Captivated by the Ruler of the Underworld
Chapter 175 On Her Deathbed, She Discovered She Had a Sister

Upon hearing this, the hand Flora used to pet Lela's head shook ever so slightly.

For a long moment, she opened her mouth but found herself unable to speak.

Lela lay in Flora's embrace, feeling a resurgence of life's spark within her. She began softly, "My mother's name is Amanda. My birth name is Cicery. She has this cute mole at the corner of her right eye. It was absolutely enchanting. I love it so much that I often kiss it when I see her."

"Mom loves sitting on the golden sands, watching the sunset's afterglow. That's when I know she's thinking of you."

"Don't worry, she's happy back in hometown. She drifted in from the sea, and my dad rescued her. He's only ever loved one woman, the beautiful and gentle Amanda - his only wife." "And so, here I am."

Lela's voice was urgent and rushed, as if she was trying to compress a lifetime of words into a few short sentences, hoping to hold onto Flora a moment longer.

"But my tribe is in an incredibly remote location, surrounded by seas, completely cut off from the rest of the world. Mom longs for you, Flora, but she couldn't make it back."

"Please, don't be mad at Mom, okay?"

Feeling an intense dizziness wash over her, Flora stood up, and Lela rose with her, still clinging tightly. Flora looked down at Lela, nestled in her arms, and embraced her back, "Lela, what are you saying?"

Indeed, her mother's name was Amanda, marked by a distinct mole near the corner of her right eye. The image of her mother's face was breathtaking, etched so vividly in the sands of time that not even its passage could erode the beautiful, tender visage from the younger Flora's memory.

Wrapped in Flora's tight embrace, Lela began, "I'm your little sister. Our mother is Amanda."

At her words, Flora gripped Lela's wrists so firmly they whitened, a flush of red appearing at the lightest touch.

But Lela did not flinch in pain, allowing Flora to hold on with all her might.

After a long moment, Flora realized her grip and quickly let go after noticing the red marks on Lela's wrists. Her eyes brimmed with bloodshot tears that spilled over unbidden.

With trembling lips, she whispered, "Lela, did it hurt? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Before Lela could respond, Flora hugged her tightly, her chin resting on the crown of Lela's head, her body shaking.

In her twilight moments, Flora had discovered a sister she never knew existed.

It seemed life had granted her a measure of mercy.

Lela nestled in her sister's arms and spoke gently, "It doesn't hurt. I've never been one to mind pain. Please, don't blame yourself."

"Okay, can I rub it better for you?"

"Yes," Lela replied, extending her wrist and laying her head against Flora's chest.

It felt like the warmth of their mother's embrace.

Flora's tears fell heavily as she gently massaged Lela's delicate wrist.

She wanted to ask but feared the answer; eventually, she mustered the courage to whisper, "Is mom?"

The question cut into Lela's lifetime of pain. With a deep breath, Lela said, "Mother passed away. Don't be sad. She left with our father by her side. She was never alone."

Lela held back the dark truths of their tribe's inhumane sufferings in the laboratory. She couldn't bring herself to deceive the only kin she had in the world, yet her heart ached to paint their passing in softer shades. Their mother was gone.

Flora's tears were unstoppable. She had just found her sister, a joy barely blossomed, only to learn that their mother was no more.