"What do you mean she is not dead? This is not the time for a joke, Ellena," said Mars impatiently.

"I meant what I said. She is not dead. She faked her death, with my help. She must be already far away from here now," said Ellena persistently.

Mars was stunned when he heard her words. He knew Ellena was not one to pull stupid pranks on him. And she looked so serious when she spoke.

Was she telling the truth?

Was Emmelyn really not dead?

Did she fake her death?

So many emotions filled his heart and mind. Mars didn't know what to make of Ellena's words.

"Ellena, I don't have time for riddles or playing guessing games. I need to know EVERYTHING. What happened, what did you do to help her?? Where is she now...??" Mars raised his balled fist and pressed it on the table next to him.

He had to exert all her sanity not to explode and shake the truth out of Ellena.

"I made a big mistake..." said Ellena over and over between her sobs. Her face looked scared and worried. "Please don't tell my uncle. He would be so disappointed in me. I am so, sorry..."

"If you tell me what happened, I will protect you from your uncle," said Mars impatiently. "You have my word. Now, speak!"

Ellena shrank in her seat and, with tears flowing profusely from her eyes, she slowly recounted what happened between Emmelyn and her after Emmelyn asked Ellena to come to the Grey Tower to visit her.

"Emmelyn asked me to come and see her, I already told you this part," said Ellena with a low voice. "She begged me to let her go. She said she knew how much I loved you throughout the years, that I would do anything for you. She told me, I could have you if I helped her escape. She promised to tell you the truth... she would write you a letter that will make you see her for who she really is... and you will stop loving her..."

Ellena wiped her tears that kept flowing harder. Her voice was hoarse from crying so much. Mars clenched his jaws when he heard Ellena's story. He didn't say anything and let her finish.

"I was weak... and I thought, that was the only way for me to make you see her true colors. Since you wouldn't listen to me, and everyone else.. maybe you would listen to her." She sobbed again.

"So, I said yes. I was willing to help her. Emmelyn told me she wanted to get rid of the baby as soon as possible, so she could go without a burden....and she asked me to find a local witch to make a potion to induce early labor."

Mars's heart was filled with so much anger when he heard Emmelyn wanted to get rid of Harlow by inducing early labor.

That was truly reckless and irresponsible.

What if Harlow died in the process?

The baby was way too young to be born. She still needed 8 more weeks before she could be delivered like other normal babies. Her delivery process might as well be her death sentence.

How could someone do this to an innocent child?

How could a mother do this to her own flesh and blood?

It was so, very hard to believe Ellena's words, that Emmelyn could do such a heinous act.

"She said she would fake her death after she got rid of the baby. She was friends with this witch from Wintermere who apparently had been helping her all this time," Ellena continued her story. Her dress sleeves were now damp because she had been using them to wipe her tears constantly.

"How would someone fake their death?" This time, it was Gewen who asked the question. He couldn't help but voice his curiosity.

The man had never heard of anything like that before. Unlike Mars, he couldn't hold back and ended up interrupting Ellena.

This got him a side-eye from the crown prince.

Gewen quickly coughed and waved his hand apologetically. "Please, don't mind me. I am just curious. I am sure you will explain everything if I stop interrupting."

He looked away and pretended to admire the wall to his right.

Ellena nodded and sobbed again. "You are right. It's very difficult to believe. Initially, I thought she was joking, or just trying to scheme me. But then, I realized she meant what she said."

She continued haltingly, "The witch can help her with a sleeping potion. After she gave birth to the baby, she would fake her death by going into a deep sleep. People will think she died and bury her. But then, after several days, she will get her hired men to get her out of the grave and she could flee Draec."

"So, you are saying, Emmelyn is actually not dead, and she is alive somewhere?" Mars asked Ellena to confirm.

The woman nodded haltingly. "Yes. That's what happened."

"Who did the examination after her death?" Mars asked her again.

"I believe it was Mr. Vitas. Emmelyn said we could easily fool him because he is already really old and no longer sharp," said Ellena. "And apparently, she was right. When Mr. Vitas came to check on her, he declared her dead."

Mars really didn't know what to feel after he listened to Ellena's explanation. It was all so hard to believe.

Did Emmelyn really write her confession and she made Ellena help her escape? And now, she was actually alive somewhere?

It was so, so hard to believe. Was Ellena lying?

His chest felt tightened. He thought Ellena was making things up.

Yet, deep inside his heart, he hoped she was telling the truth.

He really hoped Emmelyn did fake her death and she was still alive somewhere.

"Are you telling me the whole truth?" Mars asked again. His voice was hoarse and his heart palpitated as he was waiting in anticipation for every word that came out of Ellena's lips. "She is still alive?"

Ellena nodded. "Yes. She is still alive and must have gone far away from here."