NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Eve lay motionless on the bed, completely unaware of the three pairs of anxious eyes locked onto her.
Selene and Michael hovered on one side, looking like two statues sculpted from equal parts concern and disbelief. On the other side, Dr. Lida sat stiffly, her instincts warring with the very real urge to avoid unnecessary eye contact with Selene—the current embodiment of maternal intensity.
And then there was Raizel.
Leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold with all the patience. Which, in all honesty, he was.
He was curious.
How would a child react upon seeing the very parents she had believed to be—at best, missing, and at worst, very, very dead? Would her Empathic Bond help her recognize them immediately? Would she cry? Would she scream? Would she just blink at them, ask for food, and go back to sleep?
Raizel wasn't sure. But he was entertained either way.
His gaze flickered toward Lida, who had been trying very hard to avoid making direct eye contact with anyone. Unfortunately for her, she failed.
"Is she okay?" Raizel asked, tilting his head slightly.
Lida straightened, shifting uncomfortably under his stare. "Yes… she should wake up soon."
Raizel hummed, then, after a moment of consideration, asked again, "Is she really okay?"
Lida hesitated. Because she knew exactly what he was implying.
"…She is weak," she finally admitted, her voice quieter this time. "Maybe because of the drugs, sedatives… the constant experimentation while she was at Antigen."
She trailed off, suddenly feeling the distinct, hard glare of a mother.
Ah. The sheer force of maternal judgment.
If looks could kill, Lida was fairly certain she'd be dead, buried, and possibly resurrected just so Selene could kill her again.
Raizel, entirely unbothered, merely nodded before casually throwing out, "Maybe blood could help."
Selene didn't even hesitate.
Before anyone could say another word, she bit into her own hand and pressed the bleeding wound to Eve's lips.
It was an automatic response.
A mother's instinct.
Even though she had only recently come to terms with the fact that this child was hers, it didn't matter. She was ready to do whatever it took—without question, without pause, without hesitation.
Raizel watched, a small, almost imperceptible smile forming at the corner of his lips.
Well.
This was sweet.
Then Eve's eyes twitched. Just a little.
Then, slowly, they fluttered open.
The moment her gaze landed on Selene's face, recognition sparked. No confusion. No hesitation. Just… certainty.
Huh.
Well.
That was easy.
Raizel had been expecting at least some drama. Maybe a few tears, some shaky hands reaching out, a choked "M-Mother?" for added cinematic effect. But nope. Blood memory did its job, and the child recognized her mother instantly.
How efficient.
Then Eve's eyes shifted, landing on Raizel.
And just like that, all the warmth in her gaze vanished.
Pure, instinctive fear replaced it.
Ah.
Right.
She had seen what he was capable of.
Raizel sighed, feeling vaguely like an unwanted horror movie antagonist crashing a family reunion.
"Don't worry, Eve," he said, his voice smooth, calm. "I won't hurt you."
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized he had made a mistake.
Selene and Michael were now looking at him.
Weirdly.
Oh.
Oh.
Raizel's brain helpfully replayed his words in his head.
Ah.
He had just named their child.
Not them.
Huh.
Well.
With the thickest skin known to man—he simply shrugged and said, "I guess I made a mistake."
Eve, still processing, blinked up at him. Even she looked confused.
A stranger had given her a name. Not her parents.
Selene and Michael, clearly still absorbing this, didn't speak.
Lida, wisely, stayed silent, probably calculating the odds of Raizel getting away.
Sensing that he had absolutely ruined the emotional weight of this reunion, Raizel decided it was time for a tactical retreat.
"Don't take too long," he said smoothly, already turning away. "We need to leave soon."
And with that, he walked out, leaving Corvinus family to their own.
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A few days later, a black car pulled up in front of a lone mansion nestled deep within the woods near Forks.
Raizel stepped out first, inhaling the crisp forest air as he took in the sight of his home.
Home.
Huh.
He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it until now.
Turning, he met Michael's and the others' gazes before casually saying, "Welcome home."
Michael gave a small nod, still adjusting to everything. Selene, however, barely reacted—her attention fixed entirely on the small figure beside her.
Eve.
The girl stood close to her mother, gripping Selene's sleeve like it was the only anchor she had in this unfamiliar world. Her wide, cautious eyes scanned the grand mansion before them.
For the first time in her life, she had a place to call home.
Raizel watched the way she hesitated, how her fingers curled into Selene's coat.
She'd spent her whole life locked in a lab, caged and prodded like an experiment. Now, for the first time, she wasn't just stepping into a new home—she was stepping into freedom.
And somehow, that thought settled in Raizel's mind.
A place to belong.
He said nothing more, simply watching as Selene placed a gentle hand on her daughter's head, offering silent reassurance.
With that, they moved forward.
Toward home.
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