After She's Terminal The Alpha Regrets (Elaine and Lucas) novel Chapter 146

Chapter 146

Blaine pounded on the door, trying the handle more than once. It wouldn’t budge. “Ruth, open the door! This isn’t funny!”

A low chuckle from the other side. “Oh, it’s perfectly delightful!”

She banged on the door again. “Ruth!”

“Oh, be quiet. No one can hear you anyway.”

“Where is my dad?” Elaine grabbed the handle again, rattling it. Ruth didn’t respond that time. “Don’t you dare leave me in here! Ruth! Where is Walter?”

No reply. She took a few steps back, staring at the closed door in disbelief. She took a few steps back, the back of her knees hitting the bed. She sat down.

What in the hell did they want with her now?

Several hours passed before she heard anything. The door wouldn’t open no matter how hard she tried. Some part of her still thought this was some kind of sick joke. That Ruth would open the door and let her out, laughing.

That did not happen.

Elaine waited.

Finally, near dusk, it did open but not to let her out. Elaine stood up from the bed quickly, ready to make a run for the door. It wasn’t Ruth standing there.

It was Walter.

“Dad,” she said.

He stepped inside and the door closed behind him. Elaine heard a soft click and knew Ruth must have locked it already. They really weren’t taking their chances of her getting out. This wasn’t a joke. Wasn’t a trick.

They wanted her for something.

“Elaine,” Walter said and crossed to the nightstand. He set down a tray of food. If it was Ruth’s cooking, Elaine already knew she’d be better off without it.

“What’s happening? Ruth said you had a stroke.”

“A…greatly exaggerated means of getting you here.”

“But why?” Elaine asked, stepping toward him. “Why are you locking me in here? I don’t see the point of it! You do realize that you’re both going to be in huge trouble after I get out, right?”

Walter turned to look at her. “You won’t be getting out.”

Elaine stilled, her eyes narrowed. “You’re not gonna…”

“Nothing so drastic. I simply…” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair before he could fully explain to her why she was here. If it wasn’t to kill her, Elaine wasn’t exactly what. She couldn’t see any benefit to them keeping her locked up like this. “You brought this on yourself, you know.” 1

“My own good. To lock me in a room? Until, what? I see sense? Apologize?”

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“No.” Walter crossed to the window, which looked out into the backyard, standing before it with his hands behind his back. “I have since learned that reasoning with you is not possible.” 2

Elaine scoffed. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ve only done what I have to this family because of how you all treated me!”

“Elaine…”

“No. Don’t do that. Don’t try to scold me and say that I’m wrong. You know it’s true! You know how you’ve treated me. Ever since Mom died.”

“Don’t bring her into this.”

“We used to be so close,” Elaine said, hands tightening into fists. “What happened?”

Walter exhaled slowly through his nose. He kept his back to her. Didn’t even cast a glance. Because he knew it was true.

Yet there was no clean answer that he could give her. Nor did he wish to confront the fact he’d turned on her so. Finally, he turned around to face her.

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