Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 227: Childhood Trauma

Chapter 227: Childhood Trauma

After what felt like an eternity, the twelve-hour mark finally passed, and Eric was officially out of the danger zone. The room erupted in cheers of relief, with everyone hugging each other, eyes red with emotion. Ella was overcome with joy, tears streaming down her face.

Finally, she allowed herself to return to her room for some much-needed rest.

Chloe and Amelia stayed with her, deciding to spend the night at the hospital rather than go home.

"The doctor said Mr. Nelson should wake up in a day or two. He’s going to be okay, so don’t worry, Ella. Get some proper sleep now, or you’ll wear yourself out," Amelia said softly, peeling an apple for Ella.

Ella stared out the window, lost in thought, before slowly turning her attention back.

"Amelia, did they catch the shooter?"

"Yes, they did. I heard he’s demanding a billion before he’ll reveal his identity and information about the organization," Amelia confirmed with a nod.

"When Eric and I were attacked, there was a pigeon keeper nearby who helped rescue us. If it weren’t for him, Eric might have been shot again by that man in black. Make sure Mark and the others thank him properly and don’t give him a hard time."

Ella’s phone had been destroyed in the fire, so she had no way to contact anyone directly, leaving it to Amelia to pass on the message.

"Alright, alright, I’ll take care of it. You’ve been under so much stress for so long. Now that Eric’s stable, get some rest. There’s no point in exhausting yourself when you can go to him after he wakes up," Amelia insisted.

Chloe agreed, "Ella, you really need to rest. If you fall sick, how will you be able to take care of Eric?"

Ella nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her now that Eric was out of immediate danger. But there was still a lingering shadow in her mind. If the shooter wasn’t fully dealt with, Eric could be in danger again at any time.

Still, Ella was too exhausted to think about it further. Her entire body felt like it was falling apart, worn down by the stress and tension.

Amelia left the room to make a phone call, while Chloe stayed behind to keep watch over Ella.

A soft knock on the door interrupted the quiet. Chloe looked up and, to her surprise, saw Brandon walk in.

He had been absent for nearly a year, and now he suddenly showed up out of the blue?

Chloe harbored deep resentment toward Brandon. Ella had once accepted his love, but then he had turned around and slept with Hannah. It was unforgivable.

Chloe stood up, her face darkening as she spoke in a low voice. "Get out. Don’t wake her."

Brandon looked longingly at Ella, who was sleeping soundly, though her brows were furrowed in worry.

Chloe moved to push Brandon out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

"What’s wrong with her? I heard she was in the hospital. Is she okay?" Brandon asked, his voice full of concern.

Chloe glared at him. "Why are you here? You and Ella have nothing to do with each other anymore. She’s fine, so you don’t need to worry. You can leave."

Brandon winced at Chloe’s harsh tone, shocked that even she, who was normally so polite, now clearly despised him.

"I know you’re angry with me, but I just wanted to check on her, see if she’s alright," he said, sounding hurt.

"She’s fine. Now that you’ve confirmed it, you can go. Or are you planning to wait until she wakes up so you can reminisce with her? Brandon, can your skin get any thicker?" Chloe snapped.

Brandon stood there awkwardly, not expecting such a cold reception. He had heard that after his affair with Hannah, he was no longer welcomed at school, so he had left to study in Country W. Now that he was back, was he here for Ella? Chloe couldn’t help but wonder.

Brandon looked thinner, but his face glowed with health, a sign that his time in Country W had treated him well.

"Alright, I’ll go," he said quietly. "When she wakes up, tell Ella that I came by to see her. My number is still the same as before. I also won the SS Award in Country W, so... if she ever needs any of my paintings..."

"Oh, come on," Chloe interrupted coldly. "You really think Ella’s going to call you? Forget it, Mr. Hall. Ella’s heart belongs to someone else now. Knowing him, she’ll never reach out to you again, so stop holding on to false hope."

Brandon turned silently and walked toward the elevator. Chloe was right—Ella had Eric now. There was no way she would look at him the way she once did.

Even without Eric in the picture, she probably wouldn’t contact him again.

Back in his car, Brandon didn’t drive off right away. He just sat there, lost in thought and filled with sadness.

He had learned through social media that Ella and her boyfriend, Eric, had been attacked during a vacation and were hospitalized with their conditions unknown. That was why he had rushed back.

Hannah had been taken away by a mysterious figure, but Brandon didn’t care. His trip to Country W was genuinely for self-improvement, in the hopes that gaining more skills might make Ella notice him again.

But he hadn’t expected things to take such a dramatic turn. Who was targeting them?

Frustrated, Brandon found himself questioning why he still cared so much about Ella when it was clear she could never love him again. Why was he still clinging to her?

Perhaps some loves only deepen with time, refusing to fade, no matter how hopeless they seem.

...

Meanwhile, Eric was dreaming again—this time, of that barren desert.

There was no water, no sunlight, no shelter, and no greenery.

The world around him was dark, and he had been wandering for what seemed like an eternity, unable to find the way home.

His mouth was parched, his head ached, and his strength was fading.

"I can’t fall... I can’t fall... The Queen is still waiting for me... I can’t die. I can’t..." he muttered in his sleep.

"If I leave, she’ll cry."

"If I really leave her... she’ll find a thousand men... that girl full of thorns... she always keeps her word."

"If I leave, someone will hurt her... I can’t go. Keep walking, Eric! Just keep walking!"

Eric struggled in his nightmare.

He didn’t know how long he had been walking, but even when all that was left was the faintest breath of strength, he kept moving, inch by inch.

The shadow of death loomed over him constantly.

Suddenly, the scene before him shifted, and he found himself standing at the front door of the Nelson family estate. His heart ached sharply.

Since Victoria’s suicide by jumping from the building, James had moved out, though the villa they lived in still belonged to Victoria.

Eric realized he had shrunk back to the size of a seven-year-old—an all-too-familiar nightmare.

Bang!

A loud thud echoed, and Eric saw a figure fall heavily to the ground. Blood splattered in a horrifying pattern across the floor.

"Mommy!" his seven-year-old self screamed, his heart shattering.

He rushed forward, holding her still-warm body as tears streamed uncontrollably down his face. Victoria’s hand trembled as she reached out and gripped his tightly.

"Son... you have to... live well... and never trust in love. If you ever do... don’t cling to it. Do you understand?"