Chapter 2

Marcus had steadily been watching the gallery with an unblinking gaze, his eyes burning with intensity as he waited for Eleanor to come out. He had been tracking her for days, his anger steaming like a pot about to overboil. The fact that she was already married made him angrier as he felt betrayed. She couldn't even wait for him to get out of jail, he thought, his mind fuming with resentment. It was all her fault; if it wasn't for her all this wouldn't have happened and he was going to make her pay.

As she stepped out of the gallery, alone and unsuspecting, Marcus's eyes watched her. Her short blue dress hugged her curves, and her neatly packed hair made her look breathtaking. He watched, mesmerized, as she made a phone call and began walking down the side of the road. He followed her, his footsteps silent on the opposite side of the street.

When she stopped to stare at the message he had sent her, He watched as she panicked looking around at where the message came from

Marcus emerged from the shadows, his presence making her step back in horror. He grabbed her by the arms, his grip strong. "Let go of me, Marcus!" she struggled, but his fingers only dug deeper into her skin.

Marcus's voice was low and menacing, sending chills down her spine. "You think you can run from me, Elle? You think you can hide from the secrets we both share?" His words dripped with anger, his eyes gleaming with fury. Eleanor tried to sound brave, but her voice trembled, and her heart raced with fear. Her mind raced with memories she thought she had long buried.

Marcus's laughter was a cold, sly sound. "You'll never be free from me, Elle. I know all your damn secrets, and I'll use them to drag you back down into the darkness with me." He pulled her hair, his grip tight, and she winced in pain. "Do you understand me?"

As she tried to free herself, Marcus felt her trembling in his grip. Her hands shook, and her eyes teared up. "Now come with me," he growled, pulling her with a strong force. Tears poured down her cheek as she screamed for help, struggling and fighting back.

Suddenly, a punch landed squarely on his face, and Marcus stumbled back, releasing his grip on her. He staggered, trying to regain his composure, and stared confused at the tall figure who had punched him. As the figure tried to hit him again, Marcus braced for impact but smirked as Eleanor stopped the punch. He touched his bleeding lips and looked back at her, then at the man, with anger and annoyance. He wagged his fingers at her, his laughter echoing through the dark streets of New York. "This isn't over yet, Elle," he called out, his voice dripping with spite. "You can't hide from me forever. “And when I find you, you'll wish you had never crossed me”.

Eleanor gasped, tears streaming down her face, as Sebastian grabbed her tightly, his jaw clenched in anger, his eyes blazing

Eleanor shuddered, her heart racing with fear, She hugged Sebastian tightly, too frightened to think straight, her body trembling in his as she tried to find comfort in his masculine figure.

"Who was he?" She watched as Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “And what business does he have with you, Eleanor”.

Eleanor jolted back into reality, shifting a few inches away from him. She straightened her dark blue dress and cleared her throat. "Thank you, Mr. Anderson, for your assistance earlier, But I don't think any of my business concerns you." She paused, her voice firm.

"Furthermore, I'd rather not be seen around the likes of you. I must take my leave now."

She tried to pull away from him, but he pulled her back into his embrace.

"I insist on walking you back to the gallery," he said, his chest pressed against hers, his breath hot on her ear. Eleanor's heart skipped twice as she felt a jolt of electricity at his touch.

As they walked back to the gallery entrance,Eleanor's eyes scanned through the dark street for any sign of Marcus, her mind racing with thoughts of him and Sebastian, her past unreasonably resurfacing back into her life.

As She noticed her driver,Taylor waiting for her. She flashed a thank-you smile at Sebastian as the driver opened the car door. Her face showered with relief when she saw her husband, Lucas, approaching the car.

The drive home was silent, Eleanor's heart figgering as she struggled to breathe despite the chilling air conditioner.

“What if Lucas finds out about my past?” she thought to herself as she repeatedly tapped her fingers on her leg

"Are you alright?" Lucas asked his hand on her shaking leg, his face filled with worries.

Eleanor plastered a fake smile on her face and nodded sheeply to Lucas as the driver opened the car door for her

It was one thing to have encountered her one-night stand by mistake but it was another huge scare to have met the one person she dreaded and avoided her whole life

Looking up at their exquisite large mansion she realized this was her life now and nothing or nobody was going to destroy it

“Mom!” Eleanor's thoughts were interrupted by her twin's excited chatter as she walked into the house; she smiled as she hugged them tightly, grateful for them distracting her from the dark thoughts that stayed in her mind. Looking at the twins and seeing how Lucas treated them with bliss and happiness, Eleanor knew she had one thing to do

And that was to protect the family she had grown to love from imposters, herself, and her dark past life.