Your Regrets Mean Nothing To Me novel Chapter 11

Dusk painted the mountain in shadows. Through sheer force of will, Elysia struggled along the muddy mountain path, dragging her battered body back to the cave entrance, now concealed beneath a thick canopy of branches and leaves.

With bloodied hands, she cleared away the camouflage, her injured leg protesting every movement.

"Thank God, the fever's broken!" Relief flooded her voice, instantly touching the viewers' hearts. She went still, listening intently to the mountain's evening chorus—cicadas chirping, wild dogs barking, distant villagers muttering. But no police search teams calling out.

The livestream chat erupted with questions.

[Search party already bailed before dark?]

[Can't expect cops to search forever. Blame Elysia for hiding them in the middle of nowhere.]

[Get your facts straight. My brother was on the search team. Just asked him—Rowena straight-up lied, told them everyone was home safe. How's that on Elysia?]

'Had Rowena really lied to the police?' The thought left a hollow pit in Caellan's stomach.

The projection shifted as night claimed the mountain. The scene changed to reveal a familiar wood house, where a new horror awaited.

"Useless girl!" Lyra's harsh voice cracked through the darkness. "What took you so long? Picking mushrooms doesn't take all day." The voice grew more menacing. "Trying to run away, you little wretch?"

"No! Lyra, please!" Elysia's plea was cut short as a twisted face filled the screen, wielding a thick branch. The blows fell mercilessly.

Odessa scrambled up the wall at the sounds of violence. "Stop! Don't hurt her!" Her voice cracked with desperation. "Elysia, run! Hide!"

After several savage strikes, Elysia lay motionless on the ground. A seven-year-old boy darted from the house, ignoring the fallen girl. "Mom, I'm starving," Ethan Brook whined. "If you kill her, who's gonna cook?"

Reason flickered in Lyra's eyes. She dropped the branch, checking Elysia's breathing with sudden care. Finding her meal ticket still alive, her voice turned honey-sweet. "Darling, I was just worried. You understand, don't you?"

Elysia lay still, breath shallow. As Lyra's patience wore thin, she wondered if she'd gone too far. Usually, a few hits didn't leave the girl this lifeless.

Just as she moved to drag Elysia inside to check if she was faking, a faint "mm" escaped the girl's lips.

"I understand... Won't happen... again." Each word cost Elysia precious energy. Already wounded and exhausted from her mountain ordeal, she'd barely made it back before dark, only to face another beating.

Lyra's snort cut through the air as her facade crumbled. "Go make dinner. And don't let me catch you sneaking peeks at Ethan's books. No reading, got it?"

[Listen to this monster!]

[Talk about split personality. Classic kidnapper—that sweet act almost had me fooled.]