Chapter 244
Elle’s POV
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I stared at my smartwatch screen, my heart hammering against my ribs. The message was simple, direct, and absolutely the last thing I’d
expected to see.
“I’m waiting for you at 17 Laurel Street.”
Eleanor Blair.
My breath caught in my throat. How the hell did she get my number? And more importantly, how did she know exactly when to reach
out?
I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths, forcing my churning emotions down into some semblance of control. If she wanted to
declare war, then I sure as hell wasn’t going to back down. If she was already here, then I’d go listen to whatever my dear grandmother
had to say.
“Amy,” I called out, my voice steadier than I felt. “Take me to 17 Laurel Street.”
The car stopped outside 17 Laurel Street. The building was an old Victorian–style structure that stood out among the modern architecture
surrounding it.
I turned to my entourage with an expression that brooked no argument. “All of you stay outside. Don’t come in unless I specifically call
for you.”
Amy’s eyes showed concern as she looked at me. “Yes, Mrs. Rayne. Please be careful. If anything happens, just call out—I’ll be right here
waiting.”
I nodded curtly and walked toward the entrance alone,
The moment I stepped inside and identified myself, the shop owner immediately guided me to a hidden room behind the main floor.
“The person you’re waiting for has arrived,” the owner announced respectfully toward a decorative screen.
Eleanor’s voice drifted from behind the partition, calm and measured. “Good. You may leave us.” Then, directed at me: ‘Elle, come over.
There’s no one else here except me.”
I hesitated for just a moment, then stepped around the screen.
Eleanor sat properly on a custom–made sandalwood daybed, methodically preparing tea with deliberate, graceful movements. I didn’t
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Chapter 244
bother with pleasantries. I simply sat down across from her.
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She poured me a cup of tea, and our eyes met across the small table. I remained silent for two full seconds, then picked up the teacup and took a slow sip, still saying nothing.
Eleanor was the first to break the silence. “It’s only been a few days since we last met, but you seem to have changed quite a bit.”
I set down my teacup calmly and met her stare directly. “You called me here, presumably not just to compliment me, right?”
Then she said something that made my brow furrow in confusion. “The Blair family is going to be finished.”
I watched as Eleanor refilled my teacup with unhurried movements. “Twenty–plus years ago, on the day you and Dakota were born, I began preparing for this moment. Especially after Dakota’s death, the Blair family’s assets have been consolidated to their absolute minimum. Now is the time for the Blair family to completely cease to exist.”
I looked up at her in surprise but remained silent.
Eleanor continued as if talking to herself. “It really is fate. No one can escape it. I’ve already secretly transferred most of the Blair family’s wealth to external accounts. What remains of the family now is only what’s visible on the surface. Money can be sacrificed, but those ancient books and manuscripts—they represent nearly five hundred years of the Blair family’s alchemical and witchcraft knowledge. If the family completely collapses and we can’t move these texts in time, I hope you can put in a word for us. Even if it’s just for the sake of preserving ancient human wisdom, please don’t let those books be destroyed.”
Eleanor’s voice took on a pleading tone. “I know you hate me right now, and you certainly don’t accept the family’s mission and responsibilities. But your parents are innocent in all this. For their sake, please preserve what little the Blair family has left.”
Her eyes fixed on me, waiting for an answer.
After a long moment, I nodded silently.
I thought of Susan lying in that hospital bed, fighting for her life, and decided I was done with games, “You’re the one who gave Susan that drug years ago. I have several questions I’d like to ask you.”
Eleanor spread her right hand in a “please proceed” gesture,
I took a deep breath and fired off my questions like bullets:
“First question: Where is Malcolm now? Is he your man?”
“Second, Does Malcolm know about Susan’s pregnancy?”
“Third: If there’s no antidote, what will happen?”
“Fourth: The drug Susan took years ago–is there an antidote?”
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Chapter 244
“Last one: What are the consequences of violating Blair family ancestral laws?”
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Eleanor looked at me with an expression of complete composure. “Actually, the answers to these questions are quite simple. Any head of the Blair family would know them clearly. But I suppose there’s no harm in answering them now.”
She began methodically:
“First question: Yes, Malcolm is my man. He always has been. The Blair family has a long tradition of charitable work, including adopting orphans. Both Susan and Malcolm were children I took in. Malcolm studied alchemy externally while Susan served at my side.”
“Second question: Of course Malcolm knows about Susan’s pregnancy. Otherwise, how could he face me after failing to complete his mission? However, Susan choosing to abort was unexpected.”
“Third question: Without the antidote… well, do I really need to say? Death is the only outcome.”
“Fourth question: The moment she terminated the pregnancy, the drug’s effects were fully activated. She has less than three months left. The antidote exists–it’s in the Blair family sanctuary.”
“As for the fifth question, I can’t answer that. Because until now, no one in the Blair family has ever violated ancestral law. The Blair family’s centuries of survival in human–werewolf society ends with your generation. This is fate. If you violate the ancestral laws… I
cannot foresee the consequences.”
Eleanor answered every question without hesitation or evasion.
My mood plummeted further. Susan had only three months left, and if I refused to return to the Blair family, my foster mother would die.
My fingers clenched beneath the table, veins standing out on the backs of my hands.
“This is medicine to temporarily slow Susan’s deterioration. But it can only delay the inevitable.” Eleanor slowly pushed a white porcelain
medicine bottle toward me.
I hesitated briefly, then quickly took the bottle.
Eleanor made her position crystal clear: “The real antidote is in the Blair family sanctuary. And only by becoming a Blair can you enter that sanctuary. Think carefully about your decision.”
I lowered my gaze, struggling to hide my emotional turmoil.
After a long silence, I quietly asked, “Must Blair family daughters marry into the Carter family? Why?”
Eleanor paused, then let out a long sigh, her voice tinged with melancholy. “Yes, why indeed? It’s because three Carters sacrificed their
lives for us.”
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…
I looked up at Eleanor in shock.
She continued, “Do you think the Blair family preserved so many ancient texts and alchemical knowledge through our own strength alone? No. It came at the cost of sufficient sacrifice. The Blair family owes the Carter family a huge debt.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
