Fated To Three Betrayed By All Until She Rose (Leilani) by Ahvahh novel Chapter 94

**Healing Slowly But Surely**

**By R. Joseph**

Getting under Chalice’s skin.

Leilani.

As I stepped out of Jarek’s house, my mind felt like a whirlwind. The emotions swirling within me were contradictory; on one hand, I was relieved that he had finally let down his guard and shared the turmoil he was experiencing. But on the other hand, a heavy weight of anxiety pressed down on my chest. I was consumed by a deep, gnawing fear—not for myself, but for him.

What if we couldn’t find a permanent solution to his condition? What would happen then? The thought haunted me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. To make matters worse, I had left my coat behind, a small token intended to remind him of my presence, my scent, should he find himself lost in another episode of despair. Yet, he had insisted I not stay, worried that my presence might somehow cause me harm.

The unpredictability of it all was paralyzing.

My hands trembled slightly as I navigated the roads back to my house. The snow fell gently, blanketing everything in a soft, white layer. Lately, it seemed like the snow had taken a liking to our town, falling almost daily. As I blinked away the tears that threatened to spill, I made my way home, stopping briefly at Walmart to pick up some groceries.

Just as I pulled into my driveway, I noticed a figure by my porch, clad in a pink woolly coat and hunched over what appeared to be a collection of items. My curiosity piqued, I turned off the ignition and stepped out of the car, a frown knitting my brow as I approached the scene. But when I recognized Chalice, I halted, my grip tightening around the paper bags filled with groceries as I wondered what on earth she was doing here.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice sharper than intended.

At the sound of my voice, Chalice froze. She whipped around to face me, and I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at the sight of her—she had been busy tearing apart a bouquet of red roses. The petals lay scattered around her like confetti, and her hands bore the marks of her struggle, blood seeping from where the thorns had bitten into her skin.

Despite the evidence of her self-inflicted wounds, she wore a smile, wiping the blood on her coat with a nonchalant flick of her wrist. “I came to see you. And then I noticed this secret lover’s gift, so I thought I’d destroy it.”

My eyes flitted between her and the mangled bouquet, but I felt no remorse. Instead, a smirk crept onto my lips. “Thanks for taking care of that,” I said, “though I would have preferred if you had just tossed it in the trash.”

Her expression darkened, and she spat, “You—”

I interrupted her, rolling my eyes dramatically. “Yes, me. Did you honestly think I’d be upset to find out you destroyed that? It just proves how petty you can be!”

“Bitc—”

“Oh, please! You know I’ve been getting those flowers constantly, and I just toss them away. It’s almost amusing to see you injure yourself to achieve what I’ve done without a second thought, all in the name of hurting me.”

Her face flushed a furious shade of red. She scoffed, angrily stomping on the remnants of the flowers scattered at her feet, then turned to me, malice flickering in her bright blue eyes.

“This isn’t why I came here today!” she shouted, her voice a mix of frustration and desperation.

I crossed my arms over my chest, a soft smile playing on my lips. I relished how my calm demeanor seemed to infuriate her even more, and I found joy in knowing that she was fuming, even though I hadn’t said much at all.

“Then enlighten me, Ms. Blackthorne,” I drawled, feigning innocence. “What brings you out of your little cave today? Is there something of great importance you wish to share with me—”

“I want you to stay away from Kael, Zevran, and Caelum!” she interrupted, her voice sharp and filled with urgency. My frown deepened momentarily, but then a slow smile unfurled across my face.

And without meaning to, I burst into laughter. It was loud and unrestrained, enough to draw the curious glances of a few neighbors passing by, their smiles reflecting my own amusement.

Her face fell, crumpling like paper. Tears shimmered in her blue eyes for a fleeting moment before she wiped them away, a wild look taking over her features as she reached for a rose stem lying nearby. “You think you have them now?!”

“Mhm,” I replied, my confidence unwavering.

She sneered, raising the stem above her head. “Let’s see what happens after I’m done with you!”

I didn’t flinch as she brandished the stem, fully aware of her pattern of self-harm, always eager to twist it to her advantage and pin the blame on me.

But this time, I had underestimated her. Instead of the expected self-inflicted injury, she lunged forward and stabbed me with the stem instead.

A sharp cry escaped my lips as pain shot through me. “Urghh! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

But she didn’t answer. Instead, she took a few steps back, arms outstretched as if savoring the moment. Before I could process what was happening, a car sped by, barreling towards her and colliding with a deafening crash.

Time seemed to freeze as I watched her crumple to the ground, my heart racing in my chest. I rushed over, panic flooding my senses as I found her sprawled out, blood trickling from her mouth, her leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Yet, despite her evident pain, a twisted smile graced her lips when she saw me.

“Wait until they find out you pushed me into the path of that car,” she muttered, her voice dripping with malice.

But I remained unfazed, my own smile unwavering. “Well, I hope you tell them that. And just so you know, there are two CCTV cameras in front of my house and one across the street. I’m sure at least one of them caught you walking towards that car yourself,” I said, relishing the panic that flickered across her features.

I nodded decisively. “So go ahead, tell them I did this to you. But first, hang in there while I call for an ambulance.” With that, I turned and walked back into the house, dialing 911 as I went, the chaos of the moment still echoing in my mind.