From Cell to Crown- The Disgraced Heiress Returns

Chapter 15

Months passed, and both men had lost more than twenty pounds. Their faces were hollow, their spirits drained. The agony of searching without results was unbearable. Desperate, they finally resorted to posting a missing person notice online.

"Money is no object. Just help us find her."

The public, well aware of the Sterling Family's past, had mixed reactions.

"She left on her own. If you truly loved her, you should let her go."

Some who had once criticized Narissa for being ungrateful now typed furiously.

"Even if we find her, we shouldn't tell you. Sending her back would be like throwing her into the fire!"

"Exactly! You never valued her before. What's the point of searching now?"

"Unbelievable. Some 'family' is better off staying far, far away."

In response, Evan posted again, trying to defend himself.

"It was Liora who spread the lies... Narissa was a curse. We were deceived. Now all we want is to find her and make things right."

But the internet was merciless.

"Are you serious? You believed she was a curse just because someone told you? How deep could your love for her have really been?"

The more Evan tried to explain, the worse the backlash became.

"Still have the audacity to speak up? You're just asking for a beating."

Unable to endure the hate, Evan posted his medical records as proof.

"I am Narissa's brother. No one is more worried about her than I am. Because of everything that happened, I developed severe mental health issues. I'm only posting this to beg for help. Please, help us find her."

But the internet didn't show mercy.

"Serves you right! This is karma!"

Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Elowen stepped in.

He had wasted away into a shell of a man, drowning himself in alcohol, his body destroyed by self-destruction. Eventually, he was diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer.

A video was released.

Lying weakly in a hospital bed, his hollow eyes glistened with tears as he pleaded with the public.

"I don't have much time left. Before I die, I just want to see my daughter one last time. Please, help me. I need to tell her how regretful I am."

The video sparked mixed reactions. Some pitied him, but many sneered coldly.

"One after another falling sick? Looks like karma finally caught up with them."

Meanwhile, Drake used every connection at his disposal, pouring a vast fortune into the search for Narissa. He needed to find her, to apologize, to explain everything.

But she had vanished without a trace. No matter how desperately he searched, there was nothing.

The first year, he reassured himself, "I will find her." But after scouring every possible place, he found nothing but silence.

Despair took hold. Drake locked himself in Narissa's old room. It was pristine, too clean. Every trace of her was gone. Not even a piece of clothing remained.

Evan stepped into the room, his bloodshot eyes reflecting exhaustion. He stared at the empty space, regret flooding his expression.

"Back then, I let Liora move into her room... She must have been devastated."

The weight of his mistakes crushed him. His mother had entrusted him with his younger sister, yet he had pushed her away.

A deep sorrow settled in his heart. "Mom, tell me, what can I do to bring Narissa back? How can I make her forgive me?"

Tears slipped down his face, the guilt unbearable.

Drake, standing nearby, turned to him with a cold stare. "Shut up. You don't deserve to stand here. Neither of us do."

Evan, exhausted, didn't respond. He left to bury himself in work. Meanwhile, Drake watched the surveillance footage of Narissa's last moments in the house.

The sight of her made his chest tighten in agony.

In the footage, Narissa could be seen packing her things, telling someone to take them. Then, without hesitation, she set fire to the stuffed animals—symbols of the love they had once given her.

She had personally erased every trace of their affection.

Drake should have noticed when the stuffed animals went missing earlier. But back then, he had been too preoccupied with Liora to pay attention. Now, all that remained was regret.

At first, they tried to stay rational. But as months turned into years, Evan and Drake broke down.

Why hadn't she come back? Did she still hate them?