Chapter 820

The moment the crematorium door slowly closed, Evelyn Carter felt an invisible hand clenching her heart. She finally understood why people faint from extreme pain—it's the brain's final act of mercy.

But Bianca Langley wasn't granted even that small kindness.

"I used to watch crime dramas and think cremation turned everything to ashes," Bianca's voice was feather-light. "Turns out even bones don't burn completely."

The remaining fragments still bore the cracks from the car crash. Adrian Valentine hadn't died instantly at the scene—internal bleeding had claimed him. Those untreated wounds were now permanently etched into his bones.

Only when the urn was about to be sealed did Bianca finally let her tears fall. Her lower lip was already bitten raw, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. Evelyn silently handed her a tissue, pretending not to notice the crescent-shaped wounds Bianca's nails had carved into her own palms.

To shake off Vincent Croix, they'd booked the earliest flight to Hudson City. With a 6 AM departure, they were stuck in this budget hotel overnight. Bianca, raised in luxury, didn't complain about the shabby accommodations.

"Vincent would never think to look for us here," she even managed a faint smile, fingertips brushing the urn's smooth surface.

At 4 AM, the hotel shuttle arrived right on schedule. Just as Evelyn reached for the door handle, a shadow emerged from the darkness. Vincent's suit was damp with dew—he'd clearly been waiting for hours.

Bianca clutched the urn wrapped in her coat, walking straight past him toward the vehicle.

"Nothing to say to me?" Vincent blocked the car door.

"Move." Her voice was colder than the night wind.

Evelyn raised her phone. "Should I call the police again?"

Vincent smirked. "Go ahead. I've got all the time in the world." He turned to Bianca. "I waited here all night. This is how you treat me?"

Bianca snapped. "Get lost! Never let me see your face again!"

Vincent's expression darkened. His gaze dropped to the bundle in her arms, a twisted satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"You think this is about revenge?" He took a threatening step closer. "I just wanted to say I regret it."

Bianca's nails dug deeper into her palms. She suddenly wished she'd died with Adrian in that rain-soaked wreck. Now, the weight in her arms was the only reason she kept breathing.

The shuttle's engine growled impatiently. Evelyn grasped Bianca's ice-cold hand. "We need to go."

Vincent remained planted before the car like an immovable wall. Bianca lifted her face, a ghastly smile stretching across her pale features.

"Vincent," she whispered, "just end my misery. Look what you've reduced me to—not quite human, not quite ghost. Are you satisfied now?"