CHAPTER 253: CHAPTER 253: PAST -3

"No... let her speak." Kael’s choked voice attracted everyone’s attention, and the Nightbane slowly held back the tears forming in their eyes.

Ivy stared at Kael with a hollow gaze before smiling, "Big brother, you understand me the best... but a pity... a pity you died first."

Helena and Ember covered their mouths to bite back the sobs, while Victor closed his eyes. Felix stared at Ivy with red eyes, even though tears slipped from his eyes occasionally.

"I suffered for 3 and a half years. And tried to escape the hellhole named Talon Base. I was r*ped, experimented on, and many times they even broke my arms because they were fascinated by my self-healing ability." Ivy continued, those dark days seemed to slowly become clear.

The curtain of haziness Ivy had built became clear, and the disgusting voices echoed in her mind on loop.

"One day, I heard the voices of the Ravencroft family and tried to ask for their help, but they denied. I hated them... I hated the word family. They had revealed to me that I was adopted when they took away the crystal from my brain, but I still hoped they would help me. They didn’t... but you all did."

When Ivy mentioned them, the Nightbane felt their breathing hitch.

"After recognizing me because of my butterfly-shaped mark, you used all the resources you had to get me out. An escape plan. Only... it required a sacrifice. The original plan was to sacrifice Dad... but at the critical moment, Kael replaced Dad. He became the distraction to the Talon base, and you all could only take me away. And my most loving brother was gone after leaving a single sentence: ’I love you, my dear sister. And I want to tell you I have been looking forward to your arrival since knowing your existence.’"

After finishing her sentence, her gaze locked on Kael’s purple gaze, and her soft, melodious voice echoed in the empty silence.

"Brother, I always wanted to ask... how do you feel after knowing that I killed you indirectly? Did you feel resentful? Did you regret it? Or... do you now feel grateful for having me as a sister? A sister who is nothing more than a disaster?"

Kael’s purple gaze stared back at Ivy, and slowly, tears blurred his vision; his choked voice carried a certainty.

"No."

Ivy flinched, taken aback by Kael’s proclamation; her eyes fluttered, while confusion slowly started to replace the mask of mockery.

"No. I don’t regret it. Because even if a chance is given... I will do it again. And again." Kael’s deep voice seemed to have punched Ivy in her guts. "Ivy... you and all other siblings of mine... are what I cherish. And if you ever fall into any kind of trap or need my protection, even if it means I have to sacrifice my life... I will do it."

He paused and closed his eyes.

"So Ivy... I would have never, and I will never blame you. You are my baby sister. I will protect you till the end, even if it means the world is against you. And even if you are a disaster... I will stay. Because without... I will always feel that a part of my heart is empty."

Drip. Drip.

Tears streamed down Ivy’s face, scalding her heart, and at the same time, a wave of warmth engulfed her.

The voice haunting her seemed to have been silenced by an invisible hand.

Using her tongue to moisten her lips, Ivy looked away from Kael and continued in a forced, calm voice,

"After Big Brother’s death... you all took me far away from the Talon base. We didn’t have a proper place to stay. I was a burden... though you never made me feel it. You took turns and hunted down mutated animals as food, while my abilities allowed you all to live a peaceful life. Until..."

Inhaling a deep breath, Ivy continued in a low whisper,

"Until... the people from Talon base started to chase me for my power again. We had to run constantly. There were times when you all were injured and tired, but you never abandoned me. Sometimes I hated myself and even had thoughts of killing myself..."

"My baby..." Helena sobbed; her heart burned with raw fear and pain.

"But each time, Ember or Felix found me." Ivy murmured, her eyes crashed into Ember, and she gave a mocking smirk, "I hated you."

Ember’s breathing hitched, and she had to calm herself when she saw the pain in Ivy’s eyes.

’She must not have done it intentionally!’

"I hated the concept of siblings all in all. I resisted both you and Felix, thinking... You both will turn out like Isla and Damian. Maybe I was projecting that hate on you both. But... whenever you both suffered on my behalf and remained positive even after seeing my cold face... I felt something inside me..."

Staring at Ember and then Felix, Ivy gave a weak smile.

"I am sorry. In my past life... we could have made many good memories, but because of my foolishness, the time was cut short to 3 months."

Ember shook her head and tried to soothe Ivy. "It’s alright..."

"No... it wasn’t!" Ivy bellowed, covering her face. She sobbed softly, "It was never! I was sh*tty! You all saved me, loved me, cared for me... but I? I was foolishly guarding against you all! And yet when I apologized... you and Felix forgave me like it wasn’t a big deal."

When Ivy’s hand slowly slid away from her face, her red eyes and flushed red nose appeared in everyone’s view.

"You know what I hated the most at that time? You and Felix cried your eyes out every time while staring at the midnight sky, missing Kael. Mother and Father cried under the blanket, remembering Kael... while I... I was the reason why you all lost him in the first place... but no one... no one ever blamed me! Why? Why?!"