CHAPTER THREE — THE PLACE SHE CALLED HOME
1776 Words
The call had ended.
Yet Master Orion's words refused to leave her mind.
"Pack only what matters."
"I've found your family."
"They've been searching for you for nineteen years."
Eliora remained standing beneath the pouring rain long after the screen of her phone went dark.
Cars rushed past.
Pedestrians hurried beneath umbrellas.
The city carried on as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
Yet for her...
Everything had changed.
She slowly lowered her gaze to the small silver bracelet still clutched in her hand.
It was scratched.
Bent.
Its tiny gift box had been crushed beneath Vanessa's heel.
Just hours ago, it had represented three years of love.
Now...
It was nothing more than a reminder of a beautiful lie.
Eliora looked at it quietly.
Then closed her fingers around it.
"No."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm done mourning people who never deserved me."
With that...
She slipped the bracelet into her bag.
Not because she still treasured Ethan.
But because she wanted to remember this night.
The night Eliora Reed disappeared.
And someone stronger began to take her place.
---
The next morning...
Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the Reed household.
Everything looked exactly the same.
The old furniture.
The faded walls.
The cracked dining table.
The familiar smell of burnt toast drifting from the kitchen.
Only Eliora knew...
This would be the last morning she would ever spend inside this house.
She folded the few belongings she truly owned into a worn backpack.
Three changes of clothes.
A notebook filled with medical observations.
A faded photograph of herself and Master Orion taken years ago.
And the broken bracelet.
Nothing else belonged to her.
Nothing else was worth taking.
She looked around the tiny bedroom one final time.
For nineteen years...
She had cried here.
Studied here.
Dreamed here.
Now...
It felt strangely empty.
A loud voice shattered the silence.
"Eliora!"
Her adoptive mother's sharp tone echoed through the house.
"If you're finished sleeping, breakfast won't cook itself!"
A small smile tugged at Eliora's lips.
Yesterday...
Those words would have hurt.
Today...
They meant nothing.
She picked up her backpack.
Opened the bedroom door.
And walked downstairs.
---
The dining room looked exactly as it always had.
Gregory Reed sat at the head of the table reading the newspaper.
His coffee rested untouched beside him.
Across from him sat Vanessa.
Perfectly dressed.
Perfectly composed.
Perfectly beautiful.
As though she hadn't destroyed someone's heart less than twenty-four hours earlier.
The moment Vanessa noticed Eliora...
A slow smile appeared.
"Good morning."
Her tone was sickeningly sweet.
"You disappeared so quickly last night."
Eliora didn't answer.
She quietly walked toward the refrigerator.
Poured herself a glass of water.
Then sat down.
Her silence irritated Vanessa more than tears ever could.
Gregory lowered his newspaper.
"What kind of attitude is this?"
No answer.
"You didn't prepare breakfast?"
Still nothing.
Her adoptive mother slammed a plate onto the table.
"So now you're refusing to work?"
Eliora calmly took a sip of water.
"I won't be cooking today."
The room fell silent.
Vanessa blinked.
"...Excuse me?"
"I said..."
Eliora placed the glass down gently.
"I won't be cooking today."
Her voice remained soft.
Polite.
Yet completely firm.
It was the first time she had ever refused.
Her adoptive mother laughed bitterly.
"Oh?"
"So one boyfriend leaves and suddenly you've grown a backbone?"
Vanessa giggled.
"I told you she'd become dramatic."
Gregory folded his newspaper.
"If you're trying to punish us, it won't work."
Eliora looked at each of them.
One after another.
For the first time...
She wasn't searching for approval.
She wasn't hoping they would love her.
She simply...
Saw them.
Three strangers.
People she had sacrificed nineteen years trying to please.
How strange.
They suddenly looked so ordinary.
Vanessa noticed the look in her eyes.
It unsettled her.
"What?"
Eliora smiled faintly.
"Nothing."
She reached across the table.
Picked up a bright red apple from Gregory's plate.
Took a slow bite.
Crunch.
The sound echoed through the silent dining room.
Gregory stared.
Vanessa stared.
Her adoptive mother stared.
Eliora had never done that before.
Never.
She chewed calmly.
Then smiled.
"The apples are sweeter than usual."
She picked up her backpack.
Slung it over one shoulder.
Then walked toward the front door.
"Eliora!"
Her adoptive mother shouted.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Eliora stopped.
She didn't turn around.
"I'll be leaving for a while."
"A while?"
Vanessa scoffed.
"You'll come crawling back."
Perhaps.
The old Eliora would have.
This one...
Never would.
Without another word...
She opened the front door.
Stepped outside.
And quietly closed it behind her.
None of them noticed...
That it was the last time Eliora Reed would ever leave that house as their daughter.
The black luxury sedan climbed the winding mountain road.
Towering pine trees stretched toward the sky on both sides.
The air gradually became cooler.
Cleaner.
Every breath felt lighter than the last.
Eliora lowered the car window slightly.
A familiar scent drifted inside.
Fresh herbs.
Wildflowers.
Mountain rain.
Her lips curved into a genuine smile.
"...I'm home."
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
A small smile appeared on his own face.
"It has been a long time, Young Miss."
Eliora laughed softly.
"It really has."
Almost thirty minutes later...
The massive wrought-iron gates slowly opened.
Beyond them stood the mountain estate she had loved since childhood.
Unlike the extravagant mansions scattered across the city...
Master Orion's estate possessed a different kind of beauty.
Elegant.
Peaceful.
Timeless.
Ancient maple trees lined the stone pathway.
Small streams flowed beneath handcrafted wooden bridges.
Medicinal gardens stretched across the mountainside, filled with thousands of rare herbs collected over decades.
The air carried the calming fragrance of lavender, jasmine and fresh tea leaves.
The villa itself wasn't flashy.
It was warm.
A place that embraced everyone who entered.
The car had barely stopped before the front doors opened.
"Young Miss is back!"
One maid shouted excitedly.
Within seconds...
Servants poured out of the villa.
Gardeners.
Housekeepers.
Chefs.
Even the elderly groundskeeper hurried over with surprising speed.
Everyone wore genuine smiles.
Not forced smiles.
Not respectful smiles.
The smiles of people welcoming family home.
"Welcome back, Young Miss!"
"We missed you!"
"You've become even prettier!"
"When did you get so thin?"
"You aren't skipping meals again, are you?"
Questions flew from every direction.
Eliora couldn't answer fast enough.
She laughed.
Actually laughed.
One by one...
She hugged every familiar face.
"Aunt Martha..."
"You still bake the best cookies."
The elderly cook beamed proudly.
"I knew you'd remember!"
She hugged the head gardener next.
"Uncle Ben."
"You finally stopped arguing with the roses?"
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"...The roses usually win."
Everyone burst into laughter.
At that moment...
A dramatic cough echoed across the courtyard.
"I see."
"So after abandoning us for months..."
"...the old butler doesn't even deserve a greeting?"
Jefferson stood proudly with his hands behind his back.
His expression looked deeply wounded.
Although the grin threatening to escape completely ruined the performance.
Eliora gasped dramatically.
"Oh no."
"The grumpy old butler is still alive?"
Jefferson clutched his chest.
"Old?"
"I have never been so insulted."
She walked over.
Looked him up and down thoughtfully.
"Hmm..."
"A few more wrinkles."
"Definitely older."
The servants exploded into laughter.
Jefferson sighed dramatically.
"I knew raising this child would come back to haunt me."
Before he could continue...
Eliora stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you..."
She whispered softly.
"For always treating me like family."
Jefferson froze.
His teasing smile slowly disappeared.
He gently patted her head.
"Always, Young Miss."
His voice had become suspiciously hoarse.
"No matter where you go..."
"...this will always be your home."
The courtyard suddenly became quiet.
Some of the younger maids discreetly wiped away tears.
Even the driver quietly looked away.
Jefferson cleared his throat loudly.
"Enough."
"If Master hears we've been keeping his precious Little Sparrow outside..."
"...he'll prescribe medicine for all of us."
Almost on cue...
A familiar voice echoed from inside the villa.
"Jefferson."
The old butler immediately straightened.
"...Too late."
Master Orion slowly descended the front steps.
White hair.
Simple linen clothes.
One hand resting on his carved walking stick.
His sharp eyes landed on Eliora.
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then...
He opened his arms.
"My Little Sparrow."
That was all it took.
Every ounce of strength Eliora had built over the past day disappeared.
She hurried forward.
Straight into his embrace.
The old physician wrapped both arms around her.
One hand gently rested on the back of her head.
Exactly as it had when she was ten years old.
Exactly as it had when she failed her first surgery simulation.
Exactly as it had whenever life became too heavy.
She buried her face against his shoulder.
"I'm here..."
Her voice broke.
"I'm finally home."
Master Orion simply closed his eyes.
"You've done well."
No grand speech.
No unnecessary comfort.
Just four simple words.
Yet somehow...
They healed something inside her that she hadn't realized was broken.
After several quiet moments...
The old man gently pulled back.
His sharp eyes scanned her face carefully.
The swollen eyes.
The exhaustion.
The faint redness on her cheek.
His expression darkened.
"Who."
It wasn't a question.
"Master..."
"Who hurt you?"
Silence settled across the courtyard.
Even the birds seemed to stop singing.
Eliora forced a smile.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
Master Orion studied her quietly.
Then gave a slow nod.
"Very well."
His voice remained calm.
Far too calm.
"If my Little Sparrow says it doesn't matter..."
"...then I'll pretend to believe her."
He turned toward Jefferson.
"Dinner."
Jefferson immediately nodded.
"Already prepared."
Master Orion looked back at Eliora.
"But first..."
A faint smile appeared beneath his white beard.
"My granddaughter looks like she'll collapse if the wind blows too hard."
The servants laughed warmly.
Eliora rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
"I may have forgotten breakfast."
Master Orion raised an eyebrow.
"Only breakfast?"
"...Maybe lunch too."
The old physician sighed dramatically.
"Unbelievable."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"I spent years raising a medical genius..."
"...who somehow forgets the most basic principle of human survival."
The servants laughed again.
Even Eliora couldn't stop smiling.
For the first time since her world fell apart...
The heaviness inside her chest felt lighter.
Because she finally remembered something important.
Family...
Was never defined by blood alone.
Sometimes...
It was the people who chose to love you before anyone else ever did.
And inside the quiet mountain villa...
Waiting patiently on Master Orion's study desk...
Was a single file.
One that would change Eliora's life forever.
END OF CHAPTER THREE
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD