"You're just stressed out. Eat this and get some rest," Kyle said, ignoring what she had told him. She was bewildered to see that he didn't believe her.

"I did though," she spoke innocently, like a kitten.

"Ashlee, you don't have to feel guilty for someone else's sins," Kyle whispered, tracing her cheek gently and smiling at her softly.

She didn't argue further and let it be. She knew it wasn't entirely her fault, but somehow it felt like it was.

"Get some rest, and then I'll take you to her, alright?" Kyle murmured, tucking her in like a child to ensure she wouldn't catch a cold. Instantly, Ashlee's hand grabbed his wrist. Her little fingers struggled to wrap around it, so she slowly lowered her grip to hold onto his fingers.

"Stay with me... please," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. He sighed softly and laid down beside her.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here now," he whispered, embracing her from behind. She kept a firm hold on his arm, as if the moment she let go, he would leave her.

She was really scared to be alone. Her heart trembled with the coldness surrounding her, even under the warm blankets. Only his presence could truly warm her.

He placed a soft kiss behind her ear and subconsciously fell asleep beside her. For the first time in several days, he was resting, finally letting go of work. He could finally relax, having her back.

"They make a strange but cute pair," Esyn whispered to her mother, standing beside her. They were watching the pair sleep peacefully, having come to check on them.

"Yeah. Let's go. Both seem exhausted. Let them rest," Cassandra smiled, watching her son finally become the person she had always hoped he'd be. And it was all becoming possible because of Ashlee.

Derion returned, having had enough of the elf. He still couldn't get any useful information out of her. Elves were stubborn with their deals, and he wondered what she would gain from this one.

Ricardo was sent to jail for his actions. Deep down, he had somewhat anticipated this day, but he hadn't imagined that staying in jail could be harder than life outside.

"One murder? And that of a mere woman? What a wimp!" a big, bulky criminal laughed, bullying Ricardo. Being new, he hadn't yet figured out how things worked there.

The big guy was the boss of one of the groups within the jail, which was full of criminals. He had committed around ten to fifteen murders, which had led to his life sentence.

The guy grabbed Ricardo by the back of his neck, bringing him closer to his nasty face, chuckling evilly. After spitting in his face, he let go of Ricardo's neck.

"Show us what you got," he ordered Ricardo.

Ricardo glared at him. "What if I don't?" he growled, wiping his face.

"Then I'll make you lick my..." the guy laughed like an animal, making Ricardo cringe in disgust.

"I'll fight," Ricardo sighed heavily, looking around at the big, muscular guys, eager to tear him apart.

The bulky guy smirked, motioning Ricardo toward the best fighter in their group. "If you win this, I'll take you in," he sneered as Ricardo stumbled forward.

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The fight began, and Ricardo got beaten up badly. His face was thoroughly bruised. When the guards arrived, Ricardo was barely able to see or walk. They took him back to the jail, giving him only basic treatment instead of taking him to a proper hospital.

Kyle took Ashlee to the hospital where they kept her mother's corpse. He handled all the paperwork and formalities to get inside, never letting go of Ashlee's hand.

"I'd suggest you not shake the body too much, please," the doctor requested, leading them into the mortuary. The smell hit Ashlee first, making her cringe.

She ignored it and kept following Kyle's lead. The doctor then opened one of the steel drawers, revealing Ashlee's mother, Kristine. Her eyes were closed, and her wounds had been cleaned up.

Her lips were dry and faint, her face drained of blood, pale and ashen. Her cheeks were sunken; she was clearly exhausted and gone. Ashlee's heart broke, seeing her mother's corpse.

Something heavy thudded in her chest, and her breath quickened. She reached for the wound she had inflicted on Kristine's shoulder, her tears flooding as she realized she had hurt her mother—it was all her fault.

'I... How could I?' she questioned herself.

"Mom," she mumbled in a heavy, sobbing tone. "Open your eyes. Look, I'm here to get you," she continued in her broken voice.

"I promised you I'd get us a nice home. You said you'd stay with me. Please, stop lying there and get up, hmm?" she kept mumbling, wrinkling her nose, trying to hold back tears.

"Talk to me, Mom," she said, shaking her gently. The doctor moved to protect Kristine's body, knowing Ashlee might shake her more. But Kyle acted faster, grabbing Ashlee and pulling her back.

"Kyle... Tell her... tell her to talk to me," she pleaded, pointing to her mother.

"Alright." Kyle hugged her tightly, helping her calm down and gather her strength.

"She... is mad at me, isn't she? She's angry because I hurt her, right? I need to say sorry, and then she'll talk to me, right?" she kept mumbling in Kyle's arms.

"I'll say sorry. She'll talk to me," she sobbed even harder, her legs giving out as she collapsed into Kyle's arms.

"Please, talk to me!" she screamed, pouring out her heart.

"It's all my fault," she whispered, resting herself against Kyle. She was breaking down with every second.

"No, it's not," Kyle murmured, stroking her slowly to soothe her.

Suddenly, she went completely silent. Not even a whimper or sob escaped her. Concerned, Kyle loosened his grasp and looked at her face. She looked all worn out and heartbroken.

But she was silent, as if she had lost her voice.

"Ashlee." Kyle shook her, making her look at him.

"Talk to me! Ashlee!" He shook her harder, but she didn't respond. Her strength was drained. She had lost everything, and her everything was her mother, the only person she had left after her father.

"I should die," she whispered, smiling faintly at Kyle, her body melting like jelly.

"What?" Kyle was shocked to hear that. The girl who had endured so much, standing stronger than a wall, was now completely broken.

"Why should you die?" he asked, staring at her in disbelief.

"I... I stabbed her here," she pointed to her shoulder, referencing her mother's wound. "I killed her..." she continued, "I should die. I'm a murderer," she whispered, biting her lip harshly as tears rolled down.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Kyle cupped her face, the concern in his eyes unmistakable. "She didn't die because of you. It was your uncle. I'm sure you didn't mean to hurt her. It wasn't your fault," he spoke firmly, meaning every word.

"You hear me?" he asked sternly, making her understand that it wasn't her fault. Ashlee nodded, still biting her lip.

"You're not alone, baby. I'm always here with you. I'll always protect you and keep you safe. Don't be afraid," he whispered, embracing her tightly. Absentmindedly, he kissed the top of her head. Ashlee was surprised to hear such sweetness and care in his voice.

The doctor closed the drawer containing Kristine's body. He knew that Ashlee didn't need to see her anymore—the more she looked, the deeper her sorrow would grow.

Ashlee stopped crying, and they both stood up. Kyle still didn't let go of her hand. Cautiously, they left the room. Ashlee's puffy, red, swollen eyes made her look exhausted.

"You're lucky to have such a nice boyfriend," the doctor smiled at Ashlee, giving her some paperwork to sign to arrange for her mother's funeral.

Ashlee looked wide-eyed at Kyle, who didn't deny it, nodding along with the doctor. Suddenly, she felt the urge to correct the doctor. They didn't have such an intimate relationship. How could he not acknowledge that?

"He is not my boyfriend," she said, flashing a faint smile at the doctor, who chuckled awkwardly. Kyle's jaw clenched at her words. He knew it was true, but he hated hearing those words come from her.