Left for Dead Came Back for Everything novel Chapter 38

"Thank God you're a doctor. You saved her life."

Julian nodded. "Don't mention it."

Meanwhile, Eliza dialed Zander's number.

Back at the Roth estate, Zander's bedroom floor was littered with empty liquor bottles.

Whenever he wasn't forcing himself to work, he locked himself in his room.

He refused to believe Eliza was dead. Someone as fierce and proud as her couldn't possibly be gone.

If he had just reached for her first, everything would have been completely different.

Suddenly, the phone on the floor began to ring.

He picked it up, snapping aggressively, "Who is this?"

"Zander. It's me."

Hearing that voice, Zander's mind went completely blank.

He nearly dropped the phone, scrambling to his feet.

"Eliza? Is that really you? You're not dead? You're alive?" Zander stammered, frantically trying to confirm it wasn't a hallucination.

"It's me," Eliza replied flatly.

Wild relief washed over him. "I knew you were alive! Where are you? I'm coming to get you right now!"

Eliza considered it for a moment before answering. "Claremont Island. Come alone."

Without a second thought, she hung up.

Zander shoved the phone in his pocket and sprinted out the door, driving straight toward Claremont Island like a madman.

But Riverport was a long way from the island, requiring both a long drive and a ferry ride.

By the time he arrived, the sun was already setting.

In the backyard of the clinic, Eliza and Gwen sat side-by-side on a bench beneath a tree.

Gwen leaned her head on Eliza's shoulder as she listened to everything that had happened over the past few weeks.

She sighed in disbelief. "I still can't believe you ran into Julian here."

Eliza smiled. "I didn't expect to survive, either."

"Bite your tongue! You are going to live a very long, happy life."

It was strange. She used to feel a sharp ache in her chest whenever she looked at him.

But now, she felt completely indifferent, as if she were looking at a total stranger.

Seeing the icy emptiness in her eyes felt like a knife to Zander's chest.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I thought..."

"You thought I could swim? You thought Yvonne was scared of the water? You thought making me wait another second wouldn't matter. Right?"

Eliza completely dismantled his pathetic excuses.

She had absolutely zero patience for his nonsense.

She grabbed Gwen's phone, opened the ripped livestream video, shoved it in front of his face, and set it on a loop.

One glance, and the last remnants of color completely drained from his face.

His legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees in front of her.

"No, this isn't real! Eliza, let me explain!"

"Shut up. I didn't call you here to listen to your excuses." Eliza stared down at the man she used to love, feeling nothing but absolute disgust.