The Ashes of Vows (Elara and Damon) novel Chapter 23

23

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My hands and feet were tied. I couldn’t move an inch. Despair washing over me, I squeezed my eyes shut.

But just then, Damon, somehow, dragged himself over to me. He’d found a gas mask, God knows where, just lying around in the abandoned warehouse, and with every last ounce of his strength, he put it on me.

“Damon, you’ll die…!”

My body shook as I tried to resist. I didn’t even realize it, but tears were already streaming down

His fingertip brushed away my tear. I heard his soft chuckle.“But you get to live,” he said.

Humans are, so often, creatures of incredibly complex emotions.

Love and hate can exist side by side. Disgust and desire? They’re not mutually exclusive either.

Even after all those years, I still couldn’t quite figure out why that tear fell.

my face.

The murky gas filled the air, and Damon was already slumped beside me, silent. My own consciousness started to fade. I tried to shake him awake, to make him hold on, just a little longer.

Until, out of nowhere, the distinct wail of sirens pierced the silence outside the warehouse.

I don’t know how long I was out, but when I finally opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed.

My fingers twitched, and I looked at Julian, who was sitting beside my bed. I shot upright.

“Don’t be scared, Elle. It’s all over.”

He squeezed my hand, a comforting gesture.“He’s alive, too. He just inhaled way too much of that toxic gas. It caused some serious damage to his organs, and he’ll have some permanent issues from it.”

In that moment, the reality of surviving finally sank in.

I whispered, “That day…”

Julian let out a sigh.“I called the cops. I couldn’t reach you, and your phone just went straight to voicemail every time. So I pulled some strings with local connections, and we tracked you guys down fast.”

I was in the hospital for a week. The day I checked out, Damon was already awake in the ICU.

I went to see him.

A bouquet of hydrangeas sat by his bedside. My gaze flicked to them, unperturbed. “You’ll need some time to recover,” I said.“After that, Julian’s team will get you back home.”

“Elle, will we ever see each other again?”

His voice was hoarse, like he’d fought for every word.

I didn’t answer directly. “I’ll be living abroad permanently from now on,” I stated.“Unless something extraordinary happens, I won’t be coming back.”

I said my piece, then turned and walked out.

Damon just lay there on the hospital bed, his empty gaze fixed on my retreating back, tears welling in his red–rimmed eyes.

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Two years later, Sloane’s case went to trial in Veridia City.

The case details involved the Ashford Clan, which dragged the whole thing out for a while.

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By then, the once–illustrious Ashford Clan, formerly the wealthiest family in the city, had already fallen hard and fast. Not only were they implicated in a murder case, but shady, illegal dealings had also been uncovered. It all culminated in total bankruptcy.

Sloane was convicted on multiple counts, including aggravated assault and abuse, and sentenced to spend the rest of her life behind bars, paying for her crimes.

That day, I flew back home specifically to hear Sloane’s sentencing.

As the hearing concluded and the dust had settled, I walked out of the courthouse, still on the phone.

Julian’s car was waiting right at the bottom of the courthouse steps.

“Over here!”

As soon as he saw me, he hurried over.

He naturally took my hand.“Waited three hours in line, but I finally got my hands on those lotus pastries you’ve been dying to figure out the recipe for.”

I nudged him towards the car.“Come on, we’re gonna miss our flight.”

As they walked down the steps, their figures, close together in the glow of the sunset, made for a beautiful sight.

“I told you to bundle up. It’s chilly back home. Give me your hand.”

Even for those few steps, Julian kept my hand firmly in his, tucking it into his coat pocket.

Yep, we’d been together for six months now.

I wasn’t ready to commit to forever, not really. But I still wanted to follow my heart and give it a shot with someone I actually liked.

That day, our car slowly pulled away.

What I didn’t see was the man in the wheelchair, perfectly still, his eyes locked on me.

Damon pulled his gaze away, a bitter, self–deprecating humor in his eyes. He’d been too severely injured in that accident. His body, ravaged by failing organs and a slew of lingering complications, meant he practically lived in a rehab facility year–round.

It was probably the last time he’d ever see me.

Seeing his former love, so vibrant and alive, enjoying her perfect moment in this world… it was good.

Damon turned his wheelchair and rolled away. His life, from this moment on, finally felt complete.

Time, like sand through fingers, quietly slipped away.

I leaned weakly against the old wicker chair, my face turned towards the setting sun.

The birdsong in the yard slowly faded out, and my mind drifted into a fog.

Yet, my awareness didn’t fully dissipate.

When I next opened my eyes, I was standing before a massive gate. The carvings on it depicted my entire past life.