A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 424

Chapter 424

FAYE

I swallowed, my gaze dropping for a moment.

A terrible dream.

Of all the things happening right now… that shouldn’t have meant much.

And yet it did.

“What kind of dream?” I asked before I could stop myself.

There was another pause.

Longer this time.

Then she exhaled softly.

“It was just a bad dream,” she said. “It’s better not to go over it again. You’re fine–that’s all that matters.”

I didn’t respond immediately.

Because I wasn’t fine.

Not even close.

But there was no way I was about to start explaining any of this over the phone. Not like this. Not when I barely understood it myself.

So I let it go.

Or at least… I pretended to.

“I’m okay,” I said quietly.

Silence followed for a second.

Comfortable, but heavy in a way I couldn’t ignore.

And then the words slipped out before I could filter them.

“I miss you, Mother.”

I hadn’t planned to say it.

But the moment it left my mouth, I realised how true it was.

Not just a passing thought.

Not just something you say.

I actually meant it.

*2% Founta

Hearing her voice… it did something to me. Something I hadn’t realised I needed until now.

“I miss home.”

There was warmth on the other end almost immediately.

“Then you should come home for a visit one of these days,” she said gently.

My eyes burned before I even understood why.

One of these days.

The words sounded so normal.

So simple.

But they hit differently now.

Because I didn’t even know what “one of these days” meant anymore.

I didn’t know what was coming.

I didn’t know how far this thing had already gone.

I didn’t know if I would even-

I cut that thought off sharply.

No.

I wasn’t going there.

Not now.

So I smiled instead, even though she couldn’t see it.

“I will,” I said softly. “I promise.”

It felt strange saying it.

Like I was making a promise I wasn’t entirely sure I could keep.

I shifted slightly on the bed, wiping quickly under my eye before anything could actually fall.

“How’s Sage?” I asked, forcing a bit more life into my voice. “And Father?”

“They’re fine,” she replied. “Everyone is well.”

That helped.

A little.

At least something was steady somewhere.

We spoke for a few more minutes, nothing heavy, nothing serious. Just small things. Familiar things.

The kind that made everything else feel far away for a moment.

Until it was time to end the call.

“Take care of yourself,” she said.

“I will.”

“And Faye…”

I paused.

“Yes?”

“Come home soon.”

My chest tightened again.

“I will,” I repeated.

And this time, it sounded more like a promise than before.

The line went quiet shortly after.

I lowered the phone slowly, staring at it for a second before setting it beside me.

I didn’t stay on the bed for long after the call ended.

Sitting there felt… wrong.

Like if I stayed in one place for too long, my thoughts would catch up with me in ways I wasn’t ready to deal with.

So I moved.

Chapter 124

Slowly at first, pushing the blanket aside as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed.

+25 Points

My feet touched the floor, and for a second, I just sat there, my hands resting loosely on my thighs, staring ahead without really seeing anything.

My body felt better.

That was the strange part.

No pain.

No burning.

No sharp pull beneath my skin trying to tear through me.

Just… normal.

Or at least something close enough to it that anyone looking at me wouldn’t suspect anything was wrong.

Helen hadn’t fixed anything.

She had said it herself.

She had only slowed it down.

Bought me time.

And I didn’t know how much of that I had left.

I inhaled slowly, then pushed myself to my feet.

There was only one thing on my mind now.

Helen.

I needed answers.

Not the careful, measured ones she gave when Alexander was around.

Not the softened version.

I needed the truth.

The full truth.

Even if I didn’t like it.

Especially if I didn’t like it.

Chapter 424

I stepped out of the room quietly, the hallway stretching ahead of me in that same calm silence that had become almost unsettling lately.

This time, I knew where I was going.

This time, I was choosing it.

That alone made me feel slightly better.

I reached her door and paused for just a second.

Because a part of me already knew this conversation wasn’t going to give me anything! wanted.

Only things I needed.

And those were never the same.

I knocked anyway.

There was a brief pause before I heard her voice from inside.

“Come in.”

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Helen was there, just like I expected.

Seated calmly, composed as always, like nothing in the world could shake her out of that quiet control she carried so effortlessly.

Her eyes lifted to me the moment I entered.

“You look stronger,” she said.

I almost smiled.

Almost.

“I feel better,” I replied simply.

That was as much as I was willing to give.

For now.

Her gaze lingered on me for a second longer, like she was assessing something deeper than just what I said.

Chapter 124

Then she gave a small nod.

I stepped further into the room, closing the door behind me.

“Thank you,” I said.

The words came out quietly, but I meant them.

“For staying.”

She didn’t respond immediately.

Then she shook her head slightly.

“You don’t need to thank me for that.”

I didn’t argue.

Because that wasn’t why I came here.

+25 Points

I took another step forward, then stopped, folding my arms loosely across my chest–not defensive, just… holding myself together.

“I came because of what you said earlier.”

That got her full attention.

“You said that going there was my only option.”

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