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Septimus rolled his eyes on the other end of the line. “Ma’am, I’ve been watching a corpse this whole time. What exactly do you expect me to find? From the funeral all the way to the burial, I was there. Watched the whole thing. What do you want me to focus on?”
His voice was thick with exasperation.
Madelyn had started out serious, but at that, she couldn’t help laughing. “Looks like I was overthinking it, huh?”
“Exactly! You’ve got me tailing a dead woman. What did you think would happen–she’d claw her way out of the grave?” Septimus sounded completely fed up.
Still, from everything they’d seen, Janessa really did seem gone for good.
Madelyn felt no unease in her chest. Instead, she offered a sincere thanks. “Appreciate your help, Mr. Septimus?”
“Hah. After everything I’ve done for you, all I get is a plain old ‘thank you?” He let out a dry chuckle, clearly unimpressed.
Madelyn’s smile widened. “All right then, what do you want?”
“Hmm…” Septimus seemed to think about it, but even after a pause, he couldn’t come up with anything. “You know what? Never mind. One of these days, I’ll find a way to make you owe me. You can pay me back then.”
“Deal.” Madelyn grinned, then ended the call.
Meanwhile, at Ingram Manor, the room was eerily quiet. The curtains had been pulled shut, leaving everything shrouded in darkness. Not a hint of light made it through.
Still, in the shadows, one could just make out a figure lying on the bed–still, eyes closed, like she was lost in deep sleep.
Then, sudden flashes–fragments of memory–lit up in her mind.
A pitch–black prison. Brutal, unpredictable guards. A blurry, fading world on the brink of death. And the resentment that had festered in her chest, growing darker and heavier.
Her limbs twitched, and her sensation returned.
Her fingers curled in.
Her body felt feather–light, like she wasn’t even trying.
Then, out of the darkness, her eyes flew open–bright and alert.
Janessa was awake.
She slowly sat up, then slid off the bed and walked to the window. Drawing the curtains back, sunlight
–11–1–in her ngle face giving her skin a ghostly hue
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Chapter 459 Rebirth
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Right then, the door swung open. A housekeeper entered, carrying a dose of nutritional injection—meant to keep her alive just a little longer. But as she stepped inside, she froze.
Janessa was standing by the window, wide awake.
Startled, Janessa turned and glanced at her. There was something strange–indecipherable–in her expression.
“Ms. Sherritt…” the servant whispered in disbelief, eyes wide. Then she dropped the injection and bolted from the room. “Mrs. Lowell! Mrs. Lowell! She’s awake! Ms. Sherritt is awake!”
What? She’s awake?
Rachel had been mid–conversation with Javier when she heard the news. Without hesitation, she got up and rushed to Janessa’s room. Sure enough, there she was–Janessa, standing upright, smiling faintly.
“Janessa! You’re finally awake!” Rachel rushed forward and wrapped her in a tight hug, emotion overwhelming her.
“Aunt Rachel… thank you. For getting me out of prison.”
“You’re family. Of course I had to help you.” Rachel said it without a second thought.
Standing off to the side, Javier watched Janessa quietly. A smile tugged at his lips, though a trace of pain flickered in his eyes. For months now, Janessa had survived on medication alone. She’d lost so much weight, she looked fragile–like one hard breeze could snap her in two.
“You’re awake now, and that’s all that matters. Go freshen up, then come to my room. I’ve got something important to discuss with you.” Rachel gently patted her back.
Janessa nodded silently, her expression flat. Her voice was cold. “Okay.”
Rachel and Javier stepped out, leaving Janessa to wash up and get changed. She hadn’t had a proper bath in ages. The stench from prison still clung to her skin–damp, sour, and suffocating. It made her stomach turn.
She stepped into the tub and scrubbed herself over and over, pouring nearly half a bottle of body wash onto herself. It was as if she wanted to scrub away every memory of that place.
Almost an hour passed before she was finally satisfied, her body now carrying a soft, clean scent. After changing into fresh clothes, she made her way to Rachel’s room.
Rachel and Javier were already there, waiting.
“Aunt Rachel, what is it you wanted to talk about?” Janessa asked, stepping inside.
Rachel smiled at the sight of her, then pulled out a chair. “Come, sit down. Let’s talk.”
Janessa raised a brow, unsure of what was going on, but she didn’t ask. She quietly took the seat offered to her. That was when Rachel suddenly walked to the corner of the room and brought someone forward–a
woman.
At first glance, Janessa was stunned. The woman was beautiful, almost unnaturally so. Her features were painted perfectly, her skin smooth and flawless. She looked like a work of art.
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Javier turned, startled by the noise, and then saw what Rachel had pulled into the room. Sure enough, the woman had no legs. Instead, there was a metal support rod beneath her torso.
It didn’t take much to figure out–this wasn’t a person.
“It’s just a mannequin, Ms. Sherritt. Nothing to be scared of,” Javier said quickly, trying to calm her.
“A… mannequin?” Janessa blinked, heart still pounding. Looking again, she finally saw the truth–it was only a lifelike display figure. She sighed with relief and slumped back in her chair.
Rachel, however, didn’t look amused. “You’ve been to hell and back, and you’re screaming over a mannequin? Really?”
“I…” Janessa didn’t know what to say.
Rachel crossed her arms. “Even if this girl didn’t have legs–even if she were a ghost–she wouldn’t be as terrifying as that woman. Madelyn.”
At the mention of that name, Janessa flinched. But Rachel didn’t give her time to dwell. She turned back toward the mannequin and pointed. “Take a good look at her face, Janessa. Her name is Elowynne Lowe. From now on, you’re her. And she’s you.”
Janessa stared, baffled.
It’s just a mannequin, and Aunt Rachel gave it a name? And now she says it represents me?
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