Chapter 121. In My Mother’s Room

Elena POV

The morgue is colder than death itself

Not just the temperature—but the kind of cold that crawls under your skin and settles in your bones.

The moment I step inside, my knees threaten to give out.

White walls. White floors. White sheets. Everything feels wrong. Too clean for death. Too quiet for grief. Everything smells like chemicals and loss.

My heart starts pounding wildly as the attendant pulls back the sheet.

And there she is.

My mother.

She looks smaller than I remember. Paler. So still it feels wrong….unnatural. My breath leaves in a broken gasp.

“Mom…” My voice comes out as a broken whisper.

I step closer slowly, like I’m afraid she’ll vanish if I move too fast.

Then I see the bruises.

Dark marks bloom along her arms. Faint discoloration at her neck. Her face is peaceful, but her body tells a different story.

My chest caves in.

“No…” I choke.

I reach out with trembling