Chapter 160: A lost battle
"Al... Alive?" Evelyn sucked in a sharp breath, her heart racing wildly. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, the thought of seeing her again overwhelming her mind. What if they mistook someone else for her? Fear flooded her chest, but Damien could never be wrong.
"Ronan and Damien are already there. He asked if you wanted to fly?" Zevian asked, understanding Damien’s concerns. It seemed like there was more to what he had told them, something that might hurt Evelyn even worse, and the subtle warning scared them. Just when she was finally smiling amidst the mess, here was another of fate’s cruel twists, ready to snatch it away.
"Ye-yes!" Evelyn replied in a shaky voice.
Zevian nodded and looked over at John, who had already returned, alerted by Damien’s men about this new mission. Rita, too, looked worried for Evelyn, unsure of how well she was coping with it.
Kiana looked at her parents and then at her two bodyguards. She couldn’t understand what was happening; all she knew was her real grandmother was dead, and Uncle Eli’s mom was somehow behind it. She recalled how she and Evelyn had fooled Sophia into believing Gracia was alive during that dinner. Oh yeah! The little girl’s eyes widened in realization—it was after William had been discharged from the hospital.
"I will come with you too," the little girl declared, excited to see her real grandmother and to tell her how sad her husband, William, looked without her. She would even use her charms to get her back and give her mommy a happy family.
"No, baby!" Evelyn shook her head. They didn’t know what danger awaited in the face of the truth, and she couldn’t put Kiana’s life at risk.
"Damien asked to bring her with us," Zevian stated with a small sigh. Evelyn looked at him in shock, confusion filling her eyes, while Kiana started happily dancing, excited to see her real grandmother.
Meeting Evelyn’s gaze, Zevian continued, "He also mentioned that we should prepare ourselves to see the worst. And we might have to stay for more than a week or two."
"W-why? Is she... Is she sick?" Evelyn wondered, a tear trickling down her face. Or worse, in danger? Her heart thudded at the thought.
"No idea," Zevian replied honestly. Damien had warned them to fly over only after preparing Evelyn mentally. And from the way he had phrased it, Zevian knew the situation was bad. They needed to be strong and brace themselves for the worst.