ELEANOR The tension between me and Theon had eased a bit after the visit to the mall. I’m sure he hadn’t told Victoria about the mall being handed over to me because I had yet to see her. The Victoria I knew wouldn’t sit back and let that happen. And so will I. Now that Theon had offered to give me the mall, I would make sure nothing stopped me from getting it. Theon didn’t realize that he just handed me his first destruction on a clean sheet of paper. I’m not going to ruin the business, I am going to take it from him. What he thought Victoria couldn’t do, I’ll succeed and by the time he realized what was happening, it would be too late. “Ellie” Sophie sang as she entered my office with a big grin on her face. I lit up as well. One, because Sophie’s mood was highly contagious and two, because I knew she had news that was going to make my day better. “Did you hear? Isla is having a party thrown in her honour” She grinned and I could see the wheels turning in her head. “For what?”
ELEANOR I held on to Theon as we crossed the room and approached Isla. Eyes followed us, with the regular looks of envy and wistful wishes as we approached Isla. I thought she was yet to notice that we were here since she was basking in the attention she got, but as she kept on talking to the people around her who had started whispering and subtly looking in my direction, I saw her hands twitch. Ah. So, she is mad. “Isla” Theon called when we reached her, and she spun with a fake smile which I returned with a sweet one. I loved seeing the pure and unfiltered jealousy in her eyes as her gaze flickered between me and Theon while lingering on my hand wrapped around his. At this moment, I wished I could read minds. I wanted to know what was running though that pathetic head of hers seeing me yet again have something she could never have. For years, she had wanted Theon. She dreamt of standing by his side. She had carved her path through the entertainment industry, signing with Black
THEONThe moment the hall began to be filled with whispers and snide comments, I became disinterested in whatever game she was playing with Isla. I had always been softer with Isla because she was Eleanor’s friend. After Eleanor went missing, she came to me distraught. She told me Eleanor came to her but refused her help and left, saying she would be fine but she disappeared. Maybe it was guilt but when she made known her intention to become an actress, I gave her an opportunity and surprisingly, she climbed up the ladder of success fast. “Come on” I muttered as I reached for Elle with a firm but not forceful grip and I pulled her away as the situation looked like it would get out of hand if she continued her conversation with Isla. “Don’t follow” I ordered her assistant, Sophie when she tried to come after us. I expected her to resist but she didn’t even though I could feel it that she wanted to oppose but she also didn’t want to cause a scene. “What is it?” she had a smirk on
AUTHOR’S POVThe commotion from earlier had died down but there were still traces of murmurs about the confrontation earlier.Isla had managed to get the riot over her supposed disrespect to Elle under control, but Elle knew it was just temporary because she had more tricks up her sleeve.The women who had snatched her away from Theon before he could push for explanations for the words she had carelessly let slip past her lips, had long gone.Elle could only manage to indulge them for a few minutes before she slipped from them, eager to catch a break from the mindless chatters of the women.She had found herself on the balcony, away from the crowd so she could recoup herself before the main course.Elle sipped her champagne, watching Isla from the balcony. She had taken her group of friends to the far end of the room instead of the middle she would have preferred, and she was seething.Elle took note of Isla’s hand wrapped tightly around the glass. She was barely listening to her frie
ELLE I didn’t expect it to feel this satisfying to watch Isla fall. It reminded me of her words the night I had gone to her for help. It felt so good to see her humiliated and no doubt she would be tossed aside. Theon’s question sliced through the thick that had cloaked the room when he first spoke up. All eyes were on Isla, waiting to hear what she would say but she was frozen like a deer caught in the blinding headlights of the truth. “Answer me” Theon bellowed, his loud voice surprising everyone and forcing Isla out of the trance she was in. “I…I…I didn’t drug her” she stammered, tears welling up in her eyes “I just made the video to scare her. I had planned to blackmail her to leave you but I was just as shocked to see it played at the party but it wasn’t me. I swear” Theon didn’t blink. He wasn’t moved by the tears that were spilling down her face and neither were the guests who had gathered. They all looked at her with disgust and anger, as if they were waiting for Theon to
AUTHOR’S POV The fallout from Isla’s scandal was immediate and unforgiving. In a few hours, people had posted clips from the party and it went viral immediately. Social media and news outlets were eager to release stories about Isla and her pristine image being a farce. Her reputation had crumbled like ash sprayed in the wind. Brands that were affiliated with her began releasing statement promising their customers to cut all ties with her. Promotional videos, photos, billboard ads were all being taken down. Even her film and TV show appearances were being halted. Directors, investors and studios were blacklisting her, eager to make sure the damage didn’t indirectly get to them as well. Isla’s career was done and her fall was the biggest scandal the industry had ever witnessed in years. Just like that, Isla Remington had turned from being the golden girl of the big TV and was reduced to a snake. On the other hand, Elle Davenport didn’t care. She didn’t even read any news o
AUTHOR’S POV Victoria was mad. It was evident in the way she had turned her office upside down as she looked for anything to let out her anger. Files were scattered all over the floor, and a mug that had been thrown against the wall lay shattered on the floor while she paced the office furiously, her eyes reading the notice all over again as though that would change the content of the notice. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, VICTORIA BLACKWELL HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM HER POSITION AS HEAD OF MANAGEMENT AND HAS BEEN REPLACED BY ELLE DAVENPORT BLACKWELL. “I’m going to kill that bitch” she screamed as her hands pulled her hair painfully. “This is war. She has just declared a war and I will make sure she feels my wrath. She made a big mistake” Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone on the table. Her usual calm demeanour was nowhere to be found. At that moment, Victoria didn’t care about how she looked. All she knew was that she would do anything to make sure she wasn’t tossed aside. “Wh
ELLEI sat at my vanity while brushing my hair when a knock came. I knew it couldn’t be Sophie since she never knocked before she walked in. She had gone back to her room to get some files and my schedule for the day and to also make a few calls.I wanted to ignore it, knowing it would either be Theon or Victoria and I didn’t want to deal with them at least not this early in the morning, but I decided to answer and see what it was about. “Come in” I called and dropped the brush I had been using before turning to the door to see who would walk in. Victoria walked into my room with a controlled smile on her face. She still had that carefully crafted elegance she always had. I raised a brow in surprise at the image in front of me. “Elle, darling” she began with her usual fake smile that I couldn’t even bother to return “Thank goodness I caught you before you left for work” I eyed her suspiciously. Victoria had never come to my room ever since we got married so I was surprised that
ELLEI opened my mouth to answer Theon’s questions, but the recording continued playing. My voice rose, from something light to something vicious, scheming, and malicious as the words poured out.“She will never fit in here. Theon hates her because of what she did. All we need to do is push a little bit, and Theon would never let her back in his life.”Gasps rippled through the crowd as the supposed me continued to divulge her malicious intentions. I stood and watched as whispers spread like wildfire, and the guests turned malicious glares towards me.I turned to Theon, watching as his expression shifted from curiosity to disappointment and distrust. The flicker of betrayal wasn’t hard to miss, and I fought to keep my face void of any expression.He turned to me with his jaws clenched, “Is this true? Everything has been your plan all along to make me hate Eleanor? Is that why you wanted her to continue staying in the house?”I straightened and eyed him with mild annoyance. “I have bet
ELLETheon stood beside me, hand around my waist, with his fingers drawing patterns on my exposed back. Recently, I had fallen in love with clothes that hung low. This one was an open back, and Theon’s hands hadn’t left my exposed skin. The way he pulled me closer or squeezed my waist whenever any of the male guests’ eyes lingered was as though he was reminding them that I was his. I lingered by the entrance with Theon, greeting the guests as they arrived. I smiled and nodded my way through countless air kisses and false appreciations for the invitations. I was tired of playing the perfect hostess, and the party had not even started yet. “Should we go in? You’ve been shuffling uncomfortably,” Theon murmured against my ear softly as we greeted another guest. “The workers can take care of the rest.”“We should. I’m sure if I stay here any longer, the guests would be able to tell I don’t want most of them here,” I grinned and took the hand he held out for me to take. “Then why did yo
ELLEI wasn’t exactly sure what I found more unsettling. The fact that Theon had asked me to accompany him somewhere for a brief outing, he wouldn’t tell me about, or the fact that I agreed without a second thought.I tried to pry information from him, but he wouldn’t say a word, and I didn’t find out until we pulled up in front of the most exclusive private jeweller in the country.I should have guessed. He had promised me he would replace the one I gave Eleanor yesterday, but I didn’t think he would do it.“You didn’t have to do this,” I murmured as I turned to face him. “The piece I gave her wasn’t too expensive.”Theon smiled, the first soft smile I had ever seen on him, and got down from the car before extending a hand for me to take. “I know I didn’t, but I want to.”I eyed the hand he held out, but eventually took it. His fingers were warm when they intertwined with mine. The familiar rough feel of his hands in mine felt too familiar for comfort.I exhaled silently, forcing mys
AUTHOR’S POVAmanda Steinberg has had enough.She was fuming, and her rage was so intense that if it were possible, you could see the smoke escaping from her ears. She was done with Elle Davenport, and she needed to get rid of her before she lost her mind. “Miss Eleanor!” Maria called, a pleasant smile on her face as she saw Eleanor enter the Sterling Mansion.She continued, oblivious to the storm on Amanda’s face, “You didn’t tell us you were coming, I would have made your favourite meal for you. Do you want…”“Where is M.. my mother?” she snapped, eyeing Maria, who stumbled back with surprise when she saw the malicious glare Amanda had pinned her with.“She…she is in her study,” Maria stuttered fearfully.Amanda eyed Maria with disgust and stormed towards the study. The other maids ran towards Maria.“Miss Eleanor has changed so much since she came back. She is now vile. She is no longer the darling we knew her as,” One of the maids whispered as she glared at Amanda scornfully
ELLE“Which one do you want to wear today?” Sophie asked as we admired the three sets of jewellery we had laid on the living room table.“I don’t know,” I hummed and placed a finger on my jaw as I pretended to think “Maybe this one? I think it fits well with my dress,” I pointed at the emerald one at the far end.Sophie's eyes twinkled with agreement. “I think so too,” she said as she picked the necklace from the case and brought it to me. “But why did you decide to bring them out here today?”As if on cue, Eleanor’s door opened, and Sophie’s mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’ as understanding dawned on her. Eleanor paused when she saw the necklace I was holding close to my neck. Her eyes glimmered like a starving woman who had just spotted a feast.“Oh…” she said, her voice laced with syrup and hunger. “That necklace is beautiful”, she gasped before she could control herself, and I smirked.“It is,” I held it towards her “Theon got it for me when I said I liked it”Her eyes burned with
AUTHOR’S POVAmanda couldn’t believe this was her life. She had always watched the Blackwells on TV and envied their luxurious life while she hatched her plan to take over Eleanor’s identity.She never would have imagined that she could pull the plan off with the help of Mira, the mother of the very woman whose identity she was using now. That had made her plan so much easier.Amanda didn’t care about Mira's intentions when she decided to help her. All that mattered was that she had her hands on wealth and would never let anyone, not even Mira, take it away from her.“Thank you, Eleanor,” Amanda whispered as she stood at the top of the grand staircase “Please remain dead or whatever. Don’t ever try to come back, or I will be forced to send you back. Permanently”She descended the stairs like a queen surveying her kingdom, her chin lifted high and a victorious smirk on her lips. She was giddy and wanted to scream in excitement, but she needed to control herself.Eleanor had grown up in
ELLE“What do you think will happen?” Soph asked over the phone which was on loudspeaker and sitting on my makeup table.“Really?” I scoff with an eye roll, “We already know that test would show that Theon is the father.”“I know,” she sighed, “But what next?”“I don’t know,” I answered with a shrug," but I bet they would force Theon to take responsibility for the child, which he would.”“She is smart. I got to give her that” Soph commended. “Jer said to give him some time, and then he can get her info for you. I’m still surprised how she managed to get your pregnancy results.”That had been nagging me ever since that night. I had thought of countless possibilities for how she could have known.Was she a stalker who had been watching me before I was disowned after finding out we looked alike? Did she work with my family’s hospital? I took the last one out because the doctor would have told me if someone looked like me in the hospital.I reminded her, “I want him to focus on his exams
THEONI never thought a piece of paper could feel so heavy until this moment. The paternity results sat heavy in my hands, having being handed to me by the doctor a few seconds ago. I had been so confident a few minutes ago that the result would be negative. I wanted it to be but the words ‘positive’ stood out in a mocking font.I read the paper over again, hoping it would change but the same word stared at me, not changing. Eliza was mine.“So, she is yours?” Julian whispered from where he stood beside me. He had offered to come with me when I told him I was coming to get the paternity test results. “According to the test, yes” I sighed.I lifted my gaze towards Mira and Eleanor. Mira had a smirk on her face, not bothering to conceal the smugness radiating off her. She hadn’t stopped telling me I was wasting my time because Eliza was mine. She was so confident and now, she was right. Beside her, Eleanor looked relieved. Her eyes watered as she exhaled shakily and clasped her ha
ELLE“Say what you want to say here,” Theon demanded again.Eleanor glanced at me first, then the guests and back to Theon with fake nervousness in her eyes.“Not here.” She insisted, “I don’t know what you think I want to say to you, but I can guarantee you that it is not something you would want me to say here”Theon raised a brow but gestured towards her “Then lead the way”Theon pulled me gently, but Eleanor stopped when she realised I was coming with them. She eyed me with obvious irritation and turned to Theon.“I meant just you,” she said with barely restrained frustration. “It’s something sensitive”“If Elle is coming, and it’s not up for discussion,” Theon coldly told her, much to my surprise. Since when did my husband fight for me?I knew better than to think he did it out of affection. Something told me Theon was trying to make her jealous.He wanted her to see that he was happier without him. I was delighted to play along while his plans worked magic.Eleanor’s eyes burned