Everest's Guardian Hubby Watched Me Freeze My Ghost Knows Where He'll Burn novel Chapter 37

Chapter 24

On the morning of Elara’s burial, Nicholas finally stepped out of the house for the first time in days.

He had taken the time to shave carefully, trimmed his hair shorter than usual, and showered, trying to wash away the heaviness clinging to him. Dressed entirely in black, from his polished shoes to his somber jacket, he looked every bit the part of a grieving son.

Downstairs, he emptied the bags of trash that had piled up over the past week. Then, standing just outside the building, he tilted his head back and fixed his gaze on the seventh-floor window, the one with the faded blue curtains that still fluttered gently in the morning breeze. Time seemed to slow as he lingered there, the silence around him almost deafening.

As the first golden rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, painting the sky in soft hues of pink and orange, Nicholas finally turned away. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and carefully removed the small charm that dangled from the keyring—a tiny keepsake he had never thought to part with before. Without hesitation, he let the keys slip from his fingers and fall into the dark mouth of a storm drain.

Without looking back, he made his way to the parking garage, climbed into his car, and drove straight to the cemetery.

Once there, he found himself uncertain where to begin. He didn’t know exactly which plot belonged to Elara. So, methodically, he started at the bottom of the hillside, moving slowly upward, reading each headstone with a quiet reverence.

When he reached the midpoint, he spotted a familiar figure bowed before a grave. Relief washed over him like a wave, and his entire body relaxed as if a heavy weight had been lifted. He wiped the sweat from his brow and approached cautiously.

“Mom,” he whispered.

She didn’t respond. Instead, she remained focused on the grave, crouching down to place a bouquet of pristine white lilies carefully at the base of the headstone. Then, with deliberate care, she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping the marble clean, removing dirt and dust as though preserving something sacred.

Only when the stone gleamed did she finally stand and glance at Nicholas’s empty hands. Her voice was distant, almost cold, as if speaking to a stranger passing by.

“What are you doing here?”

Nicholas didn’t flinch. From the moment he saw her, he hadn’t looked away. Yet she wasn’t meeting his eyes. She had no idea of the storm of emotions swirling behind his gaze.

He took a shallow breath, swallowing the bitter lump rising in his throat, and tried to sound casual, though his voice barely hid the tremor within.

“I came to see you.”

“I’m not dead yet,” she replied sharply.

The word—dead—hung heavily in the air, making Nicholas’s hands tremble inside his sleeves. He forced a faint smile, fragile but determined.

“Don’t say things like that, Mom. You’re going to live a long, healthy life. I know it.”

At last, she looked up at him, her expression hard and unreadable.

“How can you even smile? Have you pickled your brain in alcohol?”

Nicholas shook his head firmly. He was sober, his mind clear despite the grief. His gaze drifted toward the photo engraved on the headstone.

“Mom… New Year’s is coming up. I won’t be able to spend it with you this time. If you feel lonely, go stay with Aunt Linda, okay? And don’t forget—after the new year, make sure you get your checkup on time…”

He rambled on, listing one thing after another, as if by filling the air with mundane details, he could stave off the silence between them. His mother’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Why are you talking so much today?”

Nicholas lowered his eyes, hiding the flicker of emotion beneath his lashes.

“Nothing. I just… haven’t talked to you in a while.”

The rest of the sentence caught in his throat and remained unspoken.

The elevator doors opened. He watched her step inside, the soft hum of the machinery filling the quiet. He didn’t move until the floor indicator above the door settled on the twelfth floor.

Only then did he turn away and walk out.

Before starting his car, he pulled out his phone and typed a message to Valentina.

“Still up for that trip?”