Chapter 8 Signs of Betrayal

Guilt gnawed at Eric. He avoided Kelly's eyes, gripping her hand tightly. "Kelly, I know this might not make sense to you, but I have to protect you. Regina's father is the hospital director. Given your situation, if you want to stay there, we can't afford to be on bad terms with them." Kelly looked down at him before yanking her hand away. "I know it's hard for you to accept," Eric continued. "But now that you're back, we have to move forward. I promise you. When I have the power to stand up to them, I'll make things right. I won't let you remain in this position forever—without a name, without a status." She stayed silent, her expression unreadable. Taking her silence as agreement, Eric pulled her into a firm embrace. "I knew you'd understand. In this world, we don't always get to choose. Without connections and influence, we can't protect anything on our own." Kelly sat motionless, an icy chill creeping through her. It was as if a stranger had taken Eric's place. In just five years, he had changed so much that it terrified her. "Get some rest. Drakonia is safe—you're safe here," Eric reassured her softly, leaning in for a kiss. She instinctively turned away. Eric hesitated for a second before pulling back, too preoccupied to explain further. Then, he left. He was too busy trying to keep both sides happy. The room fell into an unsettling silence. For five years in Oasisvale, Kelly had never known peace. Gunfire, screams, and cries had become her nightly lullaby. The air was always thick with despair and the metallic scent of blood. She had witnessed too much death and cruelty. War had painted everything in shades of destruction. Whenever she closed her eyes, those memories came rushing back. "She looks good. Take her to the boss." The day she was taken, she had been dragged by armed men and tossed into a tent. Just when all hope had drained from her, a colleague of hers burst in, braving the danger to knock out the man who had pinned her down. Even though they both knew escape was nearly impossible, he still grabbed her hand and ran. "Kelly, we have to make it out alive! Eric is waiting for you! "Run, Kelly!" A gunshot rang out. The bullet grazed Kelly's ear before piercing straight through her colleague's forehead. The agonized screams of her teammates and the wails of her mentor were forever etched in her mind. She would never forget that moment. From that day on, she had lost her voice. "Michael ... " That was the colleague who had died saving her—Michael Reed. He never got the chance to tell Kelly that he had loved her, too. "Kelly, have you ever thought that Eric might not be the person you think he is?" Michael asked as they traveled toward their destination. At that time, Kelly was deeply in love with Eric. Without hesitation, she replied, "Nobody is perfect, but I can accept every part of him." Michael's expression darkened for a moment before he continued, "But if he ever betrayed you, could you forgive him?" Kelly frowned, puzzled by his words. "What are you trying to say?" "I wasn't going to bring it up, but I don't want you to stay in the dark. The night we joined the team, Eric didn't go home because he—" Before Michael could finish, a sudden impact sent their vehicle tumbling across the desert. The air filled with gunfire and explosions, the deafening noise leaving their ears ringing. By the time they regained consciousness, their medical team had already fallen into Lucas' hands. ... Under the warm cascade of the shower, Kelly scrubbed her skin as if trying to wash away the past. Wrapping her arms around herself, she sank into a crouch, struggling to block out the memories. Silent tears mixed with the water, but the ache inside her refused to fade. No matter how hard she tried to forget, the past clung to her like a shadow. Michael's unfinished words suddenly made sense. He must have been warning her about Eric and Regina. The timeline added up—Regina's child was already five years old. That meant she and Eric had been together long before Kelly left Seaville. At that time, they had probably just gotten married. It was hard to believe that the same man who once rushed across the city, desperate to propose to her on time, had already betrayed her early on. The pain was unbearable as if her heart were being ripped apart. It was worse than any physical wound, a torment that cut deep into her soul. She hit her forehead against the wall, overwhelmed with regret, wishing she hadn't made it out alive. Then, a faint noise broke through the silence. Her grief was instantly replaced by a surge of fear. Shutting off the shower, she hurriedly wrapped a towel around herself, her hands trembling as she inched toward the door. Peeking outside, she found nothing but emptiness. Letting out a shaky breath, she finally relaxed. "You don't even bother locking your door? That's quite fearless of you, Kelly." The chillingly familiar voice came from behind. Kelly froze. Spinning around, her legs nearly gave out from terror. Zev's frown deepened as he caught her, pulling her firmly into his arms.