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Chapter 256

Chapter 256

-Ava’s POV-

I let out a shuddering breath, my fingers tightening around his hand. It felt cold, unnaturally still, and yet, somehow, I still expected him to squeeze back. To open his eyes. To scowl at me the way he always did when I challenged him. But there was nothing.

Silence.

Emptiness.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat, willing myself to be stronger than this, to be harder than this. But the moment I spoke again, my voice cracked.

“You were supposed to fix things.”

The words felt like acid on my tongue.

“I hated you for so long, and some part of me still does. But I would take us continuing how we’ve always been. For me me seeing you as the enemy and fighting with you than this.”

My chest tightened as I stared at him, his face slack, peaceful in a way that felt unnatural. Luther Pierce was never peaceful. He was absolutely dreadful and this was so wrong.

“I need you to wake up.”

My voice dropped to a whisper, raw and broken.

“I need you to fight like you always have. For once, not against me, but with me. I know it is impossible but I need you to find a way to do that still.

My breath hitched, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it. I had spent so much of my life trying to break free of his shadow, and now, sitting here, I realized how much of me had been built in reaction to him.

I sniffled, shaking my head as I wiped angrily at my eyes. This isn’t fair.

anger and grief all at once, “Even now, lying there, you still win. You still get to be the center of everything. You still get to consume

shakily, finally allowing myself to slump forward, resting my forehead against

“Damn you, Father.”

the healer’s quarters the only sound in the room. I thought about everything–about the years of resentment, the hard–earned moments of

about how I had never gotten the chance to hear him say he

now, I never would. And I wanted that so badly. I wanted to know what it would be

with my

squeezed his hand one last

when it happened.

movement beneath my fingers.

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Chapter 256

heart pounded wildly as I stared at his

then it

twitch

sharp breath, my pulse roaring in my ears. No. No, it’s not possible.

said I shot to my feet, my chair scraping against the floor as I

back.

vision blurred with tears, just as my mind caught up to what was

twitched again.

as I sat there, watching, waiting, there was nothing Just the same stillness, the same unnerving quiet that had filled

fingers trembled as they hovered over his hand, waiting for another

my shoulders sagged. I imagined it.

moment with Grayson hadn’t been a

my father was dead

searching for something I wasn’t even sure existed. And

leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

the weight of it sat heavy in my chest. It felt like a goodbye, even if I

gaze linger on him one last time before

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