Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 184 One Wrong Step, Too Hard to Turn Back

I flung the door open, and there was Bella, soaked to the bone.

She croaked out, "Emily!"

I yanked her inside and slammed the door shut.

Seeing her like that, all I could think about was that wanted poster. I had a bad feeling.

"Bella, what happened?"

She wiped her face and said, "Zachary got caught."

Even though I kinda expected it, hearing her say it still hit me hard. I had no idea how to comfort her.

She glanced at Ethan, who was standing at the top of the stairs, and said, "Emily, I'm sorry for barging in so late."

I grabbed her hand. "Don't be silly. Let's get you out of those wet clothes first."

I took her to the guest room, ran a bath, and grabbed some of my pajamas for her.

"Bella, take a hot bath. You must be freezing." I led her to the bathroom and turned on the heater.

She forced a smile. "I'm okay. I ran all the way here, so I'm actually pretty warm."

She got undressed and slipped into the tub. I grabbed a towel and helped her wash.

"Bella, what exactly happened?"

She sank lower into the water, her hair floating around her, the necklace on her neck barely visible. She tilted her head back, thinking.

"We never left Starlight City. I was scared we wouldn't be able to come back. Zachary said at least my dad was still here."

I was stunned. "Where were you?"

"Zachary found a spot in the mountains. It seemed safe, and I thought we could stay hidden forever. But tonight, the cops surrounded us. I don't know how they found us."

The law finally caught up. I knew this day would come, but not so soon.

Bella splashed water on her face, letting it drip from her chin.

mountain's base. Zachary sensed trouble and told me to take a different route. I hesitated, but he was serious. I followed his advice. From a distance, I saw them put Zachary in a car. I wanted to run to him but held back, knowing it would ruin everything. I watched the police car drive away and then ran here." She told me all this

with her as she tried

staring at the

can't figure out how they knew we were there.

he's in custody, he hasn't been

"Zachary told me if he ever got caught, it would be the

so final;

could remarry. But I never considered it. If he hadn't gotten involved with my dad,

some were harder to erase. Sometimes, one wrong step made it

have this baby?" I asked,

I wasn't afraid of anything while I was running. The only thing I feared was losing the baby," she answered without

She wasn't devastated; she was calm, like she and Zachary were just temporarily apart and would be

when I woke up, Bella was still staring at the ceiling. I couldn't tell if she had woken up early or hadn't

a loose jacket, and anyone who didn't know wouldn't be able to tell he was injured, though his face

the three of us ate in silence. Bella seemed to sense something was off and pulled me out to the balcony after

what's going on with you

tell her about that night. She had enough to deal

I said, brushing

there's no guarantee

Ethan and I seemed like the perfect couple. But only we knew the cracks in our relationship, some of which even we couldn't fully understand. "Enough about me. What are you going to do about

before the sentencing. I need to go to a law firm and hire a reliable lawyer. Only the lawyer has the right

after arriving, her words still echoing in

investigating the grave desecration these past few days. I have results," Ethan

turned to look at him.

be that it

me," he said,

clothes and went with him. He drove with one hand, skillfully navigating the streets.

front of Starlight City Psychiatric

was surprised and had a bad

getting out of the car, Ethan naturally

in such a place, and the eerie environment

people were playing inside, all looking mentally unstable. Soon, two people started pulling at each other, and doctors and nurses immediately stepped in to separate

of them laughed foolishly, while

knew they were just patients, and as a healthcare worker, I shouldn't discriminate against them.

barbed wire, staring at me, was Arthur. He looked much more normal than the other patients, standing quietly

of actions since his return, I knew he wasn't normal. He smiled at me, a particularly eerie smile that sent chills down my

as if tracing my curves or touching me, all

was so disgusted that I got