CHAPTER 511: THE LIGHT WE WAITED FOR (10)

Ava giggled at the befuddled look on Rocky, remembering back to when she had witnessed the un-ordinary from these same people. Ian, as usual, did not care much beyond the fact that his wife was okay. To him, every other thing or person was secondary.

"Yo-"

Rocky never got the words out in his shock. However, like Ava, he also took it better than Ava had done some time in the past. Ian never questioned why Shelby had decided to loop in Rocky. He was also on the same page somehow. Besides, in Ian’s eyes, his wife was supreme.

A few moments later, in the presence of Ava, Ian, Currey and Shelby, Rocky stared in amazement as his sister,

’I knew sis was the best! But this is a whole different thing! ... and brother Ian too!’

Ian chuckled at Rocky’s thoughts before he came to the realization,

’I have to curb my thoughts from these two freaks! But I love them anyway!’

"Sissy! You’re the best!" Rocky shouted as he leaned down gently and hugged Ava tightly just moments after that.

When he straightened, He slipped into the same bed as Ava and refused to let go.

"You’re going to be an aunt...."

Ava said proudly to Shelby, patting her tummy, as she also snuggled close to Rocky. At this time, there was no need to hide their emotions from each other. The evidence of their love was more than glaring for all, so Ava just accepted it. Also, as she rubbed the ring on her finger fondly, he had said that he would make her his wife, and that boy had seen his words through. What more could a woman want?

Just then, Ava’s eyes settled on the way Ian caressed Shelby’s tummy. It took a moment for it to sink in.

"... and so am I?" Ava shrieked, suddenly sitting bolt upright in the bed, the blanket nearly flying off her lap, amidst Rocky’s anxiety. With the potion in her, she found a new strength and vitality that had not been there when she had awoken. It made Ava forget that she was still supposed to be in bed.

Rocky, her fiancé, rushed sideways and caught her shoulders before she could launch herself out of the bed in full panic. "Whoa—whoa, easy!" he said, half-laughing, half-panicking himself. But he never expected that Ava would turn to him,

"You knew?!" she demanded, rounding on Rocky, her eyes wide in disbelief.

Rocky opened his mouth but only managed a helpless shrug, hands raised like a child caught stealing candy.

’Ava, you woke up barely minutes ago, it’s not like I could have just told you this?’ Those were the words that Rocky wanted to say, but he dared not say them.

Ava then turned her wide, accusatory gaze on Shelby, who looked both guilty and amused. Her hands instinctively drifted to her slightly rounded stomach.

"Ava, you just woke up, so stop being dramatic," Shelby chided quietly. Her strength was still zapped, but Ian held her snuggly.

Ava narrowed her eyes, and Shelby groaned, "Ughhh!" covering her face with her hands, for she knew what the shameless Ava was thinking of.

Ava’s arms fell to her sides, and though her mouth didn’t move, her eyes said everything her stunned mind couldn’t yet shape into words.

It was filled with joy, worry, wonder, and so many more, but most importantly, Love.

"I guess I’m going to be that kind of aunt," she murmured eventually, her tone softer, tinged with awe.

"What kind?"

"The one that becomes a mother alongside....."

This comment made Shelby grin. In all this, Ian had remained quiet, just listening to the girls’ conversation. He knew that his Elfin was more than okay now that Ava was.

Rocky leaned down and kissed the top of Ava’s head.

"I think you’re going to be amazing."

"I know I will!" Ava added, making them all laugh.

A small, thoughtful silence settled over the room after the laughter faded. Ava’s hand had drifted protectively to her stomach, her fingers subconsciously curling just above the swell. Rocky rubbed gentle circles on her back while Ian was doing the same.

Then Ava blinked as a thought popped into her mind, the next question slipping out before she could stop it.

"Wait... what about your mum?" Her gaze flicked to her brother. "Does she know ... about this?"

Ava pointed to her stomach, and the atmosphere shifted. Rocky’s jaw tightened just slightly. The warmth in his expression dulled.

He let out a breath, slow and heavy. "No." The answer was simple, but it carried weight.

Ava looked away, her gaze fixed on a blank spot on the far wall. Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing. She was not sure how to feel about that. Besides, in the relationship, Ava had never thought beyond how she felt about Rocky.

With the baby in the picture and a ring on her finger, she could not afford not to think of that anymore. That unreasonable woman, Clara, was going to be her mother-in-law.... Just how was she supposed to live with that?

"I take it that Sh-"

"No one in the family knows of Shelby’s pregnancy yet, and Clara will not be the first!"

This time, it was Currey who had interjected.

Ava couldn’t fault that.

"Your Highness, Madam Clara had called many times-"

This got Ian’s attention. They had more issues to deal with than that woman, and frankly, Ian did not want his wife’s mood to dip because of something that woman would say.

Ian stood up with Shelby in his arms,

"Let’s take a look at what she wants this time."

A few moments later, Ian stood in front of the Wendover mansion with Shelby in his arms. He walked up to the door, and Currey promptly appeared and knocked.

"Wow!"

Rocky murmured in awe.

Ava smiled, having experienced this once in the past. She was in a simple dress now, her face no longer pale.

"Wait a minute," Rocky muttered, turning in a slow circle. "You... teleported us here."

The realization struck like a slap. He blinked rapidly, taking in the familiar surroundings of his home. This was beyond his wildest dreams. Knowing and experiencing it were two very different things.

’Sis really scored the million-dollar jackpot!’

With this thought, the door swung open, and a worried-looking Angela let a relieved sigh.

"Assistant Currey? Oh, Miss Shelby! You’re okay!" Angela was overwhelmed with emotion at seeing them and the fact that they were okay, but she was also troubled.

Then her eyes landed on the others. With a bow, she greeted Ian politely and then shouted,

"Master Rocky and Miss Ava came too! Thank you so much!"

It was almost as if she wanted to kotow, but Currey stopped her.

"What is the urgency?" Currey asked.

Ian raised an amused brow at Currey but didn’t say anything.

"I- It’s best that you see it yourself."

Angela walked ahead, her steps unsure as she led them up the stairs and down the quiet corridor to Clara’s chambers. The others followed silently, the air thick with anticipation and a slight unease, mostly stemming from how Angela was behaving.

None of them knew what to expect—how could they? So much had happened. So much had changed, but only Clara remained the same in her actions. For a moment, they even thought of what trouble she had caused again and what they could do to rectify it or make her bear the consequences.

It was only Ian who walked without expression, his face unreadable, his posture calm. He had suspected something. From the moment he appeared at the mansion, he knew that something was off. Perhaps, on some level, he already knew. He still held his Elfin in his arms and followed the maid.

When they stepped into the room and saw Clara seated at the far end by her ornate vanity... they all froze. Even Ian had not been prepared for the scene that greeted them.

The light filtering in from the window highlighted the silver streaks in her once-blond hair. Her back was stooped, her skin dull and papery, like time had stolen her youth in one cruel sweep. The dignified presence they remembered was gone, replaced by a fragile woman who barely looked like the mother they once knew.

Clara hummed softly to herself, combing invisible strands of hair, lost in her own world.

Ava whispered, her voice caught in her throat. "Is... is that her? Like that is really Clara?"

Though Rocky had wanted to be indifferent, he stepped forward, his heart sinking. "Mum...?"

She looked up. Her eyes met theirs in the mirror, and though they flickered with faint recognition, it wasn’t the kind they were hoping for.

She turned slowly to Angela, her lips parting in a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Oh... who are these lovely people?" There was an ensuing thick, suffocating silence.

She didn’t recognize them.

What was going on?

How could Clara Wendover turn out like that? How could she not remember her own children? It was like staring into an old stranger’s face – one who was wearing their mother’s skin.

Shelby’s hand flew to her mouth while Ava just stood there, rooted to the spot, her hand unconsciously pressing against her belly, as if to protect the little life inside from whatever was going on.

Rocky just stared, his throat closing around words he couldn’t say. His mother, the confident and commanding figure of their past, was now just... gone. The body remained, as did the name, but the woman? She was long gone.

He blinked away the sting behind his eyes. For a second, he wished she’d been cruel instead, like she always was. At least then, she would’ve seen them.

But then Angela said,

"Madam Clara, weren’t you looking for your son? He is here...."

At that, Clara shot up, so agile that it took them aback,

"My son,... Rocky, is here! I am saved! Where is he?!"

Her old, wrinkled face distorted into something sinister as she turned towards the group.

*********

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