Chapter 241
Elle’s POV
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Dakota studied me carefully, her gaze lingering on my face with an expression so tender it made my eyes burn. “You seem… even better
than I imagined,” she said softly.
I remained silent, not knowing what to say. How do you talk to a sister you never knew existed? How do you find words for someone who
gave up everything so you wouldn’t have to?
Dakota’s expression grew more complex, hope and longing evident in her features. “We finally have the chance to meet. I’ve waited for you
for so many years, hoped for you for so many years.”
Something cracked inside my chest. The pure expectation in her eyes, the way she looked at me like I was the most precious thing in the
world–it broke through my defenses. “Sister…” I whispered.
Dakota’s face lit up with genuine joy.
She really was beautiful when she smiled. There was a softness about her that made you want to protect her, to keep her safe from the
world.
‘Come with me,” Dakota said, beckoning me forward before turning away.
As I hurried to catch up, I noticed something strange. My body felt more agile than usual, as if some dormant power was awakening inside
- me.
Dakota led me into a hidden stone chamber covered in ancient symbols. The moment I stepped inside, I gasped. The small exterior was
deceiving–the interior opened into a vast space filled with floating alchemical arrays that pulsed with soft light.
I was still trying to process the magical transformation when another figure emerged from the shadows.
Tris Blair!‘ I exclaimed before she could speak.
Iris laughed, the sound rich and commanding. She wore a flowing red dress that seemed to move with a life of its own, and her presence was completely different from Dakota’s gentle aura. Where Dakota was soft and yielding, Iris radiated power and defiance.
I stared at three identical faces displaying three completely different personalities and energies.
‘So you do remember me,‘ Iris said with a smile that held centuries of arrogance and ancient authority.
“What do you want from me?‘ I asked directly. “I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that I’m here.”
Dakota smiled at my question. “Elle, don’t you think that you and I together… we’re actually Iris?”
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Chapter 241
I stared at her, the words hitting me like a physical blow. Dakota was right–she had the knowledge and magical understanding but a weak body, while I was physically strong but knew nothing compared to her vast learning.
Iris watched us both with knowing eyes. “Because you are me, and I am you.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I demanded, my heart racing.
Iris touched an ancient crystal ball, her expression distant and melancholy. “Long ago, I was mated to an Alpha king. But I had loved another man dearly. I owed both the Alpha king and the man a debt. I thought the Alpha king had forgotten, but after centuries of reincarnation, he’s finally come to collect what I owe him.”
She continued, her voice heavy with regret, “This is my debt. I couldn’t repay it in that lifetime, so I have to settle it in the next. And you two–you are my next life.”
I stared at her, understanding each word but unable to grasp the full meaning of this.
“Past and present lives,” Dakota explained gently. “She is our past life, we are her present life.”
Iris nodded approvingly at Dakota. “I also owe him… an eternal mate bond.”
“I thought I could repay both debts in this lifetime,” Iris said with a bitter smile. “So when I reincarnated, I arranged for ‘one soul, two
births–splitting into Elle and Dakota. I planned for you both to settle these debts together. I never expected Dakota would die so young.
Fate… it’s always cruel.”
I looked down, processing the concept. One soul, two births. One was Dakota, one was me. And there were two debts to be paid. One was
Brad, one was Peter…
“What do you want from me?” I asked again, meeting both their gazes.
Iris’s expression grew serious. “To tell you about your duties and mission as a Blair family member.”
“I know you don’t want the Blair family’s responsibilities and mission,” she continued. “But this is your destiny. You can’t escape it.”
Anger flared in my chest. “Why should someone else’s debts be forced on my shoulders?”
“Why do I have to sacrifice my happiness for other people’s dreams?” I demanded. “The Blair family is something you want to protect, and
I don’t care what you have to sacrifice for it. But why should you control my happiness?”
Both Iris and Dakota looked at me with pity and helplessness.
“Many things can’t be avoided just because you want to avoid them,” Iris said solemnly. “Elle, you carry Blair blood.”
“The prophecy will be fulfilled through you,” she continued. “Blair family dies and rises because of you.”
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“Yes, it’s unfair to suddenly burden you with family mission and responsibility after you’ve been away from the Blair family for so long,‘
Iris concluded. “But is it unfair to us either.”
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I turned to look at Dakota, wondering if she had willingly accepted this fate.
Dakota seemed to read my thoughts.
Dakota looked down, a bitter expression crossing her face. “Elle, you’ve met Peter, haven’t you? How… how is he?”
After asking, she quickly looked away, clearly desperate to know but afraid to hear the answer.
“Yes, I’ve met him,” I said heavily. “He can’t tell you and me apart. He even… lost control because he mistook me for you.”
“In this lifetime, I failed him,” Dakota said softly. “But I don’t regret it. Because long ago, I already knew what my mission was.”
Dakota looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Elle, take care of him for me.”
I stared into her pleading eyes and found myself nodding without thinking.
Dakota began to speak about her past. “The first time I met him was when I was fifteen.”
“He was so spirited then, so handsome and refined.”
“We fell in love at first sight. He was so careful and kind to me, and I smiled at him in secret.”
“But it wasn’t long before I met him–Raymond Carter, the eldest son of the Carter family.”
“That’s when I learned about the marriage contract between the Blair and Carter families. I was promised to the Carter family.”
“I fought it,” Dakota said. “But I lost. Because I saw with my own eyes the prophecy stone tablet left by Blair family ancestors centuries
ago.”
“This generation births two daughters, one soul, two births and same look.“”
“I always had this vague feeling that I should have a sister. The thought never left me.”
“After seeing the prophecy, I became even more certain of your existence.”
“I often had heart palpitations for no reason, feeling another person’s despair. That’s how I knew there was another ‘me‘ in this world.”
Dakota looked at me finally. “You might say I was foolish, that I was weak. I really have no way to argue with that.”
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.
