Chapter 423
Fiona Grandelle had been submerged in darkness for a long time.
When her eyes finally fluttered open, tears spilled out instantly.
"Mommy... Mommy..." Her voice was barely a whisper.
Queen Eleanor of Eudora immediately pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm here, my darling."
Vivian Laurent stood nearby, observing Fiona's condition closely.
Those eyes held nothing but terror and fragility—no trace of the cold-blooded killer.
Killer had vanished again.
"They all say I'm ugly!" Fiona suddenly shrieked. "I'm not a monster! I need to hide!"
She shoved the Queen away and stumbled toward the walk-in closet.
Vivian moved to intercept her, but Fiona brushed past as if she didn't exist.
The closet door slammed shut.
Curled into a ball in the cramped space, Fiona finally felt safe.
The Queen's fingers clenched her skirt, knuckles turning white.
"Dr. Laurent, can the surgery still proceed as scheduled?"
The facial reconstruction originally planned for this week was clearly no longer feasible.
Vivian shook her head. "We'll have to wait."
In her current state, Fiona wouldn't tolerate having her face wrapped in bandages.
The Queen's gaze sharpened dangerously.
"I trusted you because you're Dr. Luna," she said in a low voice. "But if anything else goes wrong—"
"I understand." Vivian met her stare unflinchingly. "This is my responsibility."
"Sophia Evans is in my custody," the Queen said coldly. "She'll be released in two weeks."
More than enough time to ensure that face was ruined beyond repair.
Vivian didn't plead for mercy. "She deserves to pay."
A faint sob drifted from the closet.
No amount of coaxing could convince Fiona to come out.
She even refused to take her medication.
Vivian knew better than to force it. Patience was the only option now.
She took up residence in the palace.
When Emily Garnache was brought in, she was speechless with shock.
"Fiona is... a princess?"
But there was no time for astonishment.
Days passed with no improvement in Fiona's condition.
Vivian's frown deepened.
Until Ethan Roscente appeared unexpectedly in the palace grand hall.
"How did you get in here?" Vivian stared at him in disbelief.
This was the most heavily guarded place in the Kingdom of Eudora.