The Love From Vengeance

394: HOLDING ON TO HOPE

ARIEL’S POV

Finally, Luke and I entered the mansion. The foyer’s familiar grandeur and opulent furnishings welcomed

Us.

“Welcome home, Luke,” I said softly, guiding him further into the expansive hallway.

Luke’s gaze wandered, taking in the elegant surroundings with a mixture of awe and confusion. I could sense his struggle to reconcile the unfamiliar with the fragments of memory that danced just beyond his

reach.

But as we walked, a wave of warmth enveloped us as the familiar faces of the household staff greeted Luke with genuine delight. Their smiles were infectious, banishing the shadows of doubt that lingered in

his eyes.

Mariam emerged from the sitting room, her face lighting up as she caught sight of her nephew.

“Luke, darling, you’re back!” she exclaimed, rushing forward to warmly embrace him.

And then, as if on cue, Celine appeared at the top of the staircase, her expression a mixture of relief and longing. “Luke!”

She went to hug him quickly, but Luke was just giving her a stupefied face.

He kept on with the expression as he brought out, “Mom, you’re alive?”

She gazed at him in confusion, and this was the part where I had to slap my face and say, ‘Oh my god.‘

“What is going on?” Luke inquired, demanding an answer from me or his mother. His eyes are not leaving mine. “My mother is dead. Why am I seeing her face around here?”

Celine’s eyes went to mine, and she, too, was confused. The look she was giving me could tell that she wanted an explanation for this whole drama.

“Ariel, what’s going on?” She queried.

“Okay, calm down, people. There’s no need for any of us to argue around here,” I said, trying to diffuse the

situation.

“No one’s arguing here; we’re just asking questions,” Celine told me.

“Ariel, I asked you something.“Can you please give me an answer to my question?” Luke inquired, staring

at me.

need

act when I’m seeing my mother standing in

complicated.” I answered in a low tone, taking my eyes in another

HOLDING ON TO

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good. “My mother died when I was seven years old. Why

paused immediately, holding his head, and

What’s wrong?” I asked, shifting closer to him.

hurts,” he responded, still fixing both of his hands

shoulders. “Let’s go upstairs. We’ll

his room upstairs, not wanting to get things heated. He might just lose consciousness, stressing himself, and I

to his room, I could

like waves of heat. His

and I knew I needed to handle

on, Luke, let’s get you settled,” I said softly, guiding him to sit on the

to ward off the

and out,” I coached

lead, his breathing gradually evening out as he

I encouraged, reassuringly touching his

slowly melting away from Luke’s body as the minutes passed. The lines of strain

I asked softly, giving his shoulder

nodded, albeit slightly, with his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the walls

for snapping back there,” he murmured, his voice heavy with

all a lot to process,” I reassured him, offering

don’t understand any of this. How can

began, choosing my words carefully. “But sometimes,

of hope flickering in his eyes. “Do you… do you know what’s going

there are a lot of things to talk about. But not right now; you’re still too weak for this. Not weak,

brows at me, his cast

forthwith. “You take care, hun. I’ll be

rry, what now?”

I stood up

room forthwith. After closing the door, I was suspended. This situation was about

HOLDING ON

Celine was standing right there, crossing her arms like she

taking her back off the wall