Chapter 116

Clara stared at Dimitri, wide-eyed, disbelieving. "How exactly is she the cause of your mother's sickness? I don't understand," she said. He sighed.

"I didn't understand it at first, either. Aurora is very skilled with herbs, and she used them to create a parasite that's practically killing my mother," he revealed, gasping.

"Wait, what? Why?" Clara asked. He turned to her with a sad smile.

"Because she's a psychopath who craves relevance in Damon's life. At that point, Damon was losing interest, barely spending time with her, which angered her. She needed a way to stay in his life—a sickness only she could treat. All the doctors and healers were baffled. She was the only one who could helpuntil you came along. You must be truly special, Clara," he murmured, smiling. Clara sighed.

"I won't say I'm special, but I'm glad I could treat your mother. She must have timed it, knowing the parasite would flare up soon, using it as a means to return to Damon's life," Clara deduced. Dimitri nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I believe that was her plan," he said. Clara sighed. "Why didn't you tell anyone immediately? That would have saved us a lot of trouble." He sighed.

"I was ostracized by Damon. No one wanted to cross him, not even our parents. Did you really think they'd believe me? If you didn't know how vile Aurora was, you wouldn't have believed me either. She was an angel to everyone, and my parents loved her—they still do. No one would have believed me," he explained. Clara stared at him.

"You're lying. That's not the only reason you didn't report her. You were in love with her, so you didn't want her punished, am I right?" she asked. He chuckled, turning to her. Amusement shone in his eyes.

"Well, you keep surprising me, buttercup. I didn't expect you to be so sharp," he said. Clara wasn't sure if she should take that as an insult.

"So I'm right?" she asked. He nodded.

"The only reason I found out it was Aurora was because she never works alone. She gave the herbs to my mother's personal maid, who fed them to my mother out of fear. Aurora threatened her whole family—and had the power to carry out those threats. Anyone in their right mind would be terrified. But the maid couldn't ignore her guilt and told me, since I was already outcast. She gave me enough evidence and said she would testify against Aurora, even if it cost her life. I just had to promise to protect her family. I know it was foolish, but I didn't want Aurora killed. If Damon found out, he would have killed her instantly. So I went to Aurora, told her what I knew, showed her the proof, and gave her an ultimatum: leave the pack and my brother's life, or face the consequences. She agreed immediately—but only if I followed her. Like a lovesick fool, I was willing. What I didn't know was that she went behind my back and told Damon I tried to rape her, so he banished me. I went to find her, but we never got back together. She avoided me, but I kept an eye on her, just in case. If I'd known she was coming here, I would have stopped her before she showed her face to Damon," he explained. Clara sat, absorbing the information.

"Luckily, my father and Delilah reached out because my mother wanted to see me. I used that as a way to get here. I knew Damon would be angry, but I couldn't let Aurora hurt anyone else, especially you," he added, turning to her.

"Don't worry, I can handle myself. She can't hurt me," Clara replied. He chuckled.

"For some reason, I don't doubt that. You have fire. My brother's in love with you," he said, and Clara's cheeks flushed.

"We should tell someone—at least Delilah or Luca?" she asked. He shook his head.

"I don't want Delilah involved, and if Luca knows, it'll reach Damon. I don't want that. I'm already the black sheep, and I don't mind remaining one. Aurora fears me because she thinks I still have the evidence, but I don't. I lost most of it, and the maid killed herself. Now I just need to find new evidence," he muttered, standing.

"I'll help you," Clara said, standing as well.

"No, Delilah, I don't want you hurt or involved in this mess," he said. Clara shrugged.

"Well, I'm already involved. She's targeting my man, and I won't let her near him. I'm going to help you get rid of her quickly," she said, frowning as he stared at her a little too long.

"What? Is there something on my face?" she asked, wiping her cheek. He blinked, then shook his head.

"No, I'm just glad my brother met you," he commented, and her cheeks grew hot again.

"Aurora's still in the hospital, right?" she asked. He nodded slightly.

"Yeah, why?" he asked. She smirked.

"I might have a plan, but first, do you still love her?" she asked. He paused, then a smirk appeared on his face. "She's crazy, but I never said I liked my girls sane."