ELEANOR I stood in front of the ceiling-to-floor window in the new penthouse I had just acquired and watched the city below. I couldn’t see anyone as the building was too far up, but I pretended that Isla, my parents, and Theon were below, watching me as I stood above them. I had just started, but I wanted to be cocky because I could taste my victory at the tip of my tongue. I knew it wouldn’t take time for me to put them all where they belonged. They would all regret betraying me. I would make sure of it. A faint chime broke my thoughts, and I turned my attention to my phone on the coffee table with its light on. I walked towards the table and picked up my phone to read the message. A grin broke out on my face as soon as I read it. One of the people I had in Theon’s company had an update for me, and it was one that would make my revenge a lot easier. Theon needed a wife within the next three months, as stated in his grandfather’s will, and I suddenly had a brilliant idea. “
ELEANOR If it was still the old Eleanor, she may have panicked and begun scrambling for the next plan to make sure what she wanted happened, but not Elle. Gone were the times when I was on the losing side. Now, I was the one controlling the game. Ever since I changed, I always looked at myself in the mirror to remind myself that I wasn’t Eleanor anymore. I reminded myself of what I had to go through in order to get here so I wouldn’t get distracted and forget what brought me back. “Eleanor is dead, Elle,” I whispered to myself as I pulled the robes around me tighter “You are different now and have so many things she lacked. You are untouchable now” Sophie entered my bedroom with a cup of tea, since she hated it when I took coffee in the morning. She had that familiar look of quiet adoration on her face and even though I’ve asked her to stop looking at me like that, she wouldn’t. “You are standing in the mirror again, Ellie. What are you overthinking this time?” She asked with
ELEANOR I lingered at the entrance to study Reginald Blackwell. Just like his nephew, he had a stagnant cold expression on his face. He was dressed in a clean three-piece suit, his black hair slicked back, and his expression was coy. The universe must be on my side because they didn’t even wait for me to come before putting Theon in the lion’s den. After all, that was what his uncles were. I was back at the hotel but this time, instead of the lounge where I had met Theon the day before, I had been escorted to a private waiting area where Reginald wanted the meeting to happen discreetly. While Blackwell had the distinctive features all Blackwells had, he lacked the quiet, dangerous air of authority that Theon could give easily which made people tremble at his presence. Reginald was also greedy, entitled, lazy and worst of all, careless. He was going to be easy to deal with. I took my time crossing the room to the table where he sat with his back to me. My heels clicked
ELEANOR More than the introduction at the gala, I think this was it. It was finally the starting point of my revenge, and it felt so good that I couldn’t put it into words. Unlike the meeting with his uncle earlier, I had decided on something more provocative. Something that demanded attention, that would keep his eyes on me the entire night, unable to look aware while he hated every minute of giving into my schemes. The white dress was body fitting, clinging to me like a second skin with its high slit teasing skin with every step I took. The plunging neckline was cut dangerously low, and the straps were the only thing holding onto the material and preventing a slip. Theon’s eyes watched me from the moment I stepped through the doors of the privately booked restaurant. What a showoff. He watched me with a dark and empty gaze as each step with a sensual sway of my hips brought me closer to him. “I didn’t expect you to call so soon. What was the rush?” I teased smugly a
ELEANOR The car drove into the Blackwell’s estate, and I sighed. I hadn’t even gotten married to Theon yet, but I was already tired of the amount of people who were demanding to see me. The Blackwell Estate stood like a fortress in the night. The large, iron gates were intimidating under the moonlight, and the massive Blackwell crest even made it more fearsome. Memories of how I would dream of the day when I finally moved in here with Theon to start our future together haunted me as the car made its way inside the compound and towards the main house. This time was different, I wasn’t here because I loved Theon and wanted to spend the rest of my life looking at him with lovesick eyes. Victoria Blackwell had invited me for dinner. I was so overseeing the Blackwells every single day. It wasn’t even a week yet and I’d already met Reginald and now, Victoria. They were not willing to give me a break. I wasn’t stupid enough to think Victoria invited me out of courtesy so she
ELEANORAfter dinner, the maids cleared the table but the atmosphere was still tense but I didn’t mind. I loved tense places. I thrived better in them.“Theon, there is something I have to discuss with you. It has to do with those new deals” Julian spoke up.“Let’s go to my office then,” Theon answered, getting up.He turned to me “Excuse us” He said and left with Julian. I pondered if I should just go home or wait for him since I didn’t have anything else to do or say to anyone. Victoria had gotten a feel of her opponent and she had been quiet since. I didn’t believe she was done, I just knew she was cooking something in that sly head of hers but maybe it was for later. However, as soon as I heard a door opened and closed in the distance suggesting that Theon and Julian had entered his office, the atmosphere changed again as Victoria cleared her throat.She took her glass of wine and sipped it slowly and I could feel her gaze at the side of my head so I turned to meet her gaze.Ma
AUTHOR’S POVThe next morning, the world woke up to the announcement of the engagement between Elle Davenport and Theon Blackwell. Every major news outlet, social media blogs, and gossip pages had the news on their front page. They were all going into a frenzy. Comments sections were flooded with the same set of questions.Who was Elle Davenport?Where did she come from?How did she appear from nowhere and get engaged to Theon in less than a month?Nobody knew anything about her. Even the influencers who were popular for knowing everything about elites had no idea about her past or where she came from. Victoria Blackwell threw her tablet across the room. The object hit the wall with a loud clash and hit the floor. The screen turned black immediately but it did nothing to soothe the rage she felt. “That snake” she hissed with barely concealed fury “She managed to get her way after all. How dare Theon not listen to me?”Her assistant, Lara stood stiffly with wide eyes and tremblin
ELEANORIf I had my way, I wouldn’t be here but Jeremy called me and said Victoria had instigated some gullible women to bully me whenever they saw me.It was such a childish move considering the kind of person I knew she was. Was her urgency to get me out of the way making her run out of options?Anyway, I told Sophie I was going to come to the small gathering of socialites so I could give the women in her circle the opportunity to play bully. Immediately I entered the room, the conversation halted and instead, murmurs rose as they eyed me while they judged. Like I said earlier, children. I smiled, unbothered by their veiled disdain and envy and walked to the middle of the room where I had Sophie book me a table at the function.The person I had bet my money would be the first to speak approached me and took a seat beside me.Marjorie Sinclair, wife of Nathan Sinclair, a powerful man with an even bigger shipping company but not bigger than the Blackwells.She was dressed to perfec
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
ELLEI didn’t expect Theon to agree to go with me to the gala hosted by my parents, but I guess he also wanted to see who this Eleanor was.He hadn’t said anything since he agreed to accompany me to the party.“Are you okay?” I asked, hiding a smirk.Theon turned to me with a frown. He eyed me silently before focusing on the road.He had decided to drive us to the party instead of a driver, and I had no complaints.I must admit that it was a bit unnerving how quiet Theon had become. He wouldn’t answer any of my questions; neither did he even glance my way.Should I say I hated it that he was ignoring me?No. That wasn’t it. I enjoyed it. I loved how rattled he looked.He was obviously affected by the news of Eleanor’s return, and I anticipated the look on his face when he would finally meet her.My eyes fell on his hands, which were tightly gripped against the wheel. His knuckles were almost white, and his brows were furrowed.The sight brought a pleased smile to my face. The almighty