Act 8 - Exit

Cedric sat alone in the dimly lit room, his head buried in his hands. The dark memories that had resurfaced in the past few days wouldn't let him rest. Everything suddenly seemed to connect, as he kept seeing the image of Elias—the boy he had saved, only for him to end so tragically. The memory of the day he first learned about Elias' mother came back to him. But what really haunted him now was the painful thought that Elias' fate might be tied to Eliza's father.

He had never questioned his time with Eliza. Her father, the renowned psychologist, had played a role—a shadow from her past. But what if he was more than either of them ever imagined? What if the connection between him and Elias went far beyond what Cedric had ever admitted to himself?

He needed to see Eliza. Now.

The question burned inside him: Was it true? Was Eliza's father really the one who had conducted the therapy on Elias? And what if that man had been so desperate that, in the end, he made the terrible decision to take his own life, unable to bear the weight of everything he had done?

His thoughts tangled together. The image of Elias, abused by the doctors and psychiatrists, blended with the idea of Eliza's father being somehow involved in these dark events. Cedric knew he couldn't ignore it any longer.

He stood up, the weight of his thoughts pulling him down. Eliza had to know the truth. If he didn't find out, he would never be free of the shadows that had tormented him for so long.

"I need to see Eliza," Cedric murmured to himself, staring out the window at the empty street. He hesitated for a moment, then grabbed his jacket and left the room.

It was time to get answers. Answers that might reveal the true nature of the people he knew.

He had no choice—he had to start with Eliza to uncover the truth and finally drive away the darkness that had hung over him for so long.

Cedric walked through the streets of the city, his heart beating faster the closer he got to Eliza. The thoughts that plagued him wouldn't give him peace. He had ignored it for too long, but now he couldn't just go on. He needed to know what had happened between Eliza, her father, and Elias. And he needed to find out now.

The night was calm, the sky overcast as if the world itself was holding its breath. Cedric turned into a small alley that he recognized. The houses were close together, their windows covered. He could feel the space around him getting tighter as he neared Eliza's apartment. It was as though the darkness itself was pushing him to the point where he would finally get the answers he sought.

He walked the last few steps with firm, determined strides. His gaze was fixed ahead, yet the thoughts in his head wouldn't leave him alone. What would he do if his suspicions were confirmed? If everything he had believed about Eliza's father was a lie? If the man she revered wasn't who he claimed to be?

Finally, he reached the door. He paused, took a deep breath, and then knocked lightly, quickly. He knew he needed her now.

It took a moment, but then he heard the door slowly creak open. Cedric saw Eliza standing there, her eyes filled with the same restlessness he felt. She had been expecting him—or perhaps she was simply ready to hear the answer he would bring.

"Cedric…" Her voice was calm, but there was an uncertainty in it that he immediately felt. But he said nothing. Instead, he just took a step closer.

"We need to talk," he finally said, his voice firm, but also tinged with deep concern.

Eliza stepped back, as if she knew this was the moment she had never truly been prepared for. She nodded silently and opened the door wide enough for Cedric to enter. He followed her, his thoughts focused on the conversation that now lay ahead.

Cedric slowly stepped in and closed the door behind him. The silence in the room was almost suffocating, and the look in Eliza's eyes told him that she knew what he was about to bring up. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke quietly but firmly.

"Eliza, it's about your father... and Elias," Cedric began, his voice barely above a whisper as he said the words. "I... I need to know if it was really him. The psychiatrist. The one who treated Elias."

Eliza stared at him for a moment as if she didn't want to hear the question. Her eyes filled with tears that she couldn't hold back. She lowered her gaze and wiped her face with her hands, as if trying to compose herself. But the tears kept falling.

"Cedric..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "It was... it was my father. He... he treated him. And then... he took his own life." Her voice broke on the last words, and she sank into a chair, her head buried in her hands.

"I should have known," she continued, as if holding herself accountable. "I should have recognized what he did to Elias... but I... I didn't know. I thought he was helping him. I thought he could help him... but he destroyed him. And now... now he's dead, and I couldn't do anything..."

The words came in a flood as Eliza felt the weight of the guilt she'd been carrying. She shook her head, as if she couldn't bear to face the truth.

Cedric stood still, watching her, knowing that there was nothing he could say to take away her pain. It was the moment when the past couldn't be denied any longer. She had convinced herself of something for all these years, but now it was all clear.

Eliza wiped her tears away and sat up straight again, her voice now soft but steady. "It was my father. He did it. I'm sorry, Cedric."

Cedric clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together as he processed the words Eliza had just spoken. The anger inside him was boiling over, stronger than ever. He couldn't believe it. How could she do this to him? She, who had become like family to him. He had trusted her, believed in her, but now he knew everything had been a lie.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?!" Cedric yelled, his voice shaking with fury. "You should've told me the truth, Eliza! You knew this all along, and you lied to me! You lied to all of us!"

His gaze was wild, and he stormed toward her, his eyes locked onto hers as if he wanted to tear her apart. "You ruined everything! EVERYTHING! I trusted you, I believed that together we could end this, but now I know that you were never really honest!"

Eliza jumped up from her chair, her eyes wide with shock. She wanted to say something, defend herself, but Cedric kept shouting at her.

"You ruined us, Eliza!" he continued, his voice getting louder and more desperate. "You used us all, and what did you do? You messed everything up, you disappointed me!"

Eliza backed away, her chest heaving as Cedric's words struck like daggers. She opened her mouth to speak, but Cedric's fury drowned everything out.

Marcus tried to step in between them, his hands raised to calm the situation. "Cedric, please... this won't help..." he said, but Cedric ignored him, as if he hadn't spoken.

"Stop it, Marcus!" Cedric shouted without turning to him. "I don't want to hear what you have to say!"

With a frustrated sigh, Cedric turned back to Eliza, who was now trembling in her chair, her gaze lowered. "You're out!" he screamed, his words cutting through the air like a knife. "You've put us all in danger, and now... just go! Do this on your own if you're going to be like this!"

He took a step toward her, furious and disappointed. "I don't want to see you here anymore. I can't stand working with you!"

Eliza slowly rose from her chair, tears streaming down her face. But Cedric didn't take his eyes off her, his face cold and stern.

"Just go," he said finally, his voice devoid of any warmth they once shared. "I've had enough of you."

Cedric turned abruptly, signaling that he wasn't willing to exchange another word. The door slammed shut behind him, and the silence in the room was deafening. Eliza was left alone, the disappointment and pain burning like a fire inside her.

Eliza stood completely still, her hands trembling as she tried to bear the pain inside her. Her eyes were red and tear-streaked, but she knew she couldn't spend another moment in this apartment. It felt as if everything around her was crumbling, that her world was falling apart, and she had no idea how to pick up the pieces.

With shaking steps, she walked to the door. She didn't know where she was going, but she had no choice. Cedric didn't want her here anymore. Her home – or what she had considered home – was now destroyed. The only family she had left was gone, and she didn't know how to go on.

As she closed the door behind her, it felt like another piece of her life had shattered. The room was silent now, and it seemed as though a dark curtain had fallen over everything. She stepped out into the cold night, and the rain began to fall again.

Cedric stood in the middle of the room, staring at the floor, trying to suppress his emotions. But it was impossible. Everything he had felt – the anger, the disappointment, the despair – all of it came crashing down at that moment. He had just pushed the one person who still meant something to him out of his life.

He staggered into the bedroom and fell heavily onto the bed. The room around him was dark, the rain tapping against the window, and he felt as empty and cold as the world outside. Marcus had retreated into the corner, completely broken by what had just happened. He said nothing. Even he knew there were no words to fix the situation.

"She's gone," Marcus finally murmured, more to himself than to Cedric. "What have we done?"

Cedric couldn't say anything. It felt like the ground had been pulled out from under him. He had always thought he could control everything. But now, he had lost the most important thing – and not just that, he had lost Eliza, who had meant so much to him.

"We lost her," Cedric finally said, his voice so empty it was as if he didn't even recognize himself. "Everything is lost."

Cedric sat on the bed, his thoughts swirling in his mind as the silence around him became suffocating. The walls seemed to close in, and he couldn't shake the knot in his chest. He had shouted at Eliza, pushed her out of his life, and now he felt empty, as if he were no longer the same.

"What have I done?" he whispered almost inaudibly, his head in his hands. The rage that had driven him when he threw her out had now turned into a broken feeling. Everything had escalated too quickly. The anger, the disappointment, all the things that had risen up in him—he'd been overwhelmed. But now he regretted it. He had lost Eliza. And everything they had built together seemed meaningless.

Marcus stood in the corner of the room, like a shadow. It was clear that he, too, was broken. Both of them were trapped in the same feelings, in the despair of losing their focus. They had been getting closer to the Puppeteer, but now everything was at risk. What had they accomplished if they'd destroyed themselves and the only people they had left?

"Cedric..." Marcus began softly, but his voice was barely a whisper.

"I know," Cedric interrupted him, not lifting his head. "I messed it up. Everything we've done so far, everything..."

He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. "I'm not the person I was anymore. I lost control. And now... now we have to go on alone. Without Eliza."

It felt like the darkness around them was growing thicker. But the reality was they had no choice. The Puppeteer was still out there, still a threat. Cedric had lost Eliza, but he knew they had to keep going. They all had to.

"We don't have another way," he said finally, his voice hoarse and determined. "We need to find the Puppeteer. Just the two of us. And we need to do it fast."

Marcus nodded, his gaze empty and sad, but he knew Cedric was right. They had always relied on each other as a team. Now they had to stand together without Eliza. It was the only way to stop the Puppeteer.

"Then let's go," Marcus said, "but you need to figure out what you really want. We can't move forward if you're not the person you used to be."

Cedric took a deep breath and nodded. "I will. We'll do it. But we do it for the people we still have, not for ourselves."

And so, they both stood up, ready to move on to the next stage of their journey—alone, without Eliza, but with one goal: to stop the Puppeteer.

Eliza aimlessly wandered through the rain-soaked streets, her thoughts as turbulent as the storm brewing overhead. Each step she took felt like another mistake. Her world had been turned upside down, and everything she had fought for now seemed meaningless. Cedric had pushed her away, and while she knew she deserved it, the loss felt like a deep wound. The memories of their last conversation haunted her, and the questions she had remained unanswered. Was it worth it? Had she lost too much?

As she walked, she noticed a car slowly pulling up beside her. The windows were dark, but she could make out the familiar silhouette of the driver. Sir Jonathan Harrington.

"Eliza," he said calmly, rolling down the window. His voice was as inviting as ever, controlled and steady. "I see you're searching for something. You seem... lost."

She stopped, her feet moving on their own as she approached the car. The rain continued to fall, but his presence felt somehow comforting. Jonathan had always been a man of control. Maybe that's what she needed right now: someone who knew how to take charge.

"Come with me," he said, nodding at her with a welcoming gesture. "I still have an offer for you. There's a place by my side. I know you want to do something, and you know you can't do it alone."

Eliza hesitated. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts, spinning in every direction. But as she looked at Jonathan's face, she realized she had no other choice. The despair she felt craved a solution, something to pull her out of this emptiness.

"You're right," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'll come with you."

Jonathan nodded in satisfaction and opened the door for her. Eliza hesitated for a moment, but then she got in, ready to take a new path. A path that would take her farther from the Puppeteer but closer to whatever it was she was still searching for within herself.