Chapter 86

Chapter 86

 Sara's Point of View

The tension in the room was suffocating. I sat on the couch, staring at Max, my hands trembling slightly, though I refused to let him see my weakness. I had poured my heart out to him, and now the silence stretched uncomfortably as I waited for him to say something anything.

My mother, ever the master of timing, placed her hand on my shoulder and leaned forward, her voice soft but edged with an anger I knew all too well. “Maximilian,” she began, her tone calculated, “don’t you see what’s happening here? Everything was fine until Eva came back into our lives.”

I stiffened at her words, but I didn’t interrupt. Let her build the foundation. Let her remind Max of the havoc Eva always brought with her presence.

Mom's voice gained momentum, taking on a pleading quality as she turned to him. “Think about it, Max. Think about how your life has been since she returned. It’s not a coincidence. She came back and brought chaos with her, just like she always does.”

Max leaned against the armrest of the chair, his jaw tight, his eyes sharp. He wasn’t saying anything yet, but I could tell he was listening. Good. He needed to hear this.

I added fuel to the fire, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and pain. “She’s trying to destroy us, Max. She hates me. She’s always hated me.” I glanced at him, my gaze imploring. “I don’t understand why you can’t see it. She’s ruining everything we’ve worked so hard to build.”

Max’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t respond. I hated the way he just sat there, his silence a shield I couldn’t penetrate. But I wasn’t done. Not yet.

“Do you remember what happened to your grandfather?” I continued, my voice sharpening. “Eva was the one who killed him. She was the one who manipulated the court, twisted the truth, and somehow managed to walk free. That woman has always known how to play the victim, how to make people believe her lies.”

“She’s a snake,” my mother chimed in, her tone venomous. “She has always been a threat to this family, Max. Your grandfather saw it, and so did you. That’s why you sent her to prison. But now she’s back, and she won’t stop until she destroys us all.”

I nodded, my mother’s words strengthening my resolve. “You don’t see it now, Max, but you will. You’ll see what she’s doing. First, she ruins your grandfather’s life, and now she’s coming after you… after us.”

Max finally shifted, running a hand through his hair, his expression unreadable. “What exactly are you accusing her of?” he asked, his voice calm but with a hint of warning.

“She’s turning you against me,” I replied, my voice quivering. “Against us. Look at what the media is saying about me! ‘Hollywood’s New Villain’? Do you think that’s a coincidence? She’s behind it. I know she is.”

My mother leaned forward, her voice lowering to a whisper as she addressed Max. “And don’t forget the timing. She’s not acting alone. Someone powerful is backing her up, Max. How else would she have had the resources to fight her way out of prison and come back like this? Someone is helping her, and whoever it is, they’re dangerous.”

Max’s gaze darkened at her words. For a moment, I thought we’d gotten through to him. His silence was no longer frustrating; it was promising. He was thinking, processing, and hopefully realizing the truth we’d laid out for him.

“She’s trying to take everything away from us,” I pressed on. “She’s always hated me for being in the spotlight. And now that I’ve worked so hard to make something of myself, she wants to tear me down. She won’t stop until I have nothing left.”

Max leaned back, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked at me, then at my mother, his expression a mix of weariness and skepticism. “You’re both so certain it’s her,” he said, his voice low and deliberate. “But have you stopped to consider that maybe this isn’t about Eva at all?”

My heart sank at his words. “What are you saying?” I demanded. “You think we’re making this up? You think we’re lying?”

“I didn’t say that,” he replied coolly. “But I can’t just jump to conclusions because you’re upset.”

“Upset?” I snapped, my voice rising. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be publicly humiliated like this? To have people call me a villain, to drag my name through the mud? And all because of her.”

“You don’t know that,” Max countered, his voice firm. “You’re assuming it’s her because it’s convenient. But there’s no proof.”

I stood up, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. “You’re defending her?” I spat, my voice trembling with rage. “After everything she’s done to you, to us?”

Max’s expression didn’t falter. “I’m not defending anyone,” he said, his voice calm but unyielding. “I’m saying I won’t accuse someone without evidence.”

My mother rose as well, placing a calming hand on my arm, though I could see the fire in her eyes. “Maximilian,” she said softly, though her tone was laced with steel, “you need to understand what’s at stake here. This isn’t just about Sara. It’s about this family. Eva has always been a threat, and now she’s back to finish what she started.”

Max sighed, rubbing his temples. “You’re both forgetting something important,” he said quietly, his voice carrying an edge that made my stomach twist. “Eva isn’t untouchable. But she’s not exactly vulnerable, either.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

Max looked at me, his gaze steady but cold. “Josh Sinclair is backing her,” he said, his words like a slap to the face. “And if you think he’s going to let anyone lay a hand on her, you’re wrong.”

The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling heavily between us. Josh Sinclair. The name alone sent a shiver down my spine. He was one of the most powerful men in the country, and if he was protecting Eva, then…

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would he protect her?”

“That’s a question you’ll have to answer yourself,” Max replied, his tone final. His eyes burned with frustration as they flickered between me and Mom. “But until you have proof that Eva is behind this, don’t expect me to take sides.”

His words stung, piercing through the anger that bubbled inside me. As Max rose from his seat, his towering figure casting a shadow over the room, a surge of desperation rushed through me. This couldn’t end here.

Just as Max turned to leave, Mom’s voice sliced through the tense silence like a blade.

“Do you know why Josh Sinclair is backing Eva?” she asked sharply, standing from her chair with a sudden, dramatic air.

Max paused mid-step, his shoulders stiffening. He didn’t turn around, but the subtle clench of his fists told me he was listening.

Mom stepped forward, her voice low but laced with venom. “Because she’s warming his bed for him.”

The room seemed to freeze. Her words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Even I was momentarily stunned by her bold accusation, though I quickly masked my surprise.

Max finally turned, his expression a mix of disbelief and anger. “What did you say?”

Mom didn’t flinch under his gaze. If anything, she looked emboldened. “You heard me. Eva’s playing her games again, Max. Just like she did six years ago. She’s using her charms to manipulate powerful men, just like she did with your grandfather.”

I chimed in, sensing an opportunity to tilt the scales in our favor. “It makes sense, Max. Think about it. How else would someone like Eva someone who’s been to prison gain the support of someone like Josh Sinclair? A man like him wouldn’t back her out of the kindness of his heart.”

Max’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he processed our words. His silence was telling he was considering it.

Mom continued, pressing her advantage. “This is what she does, Maximilian. She worms her way into people’s lives, gains their trust, and then uses them to her advantage. Look at what she did to your grandfather. She manipulated him into forcing you to marry her, and when things didn’t go her way, she… she had him killed.”

I bit my lip to hide my smirk. Mom’s delivery was flawless, her tone drenched with just the right amount of sorrow and outrage to make her lies sound like truth.

“And now she’s back,” I added, my voice trembling with feigned hurt. “She’s trying to ruin everything we’ve built together, Max. Don’t you see it? She wants revenge. She wants to destroy us.”

Max’s gaze darkened, his conflicted emotions playing out on his face. I could see the cracks forming in his resolve, the doubt taking root in his mind.

Mom stepped closer to him, her voice softening as she played her final card. “We just want to protect you, Max. To protect this family. But you have to see the truth before it’s too late.”

Max let out a slow, heavy breath, running a hand through his hair. His usual confidence was replaced by hesitation, his usual sharpness dulled by uncertainty.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and measured. “I’ll see what I can do about it.”

Relief washed over me, though I tried to keep my expression neutral. Max didn’t say much else as he turned and left the room, but his words lingered like a promise.

The moment the door closed behind him, I turned to Mom, a triumphant smile spreading across my face.

“We did it,” I whispered, my voice tinged with excitement.

Mom nodded, her lips curling into a satisfied smirk. “It’s only a matter of time now. Eva’s days are numbered.”

But deep down, a small flicker of doubt nagged at me. Max’s hesitation, his reluctance to fully commit to our side it wasn’t like him. And as much as I hated to admit it, the mention of Josh Sinclair’s name had shaken me.

Still, I pushed the doubts aside. Eva had always been a thorn in my side, and now, we had the chance to remove her for good.