Chapter 242
Elle’s POV
Dakota’s eyes filled with a tenderness that made my chest ache. “I only pray that God will let me leave this world later, let me live one more day. That way, let me bear all the responsibilities and spare you… The Blair family has already sacrificed one daughter. We can’t
sacrifice a second.”
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The weight of her words settled over me like a crushing force. She had known. She had always known.
“At that time,” Dakota continued, her voice barely above a whisper, “I knew there was another you in this world, but I never mentioned it to the family. Because I knew that once you came back, you would have to bear my responsibility. That would be too cruel for both you and me. Since I had already decided to sacrifice my happiness, I wanted to preserve your freedom as much as possible.”
My throat closed up. “Dakota…”
I couldn’t speak. No one had ever talked to me like this. Not even Susan, who had always endured silently but never spoke of bearing pain for me. But here was Dakota, with just a few simple sentences, making me understand everything she had carried for me all these years.
“Unfortunately,” Dakota’s voice grew quieter, tinged with regret, “no matter how hard I fought, I still couldn’t fight against fate. Twenty- one became my final age. Elle, I’m sorry. It’s my fault as your sister. If I could have lived just two more years, you wouldn’t have to endure
all this.”
The massive shock hit me like a tidal wave. From the moment I was born, someone had been protecting me, someone had been carrying burdens that should have been mine, someone had been sacrificing herself so I could be free.
Dakota extended her hand toward me, her expression filled with apology. “Now I’m gone. And I know the Blair family will definitely find ways to force you back, to make you take on the responsibilities that originally belonged to me. So, Elle, I’m sorry.”
Without hesitation, I reached out and grasped her ice–cold fingers. The moment our hands touched, a sharp pain shot through my heart. Her hands were so cold, so terribly cold.
She’s my sister, I thought desperately. She actually carried so much for me. She even gave up her love for me. She… how could she be so
foolish…
But I understood now. Dakota wasn’t foolish. She had been trapped by circumstances, by family duty, by a world that gave her no real choices. And still, she had tried to protect me.
“Sister…” I whispered, the word falling from my lips naturally, finally.
Dakota’s face lit up with pure joy. “Elle… you recognize me. I’m really… so happy. Don’t blame me, okay? I really tried my best… I really… couldn’t live any longer…”
My eyes burned with unshed tears. The weight of her sacrifice, her protection, her love–it was overwhelming.
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Chapter 242
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“Take care of Dad and Mom for me,” Dakota pleaded, her grip on my hand tightening. “Live well for me. No matter what kind of situation
the Blair family faces next, don’t abandon them, promise?”
Tears finally spilled down my cheeks as I nodded vigorously. “Yes, I promise you.”
Dakota smiled through her own tears. “Thank you, my sister.”
Suddenly, the ground beneath us began to shake violently. I stumbled, nearly falling, and looked around in alarm.
“Time is running out,” Iris called urgently. “The illusion is breaking apart. Keep it brief, Dakota.”
Dakota’s expression became intense, focused. “Elle, we don’t have much time.”
She gripped my hands tighter, her eyes blazing with urgency. “Elle, listen carefully. Don’t forget your original intention, only then can you achieve your goal. The future of the Blair family rests on you! Don’t hesitate, don’t be confused. Follow your heart in everything.”
The environment around us was becoming increasingly unstable, the floating alchemical arrays flickering and sparking.
“This year is the year the Blair family faces a turning point,” Dakota warned. “Elle, the mission to revitalize the Blair family is on your
shoulders!”
Both Dakota and Iris were becoming transparent, their forms starting to fade.
“What’s happening to you?” I asked frantically, trying to hold onto Dakota’s dissolving hand.
“We’re leaving completely,” Iris said, her voice echoing strangely. “Elle, everything here depends on you!”
“Remember,” Iris continued urgently, “whether you acknowledge it or not, you will always be a Blair family member. The future of the
Blair family depends on you!”
“Don’t go!” I called out desperately. “I still have so many questions!”
“Elle,” Dakota’s voice was fading, “remember what you promised me! Be kind to Dad and Mom, be kind to… Peter… Elle, I’ll be watching
you from heaven!”
“No, don’t leave!” I ran after their fading forms. “Don’t go!”
In the last instant before she vanished completely, Iris let out a hysterical shout: “Elle, you and Brad are actually…”
But before she could finish, she was swallowed by the void.
“No, don’t go!” I screamed, chasing after empty air. “Finish what you were saying!”
But I was yanked backward by an irresistible force, pulled away from the crumbling illusion, pulled back to-
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Chapter 242
I shot up in bed, gasping for air, my pupils slowly focusing as I took in my surroundings. The sheets beneath me were soaked with sweat.
“That was… a dream?” I looked around, seeing my familiar belongings.
But it had felt so real. Dakota, Iris–they had seemed so genuinely present, so tangible. And their words, everything they had told me, was
crystal clear in my memory.
“Wait,” I muttered, my heart still racing. “What did Iris mean at the end?”
Before I could process this further, frantic knocking erupted from my door.
“Mrs. Rayne, are you awake?” Amy’s voice was panicked, desperate. “Something happened to Susan!”
My heart dropped like a stone. I stumbled out of bed and threw open the door.
Amy stood there with tears streaming down his face, holding up a phone. “I just received a call from the hospital, saying…”
I snatched the phone from his hands. “Hello, this is Elle West!”
“This is Moonshade Bay General Hospital,” came the voice on the other end. “Is Susan West your…?”
“She’s my mother,” I said, my voice tight with fear. “What happened to her?”
“Please come to the hospital immediately. Susan underwent surgery, but there were complications. Her vital signs are declining. Without effective treatment, I’m afraid… we might not be able to save her.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. My brain roared with white noise, and I staggered backward, nearly falling.
The dream, the prophecy, the mission–none of it mattered now. The only thing that mattered was that Susan, the woman who had raised me and loved me, was dying.
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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.
