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Long before Rose's world tilted that quiet afternoon, Adeline Elfo had already taken her own first steps into a buried past.
Tired and determined, the older woman had arrived in the country with nothing but a worn-out suitcase and fragmented memories. The name Dominic Moreau echoed in her mind like a bell in fog, and she clung to it—along with one more name that felt like home: Katherine Elfo, her beloved sister.
Adeline had asked around at the local bus park, describing the mansion in vague terms. Surprisingly, a group of young men lounging at a corner shop had offered to help. Though rough-looking and tattooed, they were oddly polite. What she didn't know was that they were small-time thugs—foot soldiers under Dominic's payroll. Still, they guided her to the mansion gates without asking for anything in return.
At the towering black gates of the Moreau estate, Adeline stepped forward and addressed the uniformed security man.
"I'm here to see my sister," she said gently. "Katherine Elfo. She married into this family."
The guard blinked at her, then raised a walkie-talkie to his mouth, requesting confirmation of any scheduled visitations. After a short pause, he returned with a blank look. "No visitation today. Sorry, ma'am."
"But please," Adeline insisted, "I need to see her. She lives here, doesn't she? My name is Adeline Elfo."
He didn't reply. He didn't move. His eyes looked past her, not unkind, but unwilling.
Then came the sound of an approaching engine. A white luxury car glided toward the gates and paused because Adeline stood directly in its path. The horn blared once—then again.
Unfazed, she remained rooted.
The passenger-side door clicked open, and from the back stepped a woman with elegance sharpened into cruelty—Olivia Moreau, draped in pristine white silk and pearls that glistened under the sun. Her eyes narrowed as they landed on the older woman before her.
With irritation slicing through her voice, she asked the guard, "Who is this old hag dirtying my compound?"
The security man stiffened slightly but explained, "She says she's looking for her sister, Katherine Elfo. Claims she used to be the mistress of this household, ma'am."
Olivia's eyes flashed as she stepped closer, heels clicking on the pavement. She examined Adeline as if she were a bug under glass.
"And what's your name?" she asked curtly.
"Adeline," the older woman replied softly. "Adeline Elfo."
"Well, Adeline," Olivia sneered, "I'm Olivia Moreau—the woman of this household. And that name you just mentioned? Katherine? Doesn't live here. Not anymore. Now get your stinking self out of my way before I mishandle you."
Adeline's heart cracked. Still, she stood firm, voice trembling. "What about her children? Are they still here? I want to see them."
Olivia curled her lip and waved a dismissive hand toward the guards. "Throw her out."
Two men emerged immediately from the side building and started advancing. Adeline, humiliated and heartbroken, turned away. She didn't look back.
That night, she found a small budget hotel a few blocks away and booked a room for the week. Alone with nothing but the hum of city life and her fading memories, Adeline curled into the sheets and cried herself to sleep.
Days passed. The pain dulled but never disappeared.
One morning, her favorite shoes gave out—cracked soles, the stitching undone. She decided to go to the shopping mall, hoping to find something new within her limited budget.
There, between the bustle of customers and polished shelves, she caught sight of a young woman browsing the shoe aisle. Something about her froze Adeline in place—the shape of her eyes, the way she tilted her head.
Katherine.
No—it couldn't be. But those eyes… they mirrored someone she'd loved long ago.
Compelled by instinct and emotion, Adeline stepped closer. Her voice wavered as she greeted the girl, gently asking a few questions.
The more they spoke, the more her heart began to race.
It was only after a brief exchange that truth settled in—this wasn't Katherine.
This was her daughter.
Her niece.
And in that unexpected moment, time rewound itself, bridging years of silence and separation. The young lady, warm and kind, invited Adeline to come with her.
That night, for the first time in years, Adeline didn't cry herself to sleep. She smiled instead—grateful for a second chance she never thought she'd get.
But just as one light returned to her life… another was about to flicker out.
Unaware, in that same city, Rose Moreau had just been taken.