Chapter 126: The Crossroads of Destiny
Thelma Zane’s POV:
I found myself enveloped by an overwhelming sense of misunderstanding. It wasn’t rooted in any specific grievance, yet I felt inexplicably wronged, as though the universe itself conspired against me.
I yearned to hear Aldrich’s voice, to immerse myself in his soothing words, and to feel the comfort of his embrace. Acting on this longing, dialed his number.
“What’s wrong, my love?” Aldrich’s voice carried a trace of fatigue. He was likely still preoccupied with overseeing the situation with the cocoon of light, a task that demanded relentless vigilance.
Hearing his voice sent a surge of emotions through me, rendering me speechless. I couldn’t find the words to explain my feelings, so I remained silent.
“Thelma, are you there?” His tone sharpened with concern. “What’s the matter? Don’t worry
1’ll come to…
you!
“No! Don’t come,” I responded quickly, unwilling to distract him from his responsibilities. I’m fine. Really. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
His voice softened as he murmured, “Oh, my dear. I miss you too.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, and I asked, “How is the mission progressing? What’s the status. of the cocoon?”
“It’s going well,” Aldrich reassured me. “This witch’s power isn’t as formidable as Fitch’s. We estimate that it will take about three days to fully dispel the light cocoon.”
“You must promise me to be cautious. The moment you notice anything unusual, evacuate your team immediately,” I urged him. “Don’t worry about the destruction it might cause; someone will compensate for it.”
Aldrich chuckled lightly. “Are you referring to the witch or the Lycan King? If it’s the latter, I imagine His Majesty’s finance officer would be in tears.”
Normally, I would have laughed along with him, but the weight of my emotions today kept me somber.
Suddenly, the background noise on his end grew louder, filled with the sounds of soldiers calling out. I imagined Aldrich multitasking, managing his duties while still giving me his attention. His silent presence over the line was strangely comforting.
“I don’t want to keep you from your work any longer,” I said eventually.
“It’s alright, my love,” he replied gently. “I’m the commander. I delegate, observe, and make
Chapter 126: The Crossrails of Destiny
decisions. That leaves plenty of room for me to focus on you too.”
After a pause, I confided, “Adele has lost her sanity.”
I knew Aldrich must have already received updates about Adele from Duke Frank, so this
wouldn’t be news to him.
“I’m so sorry,” he said in a somber voice. “The southern Duke must be devastated.”
I buried myself deeper into my sweater and whispered, “I can only imagine his anguish. He’s still searching for Carolyn, and now, the daughter he only just reunited with has succumbed to madness.
“When I think about Adele, I feel conflicted.
“She deceived everyone, abducted Carolyn, nearly incited chaos at the school, and almost unleashed devastation through the cocoon. Yet, despite all this, I can’t help but pity her.
“I despise her for what she’s done, but at the same time, I feel sorry for her. I wonder, what if our circumstances were reversed? If I had been the one to endure her life–growing up steeped in pain and resentment, finding no place in the world because someone else had taken my spot in my parents‘ home–could I have turned out any better than she did?
“These questions haunt me. Our lives mirror each other’s in strange ways. Perhaps I was simply fortunate to stumble upon a brighter path, while Adele remained trapped in perpetual
darkness.
“For a fleeting moment today, I even thought the fragile, tormented person lying in that bed was a reflection of my own pale, troubled self. Was this all a dream? A figment of my imagination?”
The contradictions in my feelings baffled me. My sympathy for Adele defied logic, yet the moment I entered that shadowy tower, I was consumed by a sense of despair so profound it felt as though the darkness itself might swallow me whole.
The tower’s oppressive gloom seemed alive, the overcast skies erasing even the faintest glimmer of sunlight. The dim, flickering glow of a poorly made incandescent bulb offered not solace, only a pale imitation of light.
The light seemed to mock Adele’s hollow existence, a grim reminder of the emptiness that had shaped her life. It also served as a stark warning to me, urging gratitude for all that I held dear. Life’s capriciousness was impossible to ignore; one moment, it elevates you to the heavens, and in the next, it shatters your world with merciless finality.
Aldrich remained quiet, listening intently as I poured my heart out. The steady rhythm of his breathing, audible through the phone, somehow steadied the chaos within me:
“Don’t let doubt or fear consume you,” he said finally. “Look around you. See the unwavering support of the Lycan King and Queen. Listen to my voice. Think of Dorothy, Kara, Tracy, and all your friends. They’re real, aren’t they?
Juppé 124 The Crossrady
“The love and care you’ve received, the warmth they bring–it’s genuine, as undeniable as the
sun’s rays.
“Every shared moment–whether mundane, thrilling, frustrating, or heartwarming–is a testament to the life you’ve built. These experiences are etched into time, forming a part of who you are.
“So don’t despair, Thelma.
“Fate is a relentless force, unpredictable and uncontrollable, like a wild horse galloping into the unknown. But there’s one certainty: it always moves forward, never backward.”
