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Chapter_164
The sudden voice shattered the fragile calm Whitney had been holding onto. Her heart skipped a beat, panic flooding her veins. She spun around, her eyes darting through the dark shadows of the mountain village, her breath quickening as the full weight of the situation pressed down on her.
“Elaine?” Whitney’s voice wavered, disbelief mixing with dread. Why was she here? Was she part of this twisted mess?
Elaine’s voice cut through the night, thick with mockery. “Are you really this desperate, Whitney?”
Whitney’s eyes widened as Elaine stepped into the dim light. The black outfit she wore only deepened her mysterious, dangerous aura, her face unreadable, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips.
Whitney took an instinctive step back, her gaze flickering to Natalie, who seemed to grow weaker by the minute. The weight of the moment hit like a freight train.
“What are you doing here?” Whitney demanded, her voice trembling. “How did you find us?”
Elaine’s soft laugh sent a shiver down Whitney’s spine. “Oh, it was easy. You think you’re clever, slipping away from Keegan? He’s got eyes everywhere, Whitney. He won’t let you take Natalie from him so easily. And I’m sure you don’t want to make things worse by having me as your enemy.”
Whitney felt the sting of her words settle in her chest. She couldn’t fathom why Elaine, someone she’d once thought of as an ally, was involved in this. Betrayal gnawed at her insides, her resolve faltering.
“You’re working with him?” Whitney asked, her voice thick with disbelief. “You’re helping Keegan keep Natalie and hurt my uncle even more?”
Elaine’s eyes flickered, a hard edge creeping into her expression. “It’s not that simple, Whitney. You think you’re saving the day, but you’re just a pawn in a much bigger game. Your uncle is lost, and so are you. You can’t fix this. Not by yourself.”
Her words hit Whitney like a slap, nausea twisting in her gut. She glanced at Natalie, her fragile form barely holding on. “I have to get her to the hospital,” Whitney said, desperation building in her chest. “She’s not a part of your game.”
Elaine shrugged, unfazed, as if this whole situation were a game she’d already won. “You’re welcome to try, but you’re running out of time. Keegan will be back soon, and you’ll be caught in his web. You’re already tangled up in this mess, whether you like it or not.”
A surge of anger and helplessness clawed at Whitney’s insides. She wasn’t going to let this happen. Not to Natalie. Not to her family. Not to herself.
“Why are you doing this?” Whitney asked, her voice thick with frustration and sorrow. “Why are you helping him, knowing what it’s doing to everyone?”
Elaine’s gaze sharpened, a cold, calculating smile curving her lips. “Because this is how things work. People like Keegan have power, Whitney. Power makes everything fall into place. I’m not helping him for my own gain—I’m making sure I’m not left behind when everything crumbles.”
Whitney’s breath came in shallow gasps, her chest tightening as the weight of Elaine’s words settled over her. She didn’t have time to engage with this twisted logic. Natalie was slipping away, and every moment wasted could be her last.
“Get out of my way, Elaine,” Whitney said, her voice cold with determination. “You won’t stop me from saving her.”
Elaine’s smile faltered for a moment, her eyes flashing with something dangerous. “You really think you can get away with it? Keegan won’t let you. He’ll track you down, and when he does, it’ll be worse than you can imagine.”
Whitney didn’t have the luxury of time or energy to argue. Her focus was sharp, only on getting Natalie to safety.
Glancing down at the sick woman in her arms, Whitney felt the weight of every decision she had made. She couldn’t undo the past, but she could still fight for this. Fight for what was left.
“We have to go. Now,” Whitney said urgently, looking toward the path ahead, her pulse racing.
But before she could make another move, Elaine stepped forward, blocking her way.
“I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Whitney,” Elaine said, her voice low, dangerous. “You’re not in control of this anymore.”
Whitney’s heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t let this woman stop her. She couldn’t let her control this narrative, this moment, this life.
Then, in an instant, the solution hit her. Without warning, Whitney pushed forward with everything she had, using her shoulder to knock Elaine aside. She didn’t look back as she bolted toward the steep path that led down the mountain, her legs moving faster than her mind could keep up.
Elaine shouted after her, but Whitney didn’t pause. She couldn’t afford to.
“Stay close, Mom!” she yelled, her voice raw with urgency. “We’re almost there!”
As they hurried down, every step felt heavier than the last. Whitney was no longer just running for Natalie’s life—she was running for a chance to make things right, to fix the unfixable, and to salvage what was left of the family she once had.
The road ahead was shrouded in uncertainty, but Whitney wasn’t going to let Elaine, Keegan, or anyone else stop her now. She would fight for them all.
With every step, she could only hope that it wouldn’t be too late.
