Chapter 478

"Lily, Lily" Alexander called out. He had been watching her and caught her before she fell, holding her in his arms when he sensed she was unwell.

Meanwhile, Olivia wept uncontrollably, oblivious to everything around her as Lily fainted.

"Edward, take care of Ms. Hart," Alexander ordered calmly.

Edward nodded and silently stood beside Olivia, placing a supporting hand on each of her shoulders.

Alexander carried Lily to the doctor. "Someone fainted!" he announced.

A torrent of fragmented thoughts flooded Lily's ears: "You're going to kill your parents!" "They died because of you!" "Why are you still alive, but they're not? You brought them bad luck!" "Daddy! Mommy! Please don't leave me! No" "Daddy, Mommy"

The voices seemed both present and distant. She saw blurry, doubled images, but no clear faces. There was a cacophony of noise: fire, shattering glass, a bloodstained face. Everything felt both intensely close and impossibly far.

"Daddy! Mommy! Don't go"

"Ah!" Lily gasped, abruptly opening her eyes. The white ceiling was the first thing she saw, its stark brightness momentarily diluting the terror of her vivid, bloody dream. She gasped for air, sweat beading on her face. "You're awake!" a familiar voice said. She turned to see Alexander's worried face. "Did you have a nightmare?" The sight of him calmed her. Lily nodded, her throat raw. "Water"

Alexander quickly gave her the water he'd prepared. She drank it thirstily, as if she'd been in a desert for days.

"More?" he asked. Lily shook her head and weakly lay back down. She remembered fragments of the dream, mostly blurry images. It felt as though the dream's events had happened to her before, though she had no recollection of them—no memory at all before she fainted.

"The doctor said you fainted from shock. You're fine now," Alexander said, lightly brushing her hair. "Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"

"No," Lily replied, then remembered something. "Oh, Liv? How is she?"

"She's fine. Edward's with her. The nurse moved Liv's mother to the mortuary; the funeral will be held soon," Alexander explained. Lily found this reassuring; at least someone was with Olivia.

Sighing, Lily admitted, "I'mI don't know what to feel. I came to comfort Olivia, and I fainted instead."

"Don't worry about it. Olivia won't blame you; she understands. Just rest," Alexander said, pulling the blankets higher. "You'll stay overnight for observation. We'll discharge you tomorrow."