produced an IV syringe.

Elara couldn't move. She had overestimated how decent people could be.

She looked at Gareth and asked, "What are you doing?"

Gareth replied lightly, "Did you think that making yourself sick meant you could avoid the bone marrow donation? I have the medicine right here. After a dose, your bloodwork will be perfect in a few hours. Today, you're going to donate to your mother-in-law—no more excuses."