Chapter 8
1026words
He stroked my hair, his voice tinged with the faintest hint of guilt.
"Eleanor, I need to tell you something," he said softly. "I was the one who pulled you from that lake years ago."
I jerked back, staring up at him in shock.
Memories crashed over me like waves—the blurred figure, the desperate gasps for air, the strong arms carrying me to safety. All this time, I'd believed it was Julian who'd saved me.
"You?" My voice barely reached above a whisper.
Ethan's eyes softened, though something pained flickered behind them.
"I was nearby on business when I heard screams. After getting you to shore, I had to leave urgently. Later, I discovered Julian had claimed the rescue as his own." He sighed. "You seemed happy with him, so I kept quiet. I didn't want to complicate your life. I thought your happiness was what mattered most."
My emotions tangled into a knot as I mentally returned to that frigid shoreline. The man I'd thanked for years was a fraud, while my actual savior had silently stood in the shadows.
I reached up to touch his cheek, my eyes brimming with newfound affection.
"I'm glad it was you," I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck and melting into his embrace.
In that moment, all the pain, all the resentment, all the doubt evaporated like morning mist, leaving only gratitude and love for Ethan.
The next morning, a shrill telephone ring jolted me awake. My stepmother Victoria Carlton's voice cut through the receiver like a knife.
"Eleanor Vance, get over here now!" she barked. "Look what you've done! You've turned both our families into laughingstocks!"
I grimaced.
She was clearly fuming about Julian's public meltdown, which had humiliated Victoria and Seraphina in front of their entire social circle.
They'd been banking on this marriage to cement their position, and now they were the butt of every joke at every country club in the city.
"I'll be there," I replied coldly before hanging up.
When Ethan and I arrived at Victoria's top-floor office, we found her behind her massive desk, face flushed with rage.
Seraphina was nowhere to be seen—likely hiding from the fallout of last night's drama. Victoria's eyes narrowed with hatred when she spotted Ethan at my side.
"You little tramp!" she hissed, jabbing a finger at me. "Just like your whore of a mother! Always taking what isn't yours! First my husband, then my position, and now my daughter's fiancé!"
Her words cut deep. My mother's death remained an open wound in my heart.
"Mrs. Carlton," Ethan's voice dropped dangerously low, "watch your mouth."
Victoria ignored him completely. With a smug smile, she snapped her fingers at her secretary, who hurried forward with a document.
"Eleanor Vance, I've already transferred some of your mother's shares to my name." She tapped the document with a manicured nail. "Sign this and surrender all your rights to the Vance Group. Refuse, and I'll make sure you walk away with nothing."
Fury boiled up inside me as I stared at the document. This wasn't just about company shares—it was an attack on my mother's legacy.
"Go to hell," I spat.
Victoria's smile widened, revealing teeth like a shark's.
"You think I wouldn't dare? You think your precious mother's death was an accident?" She leaned forward, voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "I hid her medical reports. I watched her waste away day by day, dying full of regrets! I made your childhood a living hell! I did all of it! And what can you possibly do about it now?"
Her confession hit me like a physical blow.
My mother's death had haunted me for years, and here was Victoria confessing to murder as casually as discussing the weather.
My body shook with rage and grief. With one violent sweep of my arm, I sent the documents flying across the room.
The office door crashed open.
My father, Richard Vance, stormed in, his face a mask of fury.
He took in the scene—papers strewn across the floor, Victoria's smug expression, tears streaming down my face—and understood immediately.
"Victoria!" Father roared, his hand cracking across her face with a sound like a whip.
Victoria reeled from the blow, clutching her cheek as she stumbled back into her chair.
Ethan pulled me to my feet, positioning himself between me and Victoria.
"Eleanor, Ethan, go now," Father ordered, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage. "I'll deal with this."
I caught my father's gaze—the pain and fury in his eyes made my heart ache for him.
I nodded and let Ethan guide me out. Behind us, Victoria's shrieks and my father's thunderous voice echoed through the closed door.
In the hallway, Ethan squeezed my hand. He understood the depth of Victoria's cruelty.
"Don't let her get to you," Ethan murmured. "She's not worth your tears."
I shook my head as tears finally broke free. Learning the truth about my mother's death tore open wounds I thought had long healed.
"It's just so damn unfair," I choked out. "My mother was the kindest person I knew."
Ethan pulled me close, his hand making soothing circles on my back.
"I know it hurts," he said. "But Eleanor, you can't live in the shadow of the past forever. You deserve a fresh start."
He tilted my chin up, thumbing away my tears.
"I have a place," he said, eyes bright with possibility. "A Technology Innovation Center I built in the countryside. It doubles as a charity hub. No city noise, no family drama—just research and hope for the future. That's my real home."
The earnest hope in his eyes warmed something inside me. Maybe he was right—I needed a clean break, somewhere far from all this toxicity.
I nodded.
"Let's go," I whispered. "Together."
Ethan's face lit up with joy. He squeezed my hand.
"We'll leave tonight," he said. "We'll find peace there and build something that's truly ours."
This wasn't just a trip—it was salvation. A final goodbye to my past and the first step toward my future.
