I woke, freezing, in a snowy, dark expanse.
"Ugh… what's happening…?"
Miranda ripped out my heart—why am I alive? Evelyn's absence sparked dread. "Evelyn! Where are you?!"
"Hahaha!" Her mocking laugh, long unheard, answered. I followed it, shivering, trudging through the cold.
"Why here…? When did I leave Heisenberg's factory?"
Rubbing my hands, I noticed my left ring and pinky fingers—bitten off by Lycans—were back. No scars anywhere. How?
"Stupid, thinking I'd changed?" Evelyn's cold voice sneered. She stood grounded, not floating, glaring. Why this attitude now?
"The me you saw was a hallucination! A delusion you wished for! You killed me, Ethan. I'll never forgive you. Living happily with me, ignoring your guilt—disgusting! Family? Lies! You just wanted forgiveness, not love!"
"That's not true!"
Her words crushed me. Then another Evelyn appeared—the one I knew. My foggy mind grasped that.
"I'm no hallucination! I'm residual thoughts, split from you—still Evelyn! No difference! Ethan loves me, and that's enough!"
"You're a fake!" Original Evelyn snapped. "Why does a fake get love while I don't? Unfair! I'll destroy your shallow trust!"
"What…?"
Original Evelyn, jealous of the "fake" I loved, smirked wickedly. Fake Evelyn, tearful, tried to stop her, but a shockwave sent her flying into my arms. She kept pleading, but Original Evelyn continued.
"She didn't tell you what I did to you?"
"What?" I asked.
"Ethan, don't listen…!" Fake Evelyn begged.
"You're dead, Ethan Winters," Original Evelyn said.
My mind blanked. Fake Evelyn sobbed in my arms. It made sense—Miranda killed me.
"Dead…? Miranda…? No, I'm saving Rose…"
"Idiot, or just in denial? Not Miranda. You've been dead for ages."
"What…? I'm still…"
"No, Ethan!" Fake Evelyn cried. "You've been with me for three years!"
"Shut up, fake," Original Evelyn sneered. "Your body's failing, isn't it, Ethan? Not Miranda's fault."
Fake Evelyn's tears and Original's laughter made it clear who spoke truth. My body felt sluggish.
"You never wondered? All those injuries, yet you transform into Molded? I don't have that power—especially not that fake scrap!"
"Something felt off…"
"Remember three years ago, Baker House? Jack killed you. You've been dead."
It hit me. After defeating Mia, Jack crushed me. Later, he said he didn't mean to kill me—literal. I'd forgotten in the chaos.
"So you shouldn't move," Original Evelyn taunted.
"But I did…"
"You can't! Understand?"
"Then what am I?!" I roared.
My hands, holding Evelyn, were black—not Molded transformation, but made of mold.
"See? Your body's all mold. You'll never see your family again."
"Family… I have to save Rose…"
Crushed, I looked at Fake Evelyn. "You're family too, right?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her.
"…It's my fault. I infected Jack, leading to your death. I feared you'd hate me if I told you…"
"Hate you? Never. You're family."
"Ethan… I'm sorry!" she sobbed.
"What?" Original Evelyn scoffed.
I hugged Fake Evelyn tightly. Fake or not, she's the Evelyn I love. Original Evelyn glared, furious.
"You're fooled by her, yet call her family? Love her?"
"I swore to make this Evelyn family. That won't change."
"You're dead!"
"So what? I'm still here."
I stepped toward Original Evelyn. She backed away, rattled.
"I killed you! So did she! Yet you forgive and love her… that's real family!"
"I'll tell Mia, introduce Evelyn as Rose's sister. She's my family!"
"No! I made you suffer! Rose was targeted because of me! The fake gets love, a family, while I'm left out? I won't accept it!"
Screaming, Original Evelyn cried. I exchanged a glance with Fake Evelyn, nodded, and released her. We embraced Original Evelyn together.
"You too," I said.
"What…?"
"You're Evelyn, my family. Alone here… you were lonely."
"I… just wanted a real family… I was jealous…"
"You're family too."
Original Evelyn wailed, Fake Evelyn joining her. I held them gently. Rose, I'll save you… and hold you like this.
(Evelyn split into Original, trapped in mold, and Fake, a ghost. Reuniting and reconciling with Original—what does this mean?)
---------------------------------------------------------
🚀 Want more?
📖 Unlock 10+ early chapters on my Patreon!
💖 Support me here: patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ
🔓 Get ahead of the story today!