ELIJAH

"I will never let this slide, Elijah!"

I rubbed my temples, feeling the weight of her words settle in. Four years. Four damn years since Matthew’s death, and my mother still couldn't let it go. Every mention of Eloise sent her spiraling.

Taking a deep breath, I looked around. The early morning air was cool, the sky just starting to lighten, and here I was, standing outside in a simple white v-neck and sweatpants because my mother couldn’t resist making a scene.

As I walked into the penthouse, I saw Eloise sitting at the dining table, eating ramen while watching something on my laptop—probably something she took from my room again.

She looked different now than before Matthew died. Back then, she was full of life; her hair was bright, and her laughter filled the room. She was a painter, known for her bold colors and deep feelings. Everyone loved her, and she had a bright future ahead.

But after the accident, it was like everything changed. The bright colors in her life turned dark. She wore her grief like a heavy cloak. The joyful person I once knew became someone who pushed people away.

A wave of memories flashed through my mind.

“Where is Eloise?!”

Fuck it. I'm probably too late now for everything!

“Seriously, Elijah?! That girl is who you’re looking for instead of Matthew?” my sister shouted through her tears.

I took a deep breath before I wrapped her in a tight hug, which only made her cry harder.

“Matthew is gone… My twin is already gone, brother…”

“I'm sorry, V. I'm so sorry, I was late.”

Suddenly, a loud scream broke through the air, making both of us turn toward the source of the sound. We rushed to see what was happening, and my heart sank when I found my mother yelling at Eloise.

“Do you think you can just waltz in here and act like everything is fine?!” my mother shouted, her voice filled with rage.

Eloise stood there, her expression blank and unreadable, as if my mother’s words didn’t penetrate her at all. It was like watching a storm unfold, and Eloise was the calm eye at its center.

She had a bandage on her forehead and several cuts on her arms and legs. It broke my heart to see her like this. So messy.

"I'm here to see him, Mama. Please, let me see him," Eloise said, her voice steady despite the chaos around us.

"How dare you?!" my mother spat, her fury radiating off her in waves.

Before my mother could move towards Eloise, I quickly grabbed her shoulder, trying to provide some support amid the tension.

Everyone attending my brother's funeral was watching the scene unfold, and my jaw clenched when I noticed someone recording it. The last thing I wanted was for this moment to be captured and spread around.

"You're the reason why my son died! You should have been the one to die instead Eloise! Why are you still alive?!" my mother screamed, her voice laced with agony and rage. “You're fucking worthless! All you know is paint… but Matthew… he has a bright future ahead… and you ruined it… you killed him! You killed my son!”

Eloise didn’t flinch at the harsh words; she simply met my mother’s gaze with a cold stare. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”

I could feel the heat rising in my chest as I struggled to keep my anger in check. This wasn’t just about Eloise; it was about my brother, and this wasn’t the time or place for this fight.

“Mom, stop!” I shouted, stepping in front of Eloise to shield her from my mother’s venomous words. “This isn’t helping anything. Just let her see him for the last time...”

My mother’s eyes narrowed, her frustration evident. “You don’t understand, Elijah! You’re blinded by her!”

“No, I’m not,” I shot back. “I’m trying to do what’s right. Can’t you see how hard this is for everyone? For all of us?”

Eloise remained silent, her eyes downcast. I could sense her pain, and it fueled my determination to protect her from my mother’s relentless onslaught.

My mom shook her head slowly before looking in Eloise's direction.

"Leave this place immediately, Eloise. Before I do everything I can to make you pay for what you’ve done." With that, she turned her back on us, her fury palpable.

I felt a surge of anger boiling inside me. How could she say something like that? I glanced at Eloise, who stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock.

“Eloise…” I started, wanting to comfort her, but the words caught in my throat. I couldn’t find the right thing to say at this moment.

She took a deep breath, her expression still blank. “I’ll go,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“No, you don’t have to listen to her!” I protested, my heart racing. “You have every right to be here.”

“But she’s right,” Eloise replied, her gaze dropping to the ground. “I don’t belong here anymore.”

“Don’t say that,” I urged, stepping closer to her. “You’re just as much a part of this family as anyone else. Don’t let her drive you away!”

Eloise shook her head slowly, and I could see the pain in her eyes. “This isn’t about belonging, Elijah. It’s about the mess I’ve created.”

I wanted to argue, to tell her how wrong she was, but I could see the weight of my mother’s words crashing down on her. “Eloise, please…”

But before I could finish, she turned away, heading towards the exit. I felt helpless, standing there while she walked away, my heart aching for her pain.

“Eloise!” I called after her, but the sound of her name felt hollow against the chaos around us. She didn’t look back, and just like that, she disappeared from my view.

“I pity her…” someone whispered nearby, their voice dripping with faux sympathy.

“She really is! Imagine your own father pushing you away, blaming you for your brother's death!” another chimed in, their tone laced with judgment.

“And she was also blamed for her husband's death,” a third voice added, mocking laughter trailing off. “And the worst is, he can't see him for the last time…”

I clenched my fists, anger bubbling up inside me at their cruel words. How could they sit there and talk about her like she was some kind of monster? They didn’t know the whole story, and they certainly didn’t know her!

“She’s not a bad person,” I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. “You don’t know anything about what she’s been through!”

The group fell silent, their eyes shifting toward me, surprise evident on their faces. I didn’t care. I was tired of listening to the gossip, the blame, the hatred.

“She lost someone too. You think it’s easy for her?!” I continued, my heart racing. “You think she wanted any of this?! She’s hurting just as much, if not more, than any of us!”

I could see their expressions hardening, but I didn’t back down. “So why don’t you just stop talking about her like she’s some kind of punchline?!”

These old hags…

With that, I turned away from them, my heart heavy with anger and frustration. I couldn’t stand the way they were treating Eloise. She didn’t deserve this, not now, not ever.

Yet here she was, eating ramen in my penthouse, trying to find some normalcy in the chaos. It felt comforting, even if she was just filling the silence with small routines.

“How long have you been awake?”

She smirked. “Who wouldn’t wake up if my alarm clock was human?” she said, her eyes glued to the screen as she slurped her ramen.

I raised an eyebrow at her. “So, I’m your alarm clock now? I didn’t know I signed up for that.”

She finally looked at me, a playful glint in her eyes. “Loser. You know what I mean.”

I sighed deeply before I pulled the chair in front of her and sat down.

“I'm so sorry for what she said.”

"Sorry for someone who only got hurt."

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “I get that. But she’s just… she’s been through a lot-”

Eloise rolled her eyes, taking another bite of her ramen. “I can handle your mother, Elijah. She doesn’t scare me.”

“Still, it’s not fair for you to have to deal with her drama.”

She shrugged, her expression nonchalant. “Life isn’t fair. I’ve dealt with worse things than some lady yelling at me. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Yeah, but you shouldn’t have to,” I replied, my frustration creeping back. “You deserve better than this.”

“Better than what? This?” She gestured around the penthouse. “This is nice, Elijah. It’s quiet. And I get to eat my ramen at 7 AM without Edmund nagging me to give him an heir.”

I chuckled softly, appreciating her light-heartedness despite everything. “Okay, fair point. But I still worry about you.”

She just smirked as if what I said was a joke for her.

I studied her for a moment, unsure of what to say. Her carefree attitude was both refreshing and frustrating. “You’re not as tough as you pretend to be, you know.”

She looked me straight in the eyes. “And you’re not as perfect as everyone thinks you are.”

“Touché,” I admitted, leaning back in my chair. “I guess that makes us a perfect pair then.”

“Yeah, perfect pair.”

The tension between us shifted slightly, and I felt something deeper brewing under the surface. “Perfect pair,” I echoed, letting her words sink in. It felt right, in a way I hadn’t expected.

I couldn’t help but stare at her new tattoo, a vibrant piece that wrapped around her arm.

“Hey, I've saved your trouble ass so many times, haven’t you thought about getting a tattoo about me?” I teased, leaning forward on the table with a smirk.

Eloise raised an eyebrow, her expression playful. “Why would I do that? I’d rather get something meaningful, not just a reminder of my ‘personal bailiff.’”

“Personal bailiff? That’s a new one,” I chuckled. “I think I deserve at least a little credit for putting up with you.”

She looked at me and stopped chewing her food.

"What about you? Haven’t you thought about getting a tattoo?"

I shook my head slightly.

"You surely are a boring person," she said chuckling, turning her eyes back to the screen.

If calling me boring will make me hear her chuckles, then I wouldn't mind being called boring by her for the rest of my life.