I don’t go back to sleep. Never in my life did I ever imagine that I would be in a position where I would be given front seat to the movie where life as we know it is going to be destroyed forever. I can’t even begin to understand how Thorne can justify his actions.

The humiliation I suffered at the ball, everything I have suffered in the past, my mother, all pale by comparison.

I need to think and I always do my best thinking when I am in the shower. The warm water pours on my head and body. Even when I was young, whenever something that upset me happened, I always ended up in the shower. The warm spray relaxes me.

My soul knows I have to do something about the AI in Thorne’s dungeon. I cannot just look the other way and allow it to happen. Maybe that is the reason I am in his life. If necessary I have to get back into his dungeon and destroy that monster myself.

I switch off the water and leaving the warm embrace of the shower, step out into my cool room. I pace my bedroom floor with nothing but my robe on, when my door suddenly bursts open.

Thorne stands at the doorway.

“What it is?”

He smiles at me. “It’s done,” he says.

Fear catches my heart. Is it already too late? “What’s done?”

“I fried Yama’s motherboard.”

“Are you telling me the truth?”

He nods and I know he is not lying.

“Why?”

“Because you were right.”

I almost collapse with relief. I look into his eyes and my breath hitches. He opens his mouth to say something and a noise startles us.

It is my mobile phone still in my dressing gown pocket ringing. It takes me out of my almost trance-like state. I take it out and frown when I see my mother’s number. I look up at Thorne. “I have to take this. I won’t be long.”

He nods and I turn away from him and hit the accept button.

“Mama?”

“Chelsea,” she says, and I know. That one word is enough for me to know exactly why she is calling. The hairs on my neck stand, and my legs feel like they are about to buckle.

I don’t even have to ask, but I do. “What is it, Mama?”

“Chelsea, it’s your Nan. She passed away a few minutes ago.”

Time stops. I haven’t seen her in so long. I never thought I would care if she died, but I do. It hurts me deep inside, makes old scars hurt. Why? Nan’s … she was … It feels as if my brain is malfunctioning. I can’t think straight. I can’t fully process what is happening. I cannot think of a coherent thought. My mind is a jumble. Then my brain fills with vivid images. Nan bringing Nutella sandwiches for me to eat in bed. She cut them in squares. And a glass of milk. She always brought milk. It was a ritual. She knew I hated milk, but she brought it every night. Always she said the same. “Your Mama loved it.” I think of her standing in the garden pegging sheets on the washing line. I think of her biting her lip, saying, “Sorry.” I think. I think.

“Chelsea?” my mother says.

I know by her voice that she is about to cry. It’s a sound I know that I cannot hear. I walk over to the window and look outside. I stare at the beautiful garden and try to make sense of what I’m feeling, what I’m thinking. Problem is I’m not thinking and I’m not seeing. I stare blankly outside, completely transfixed by the jumbled up memories of Nan. The tears almost come, I feel them in the back of my throat and my eyes, but they never flow.

“Can you come?” my mother whispers, her voice sounds hollow.

“Yes, I’ll come, Mama.”

“Thank you.” She hangs up.

“Chelsea?”

The voice sounds so distant. Everything seems so far away now. Nan is gone.

“Chelsea?” His voice is closer now, but I don’t turn around. I feel rooted in place.

Then I am being spun around so quick it makes me dizzy. I look up into Thorne’s handsome face. His eyebrows are a straight line and his eyes are fierce. My knees buckle and his arms wrap around me. He holds me tightly. I am too limp to hold him back. My body is shaking, but I’m not crying. The tears still haven’t come. I feel devastated, yet numb at the same time.

I’m not sure why. I didn’t love Nan.

Thorne doesn’t ask me what’s happened. I wouldn’t know what to say even if he does. He simply holds me in his arms and rubs my back and rocks me gently. That is all I need. He is all I need now to keep the bad memories away.

I hope he never lets go.