Chapter 22 "Sloane!" She froze for a moment, then turned, falling straight into a warm embrace. He held her so tightly his body trembled with the effort, as if he wanted to fuse her into his very bones. "Sloane, I've been looking everywhere. I thought I'd lost you forever. I'm sorry-1 failed to protect you. you be taken..." By the end, his voice had broken into a choked whisper. I let In three years together, she had seen many sides of Elias-gentle, playful, laughing, teasing-but never this. Never so raw and fragile, self-blaming, clutching her like a treasure he had just recovered, terrified that if he blinked, she would vanish again. "It wasn't your fault, Elias. Blame the ones who meant harm, not yourself." The ache in her chest swelled, and her own voice caught. She shook her head, arms wrapping around him tightly. Looking up at his reddened eyes, she brushed her fingers gently across them. "I missed you too, Elias..." No matter what Julian did for her now, he wasn't the man she loved. Every moment with him had been a moment she longed to escape. Yet he had saved her life. So even now, at the hospital, with no guards hovering at her side, she couldn't bring herself to abandon him just yet. She told Elias everything that had happened, and when she explained that she wanted to stay until Julian's condition stabilized, her voice trembled with unease. She didn't want to lie to Elias, but she feared he would resent Julian, resent the fact that Julian had taken her, resent that she wanted to stay for him. But Elias surprised her. His gaze stayed fixed on her, scanning her up and down with worry, as if her words hadn't even registered. He didn't relax until he was certain she wasn't hurt. She blinked, startled. "You don't mind?" He understood immediately. With a sigh, he ruffled her hair. "It's alright, Sloane. He did wrong, but he also saved you. As long as you're still here with me, that's all that matters." Maybe once, Elias might have been jealous or brooding. But he had never once tried to control her. With him, she always had the right to decide her own life, even when he didn't agree. Chapter 22 14.47% After everything they had been through, Elias was the last person who would try to chain her down. All he wanted was for her to be happy, safe, and alive at his side. As long as she stayed, he was content. Lost in the relief of their reunion, neither of them noticed the figure watching from the hallway. Julian. He saw them locked in each other's arms, and his lips curved into a bitter smile. He knew he wasn't like Elias. Elias gave her freedom, support, patience. Julian, on the other hand, loved by chaining, by binding her to him no matter the cost, even if she hated him. If someone tried to take her away, he would rather burn everything down than let her go. Even if it killed him, he wanted to be the one unforgettable presence in her life, the scar she could never erase. He had thought that giving her the finest things the world had to offer was enough. But he had forgotten the most important question-Was Sloane happy? The answer was clear. She wasn't. And suddenly, he remembered the words she had asked him in Mistvale. "Julian, do you really love me, or is it just obsession?" Back then, he had sworn it was love, so much that he would do anything to drag her back into his world. Now, he wasn't so sure. Chapter 22 14.47% Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!