The Damned Demon
chapter-711

"Mom…" Rachel mumbled with a look of guilt and worry as she began to approach her shocked mother.

Cecilia's voice cracked, a dozen terrible thoughts clashing in her mind as she stammered, "Wha…What are you doing here?"

"You must know why she's here by now, Cecilia," Asher said, his voice calm yet firm.

Cecilia slowly turned to him, her gaze filled with a dawning horror as he added, "She's here to help you see the truth."

"No…no…this can't be happening…" Her eyes darted between Rachel and Asher, the puzzle pieces falling into place, forming a picture she couldn't bear to look at. Rachel's introduction of Asher to her, the lingering glances, the secrecy—it all suddenly made an unbearable kind of sense. All those dots finally connected in her mind.

She looked at Rachel, her voice breaking, "Don't tell me this is true… Were you working with him all along? Since when? How could you do this to me…your own mother?"

Rachel's face softened, and she quickly closed the distance between them, taking her mother's hands into her own, "Mom, I'm sorry I kept this from you. I didn't want to hurt you, but I couldn't just tell you without…without making you react like this. I wanted to wait for the right time."

"The right time to make me understand what, Rachel?" Cecilia's voice quivered, a mix of pain and anguish in her eyes, "That you've been colluding with a demon for angels know how long? Did this start… Was it after that quest… when Hellbringer attacked you?"

Rachel let out a shaky sigh, her eyes filling with memories that weighed heavily on her soul, "Yes, that was when everything started to change, even if it began in the worst way possible. Back then, I wanted him dead more than anything."

Cecilia felt a pang of guilt, a sting in her heart as she realized just how blind she'd been to her daughter's suffering.

"But as time passed, especially during the Quest of the Worthy, he helped me see the truth." Rachel's voice wavered, her gaze distant, lost in the painful recollections, "He helped me avoid becoming a monster like Dad. I almost killed Amelia—my only friend for some vain reason. Then, I was ambushed by Hunters, my own colleagues, people I thought of as family. They wanted me dead over something I never did, Mom. They would have killed me without a second thought. Can you imagine? That's when I saw the truth… the darkness we've allowed to fester in our own world."

Tears welled in Rachel's eyes as she looked at her mother, her vulnerability on full display, "You can never see the world the same way again once you've witnessed the things that happened during that quest…"

Cecilia's own eyes softened as she took in her daughter's pain, shock twisting in her heart as she tried to imagine and understand the agony Rachel had endured alone, hiding her suffering to protect her.

Rachel continued, her voice laced with quiet fury and sorrow, "Hellbringer showed me that demons aren't humanity's greatest threat…we are. Dad is proof of that. I know it's hard to accept, but you've seen what he's done and what he's planning. You know I am right."

Cecilia's chin quivered, her heart torn as she grappled with the truth Rachel laid bare. She'd pushed aside her doubts about her husband for too long, justifying his actions, convincing herself it was for the greater good. But now, with all her defenses stripped away, she couldn't avoid the truth any longer.

Asher stepped forward, his voice unexpectedly gentle, "You may wonder why a demon like me would care about this world. You're right—I shouldn't. But I have people I care about here, and I won't let them live in a world tainted by suffering. Your daughter is one of those people." He paused, his gaze steady, "Stopping Derek is the only way to protect both our worlds from destruction. But we can't do it alone. We need your help, Cecilia."

Cecilia looked from Asher to Rachel, whose gentle nod broke through her last reserves. She let out a shuddering sigh, raising a hand to her face as she tried to hold back tears, her voice barely above a whisper, "How…How did our family end up like this…How did we..."

Rachel's face softened with sympathy as she pulled her mother into a gentle embrace, "I'm so sorry, Mom. I wish things had turned out differently. I loved Dad, but now… I can't recognize the monster he's become." She held her mother tighter, her voice fragile yet filled with resolve. "You're all I have left. You're my only hope. I don't want you to walk the same path as Dad, nor would I want you to leave me even if I am colluding with a demon."

Cecilia's heart cracked open at Rachel's words, and she wrapped her arms gently around her daughter, pulling her close. Her voice trembled with emotion, "My child... I would never leave you, no matter what. You are my only daughter, the one I cherish more than anything. You've apologized far too many times when I should be the one apologizing. I've been a terrible mother…blind to what you were suffering through all these years."

Rachel shook her head, looking up at her mother with a soft smile. "You're the best mom in the world. You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that you'd never shun me. I was terrified, honestly… I thought you might cast me out like Victor's father did to him. That you'd abandon me to protect our family's reputation." Her voice wavered as she admitted, "It's why I kept it all hidden from you. I didn't want to lose you."

"Oh, my poor, poor girl…" Cecilia's tears fell as she held Rachel tightly, murmuring, "I'm to blame for ever making you feel that way. I was so focused on keeping our family's image intact, on helping your father… I left you out. But from now on, I'm here for you, no matter what you're facing."

A soft smile touched Asher's lips as he watched mother and daughter cling to each other, both finally shedding years of burdens that had kept them apart. He'd doubted Cecilia would understand, but he'd underestimated just how deeply she loved Rachel, a love that clearly transcended status and reputation.

Remembering Cecilia's past, which she had revealed to him, he felt it made sense.

Cecilia turned to Asher, her expression steady but curious, "So… you saved my daughter during the Quest of the Worthy?"

Rachel bit her lip, anxious her mother might not be able to accept the whole truth. Asher's gaze met Cecilia's, and he sighed, "It's complicated, but yes… I saved her life. I won't lie to you. At first, I caused her pain, using her to target your husband. I thought that was the only way."

Cecilia's face hardened, but Asher went on, his voice carrying a solemn weight, "But somewhere along the way, I realized how wrong that path was. I wanted her to see the truth, even if she had to walk a hard road to get there. And now I'm glad to have a just Hunter like her by my side, fighting for what's right."

Cecilia's expression softened with understanding, though a lingering sadness clouded her gaze. She let out a deep sigh. "I understand now why you've done what you've done. But…this war between our worlds is endless. That's why I even considered Derek's plans—to end the war and bring peace. But I know now that peace earned by cruel means is no better than the war itself. But… even if you stop my husband, the bloodshed would continue. So what's the point?"

Asher's eyes reflected a glimmer of determination as he shook his head. "The angels and devils have trapped us in this endless cycle, making us believe survival depends on fighting and bloodshed. But I believe there has to be a way, somewhere, for all of us to coexist in peace. It won't be easy to find, but until then, we have to focus on stopping the disaster that threatens both of our worlds now. So are you willing to do what's right, Cecilia? The choice you make here and now could decide the fate of your world."

Rachel's gaze was anxious as she looked at her mother, hope and worry mingling in her eyes. Cecilia's hands slowly clenched into fists, her mind and heart battling as she came to the precipice of a decision that would change not only her fate but that of countless others.

Finally, she lifted her head, her eyes blazing with resolve as she looked between Asher and Rachel. Her gaze fixed on Asher, and she spoke with firm conviction, "I will do whatever is necessary to protect my world from true evil if that answers your question."

Asher smirked, a glint of approval in his eyes. "Good. Then let's start with this—tell us everything your husband is planning next."