The Killer Queen (Noella Briony)

Lucian looked at Lavinia with a hint of uncertainty. "Who are you looking for? Elara?"

"Yeah. I just had this long dream about Elara, and I want to see her."

Lucian was still basking in the joy of his daughter finally waking up. He had forgotten that Lavinia usually referred to Elara in a more formal manner, calling her Ms. Elara. This sudden familiarity was a first!

"Alright, wait here, I'll give Elara a call right away." Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

Lavinia shook her head. "No rush. Let her take her time. I can wait."

As she reminisced about everything she saw in her dream, she felt a bit surreal. Observing Elara's life, watching her grow up so smart and sensible, left a profound impression.

Despite the Schnabel family treating Elara with such care and affection, Elara cried for a long time in secret upon learning she wasn't their biological child, only to act as if nothing was wrong the next day.

Seeing her hiding under the covers, crying secretly, Lavinia felt an overwhelming sense of empathy and sorrow!

Lavinia felt, more than ever, that she needed to meet Elara!

Lucian quickly dialed Elara's number, and learning she was already on her way, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lavinia, be a good girl and go get checked up. Once the doctors are done with their examination, Elara will be here."

Looking at Lucian, his hair now silvered with age, yet still concerned for her, spoke with a tone as if soothing a child. Lavinia nodded. "Dad, you used to talk to me like this when I was sick as a little girl."

Lucian shuddered. Those memories - hadn't Lavinia forgotten them long ago? How did she still remember her childhood? He was shocked and worried as the medical staff gathered around, blocking his view from the inside.

After a careful examination, Calvin, followed by a fully geared Noella, whispered, "She seems to be recovering remarkably well, almost too well."

Noella calmly replied, "There was a study on patients with dissociative identity disorder where the disappearance of one personality led to the physical healing of the body. Let's observe for now. If she's getting better, it might be a similar case."

Recalling that groundbreaking case in the medical community stirred a sense of relief in Noella. Yet, due to the scarcity of cases, the research didn't win any awards.

Calvin exclaimed, "If it's the same scenario, that’s incredibly fortunate!"

Lavinia's recovery was far beyond that of a typical brain surgery patient. Seeing her clear and bright eyes, Calvin found it hard to associate her with the Lavinia of the past.

After the check-up, Noella re-examined all the medications, ensuring no errors before leaving the room with Calvin.

Calvin joked, "They're almost treating you as my assistant now. How did I get so lucky?"

Noella preferred not to reveal her identity in the hospital, finding it convenient to operate under Calvin's esteemed name in the medical field.

She removed her mask, her gaze sharp. "If we were on the international warzone, on my turf, I wouldn't mind showing you what real luck looks like."

Calvin quickly shut his mouth.

Watching Noella leave in her casual attire, Calvin called out to her. "Where are you off to? Weren't we going to discuss the follow-up plan?"

"Got a class to attend. I'll be back later."

Calvin almost forgot that Noella was still a university student!

As he watched her leave with a backpack, Calvin reminisced about his own school days. Comparisons indeed could be disheartening!

Inside Lavinia's hospital room, Elara looked at her with concern. "Lavinia, are you feeling better?"

"Much better. Can we chat for a bit?"

Seeing Lavinia’s gentle gaze, Elara was torn between wanting her to rest and not being able to refuse her request.

"Sure, what would you like to talk about?"

"I want to hear about your childhood. Could you share some stories with me?"

Elara chose some light-hearted tales, mostly about her lively antics with the Schnabel siblings in the Schnabel Mansion.

"Stirling was terrible at school; he used to pay me to do his homework until Grandpa Marcel caught us."

Lavinia smiled. "Stirling is quite a bit older than you, right? You're so smart. What did Marcel say?"

"Grandpa called me clever and gave Stirling a good talking-to."

Marcel always had a soft spot for Elara, his granddaughter, and that hadn’t changed!

"He always wanted a granddaughter. Seeing his buddy with one, he used to come home and scold my dad and brothers. But after I arrived, he realized I was just as much a handful as my brothers."

It wasn't until Noella came into the picture that Marcel finally lived his dream of spoiling a granddaughter!

The biggest hiccup was with Ashlyn, but since Marcel had divorced her, Elara didn't bring it up.

Seeing Elara's bright smile, Lavinia felt a warm glow in her heart.

"How about your parents? Were they good to you?"

"Very. While I may not be a Schnabel by blood, the warmth and acceptance I felt within the family were unparalleled."

Lavinia nodded, her gaze serene and tender. "Elara, you might find this scary, but I had a dream, so vivid and real, it matched everything you just shared. So, I was wondering, would you be willing to do a DNA test with me, to see if... if you might be my child?"

Elara was speechless for a moment, her hands trembling.

"A DNA test?"

"Yes, I'm a researcher. I trust in data the most. You look a lot like me, but facial resemblance isn't enough to prove anything," Lavinia said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.

"Okay, this might come out of the blue, but I need you to hear me out," Lavinia continued, her voice wavering, showing the strain of speaking. "I believe... I believe I have a daughter, but somehow, I lost her."

"Don't freak out, okay? If this is too much too soon, you don't have to answer right away," she added, noticing Elara's tears but feeling too weak to offer any physical comfort.

Elara was taken aback by her own reaction, only realizing she was crying when Lavinia pointed it out. She turned away hurriedly, wiping her tears, her heart racing with confusion and sudden emotion.

Lucian couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lavinia waking up and immediately wanting a paternity test with Elara? This was beyond anyone's wildest imaginations.

"Lavinia, did something come back to you? Do you remember anything?" he asked, trying to piece things together.

Lavinia managed a weak smile, looking almost ghostly. "Bits and pieces, but they feel so surreal, like fragments of a dream. Yet, in those dreams, I can't shake the feeling that Elara could be my child."

She had been battling her illness for years, never daring to share these fragmented memories with Lucian.

"Dad, I've never told you, but I've always felt I had a daughter. And now, seeing Elara, the resemblance... I really want to know if she is my daughter."