Chapter 2

"You did this!" Her mother-in-law's shrill voice cut through the hospital corridor. "Look what you've done to my son!"

The slap burned across Elena's cheek, but she bit down hard on her tongue instead of fighting back.

Not here. Not now.

Elena couldn't argue. That part was true.

If it weren’t for the rage that blinded her, she wouldn’t have struck her husband with the largest vase in the room. 

The irony? Cecelia was the one who called 911.

“I didn’t mean…I didn’t mean for it to happen like that. I just…I just wanted…” she tried to explain, feeling as though everyone in the hospital lobby was glaring accusingly at her, as if she had deliberately caused the situation.

"Liar!" Melinda shrieked. Every head in the waiting area turned. "You planned this!"

It wasn’t, of course. It was just the hurt and her anger that brought out the worst in her. She didn’t know what she was doing until it happened. And now they all were standing outside the hospital room, waiting for the doctors to give them news on Richard, any news at all.

But despite the remorse gnawing at her insides, she couldn’t shake the memory of the betrayal that had driven her to that breaking point.

She had loved the man with everything she had. For three years, she worshiped him and the path he walked. For three years, she was nothing but a good wife to him. And what did she get in return?

She saw her mother-in-law raise a hand again, but before she could land the slap, Elena blocked the hit. Her mother-in-law narrowed her eyes, the wrinkles in her face becoming more prominent.

“You know what? Get out of here! I won't have some gold-digging whore near my son!"

Elena almost laughed. Gold-digging? She'd signed a prenup.

"Mom, listen—"

"OUT!" Melinda, her mother-in-law shoved her toward the exit. "Before I have security drag you!"

“Mom, please, be rational. At least listen to me once. It’s not what you think. It’s Cecelia…” she started to say but Melinda wasn’t ready to listen.

“Leave Elena. We can talk about this later,” It was the father-in-law who spoke up next. He looked beyond exhausted, wanting everyone to be quiet. He was sitting in the chair with his face in his hands, looking more aged than he had in a while.

“Dad, please,” she implored, turning to her father-in-law. “You know me. You know I’d never intentionally hurt Richard.”

Her father-in-law lifted his weary gaze. “I know, Elena. But right now, tensions are high. Let’s give everyone some space to cool off.”

“But—”

"Not now." He rubbed his temples. "We'll call you... if there's news."

That's when Cecelia slithered forward, all fake concern. "Could you be any more shameless?"

Elena’s frustration boiled over. If there was one person in the world who didn’t have the right to talk about shame, it was Cecelia McDowell, the hypocrite.

"You're talking about shame?" She rounded on the stepsister. "While you were spreading your legs for your own brother?"

Cecelia went sheet-white. "You bitch—"

"ENOUGH!" Melinda bellowed. “Both of you, stop this nonsense!”

“Nonsense?” Elena scoffed. She yanked her arm free. "Fine. But when you finally ask why I hit him?" She stabbed a finger at Cecelia. "That's your answer."

Melinda’s patience wore thin. “Elena, enough! I want you to leave this instant. You’re not welcome here anymore.”

Elena was done trying to prove her innocence too. Not that it mattered anymore. Her marriage would never be the same. There was no need for her to please anyone.

“Fine. But remember, if anything happens to Richard, you have only one person to blame and that’s not me.”

And then, she stormed out of the hospital.

But the moment she reached her car, she couldn’t hold back anymore. A painful sob racked out of her and her chest felt so tight she thought her ribs would snap.

She leaned against her car, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to catch her breath.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispered to herself, her voice choked with grief. “How did it all fall apart so quickly?”

For a long while, she just sat there in her car, wondering how fast everything changed.

If only she hadn’t ignored the signs. If Elena was right with her assumptions, this stupid affair between Richard and Cecelia had been going on for a very long time. There were so many times in the past when Richard and Cecelia would disappear for hours at the same time and usually return home one after the other. As if no one would be able to connect the dots.

Elena clenched her jaw and screamed, pounding her fist on the steering wheel until something tore through her skin and she started to bleed. Not that it hurt her more than she was already hurting.

“Why did I let myself be so blind?” she cried, squeezing her eyes shut and feeling the tears roll down her face. “I should have seen it coming. I should have put a stop to it before it got this far.”

She took a few deep breaths, trying to steady her ragged breathing and calm herself down.

But she had never been weak.

Elena had been a strong and independent woman from the beginning of her married life.

If she wasn’t strong enough, or passionate enough for what she believed in, she wouldn’t have left her family to follow her dreams. She wouldn’t have left her parents, and her brother, for the small, cramped, run-down apartment. 

But everything she did for herself all these years felt like such a waste of time. All those hardships, the sleepless nights, and constant worries about rent, water, and food, none of that mattered anymore. Not when her heart was shredded by her husband’s deep betrayal.

Elena was in the middle of grieving her broken marriage when her phone burst into life. A sound that grated on her nerves like never before.

Her phone screamed to life.

Normally she'd jump. Tonight, she let it ring out.

But the phone rang again. This time, Elena answered without even looking at the screen.

“Hello? Lady Elena?” It was Mr. Jones, the man whose voice she hadn’t heard in a long while.

Mr. Jones had worked for her father for as long as she could remember, and him calling her now felt like something that could only happen under very specific circumstances.

“It’s Henry, the butler, Lady Elena. I trust you remember me?”

But Elena didn’t have time to question his purpose.

“Of course, Mr. Jones. How have you been?” she asked. “Are you alright, Mr. Jones? You sound rather troubled.”

“Something bad has happened, Madam. But I’m afraid I can’t share the details on the phone. Please let me know where you are. I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

Elena glanced around herself, sighing. “No. No need for that. I can come by myself. Do you want me to come to the manor?”

“No. You should come to the Aristocrat Health Institute.”

The mention of the hospital woke Elena even more. She was sure, now more than ever, that something awful had happened. “Who’s admitted?”

“I think…you should see for yourself. I don’t want to cause you distress while you’re driving.”

Every cell in Elena’s body shuddered. Yes, something terrible had happened.

“Fine. I’m on my way. But send someone down to fetch me. I don’t want to waste my time with their stupid formalities.”

“Yes. Yes, I’ll make sure you’re escorted in as soon as you arrive. Please drive safely.”