Chapter 9

Eleanor rushed home as soon as she got the message. "Her kids were kidnapped, One million dollars and no police," she muttered, her voice barely audible, as she hurried inside.

She grabbed a money bag and changed into a more convenient outfit. Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to leave without the butler or Alex noticing.

"I know Marcus well. He can't hurt my kids; he just needs the money and he'll let us go," Eleanor whispered, trying to reassure herself as she slipped past Alex and into the garage. The cold metal of the car door handle sent a shiver through her as she climbed in.

"Thirty minutes more, Elle," Marcus's voice growled over the phone. Eleanor's knuckles whitened as she gripped the steering wheel, her heart pounding. "Don't you dare hurt my kids!" she screamed into the receiver.

"That depends on how fast you can get here, and remember: no police, no husband," Marcus said before hanging up.

Eleanor sped to the bank, her heart racing as the city blurred by. She burst into the manager's office, her face flushed. "Mrs. Sinclair, what brings you here?" the manager asked, extending his hand.

"I need a substantial amount of cash urgently," she replied, her voice trembling.

Confusion clouded the manager's face. "How urgent and how much?"

"A million, and right now," Eleanor said, pacing anxiously.

"Does your husband know about this?"

"It's our joint account. Why does he need to know?" Eleanor snapped.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have to inform Mr. Sinclair before I can release that amount of money," the manager said, stepping into his office to make the call. He returned shortly with his cellphone. "He wants to speak to you."

"Honey, what's wrong?" Lucas's voice was filled with worry. "Why do you need to withdraw such a large amount of money?"

Eleanor felt tears welling up, but she knew she couldn't tell Lucas the truth. "My mom is sick, Lucas," she lied, her voice breaking. "She needs urgent surgery."

"Okay, I'm on my way."

"No! There's no need for that, Lucas. I can manage. Thank you," she insisted, her voice shaky.

Lucas was silent for a moment before saying, "Give the phone back to the manager."

"Give her any amount of money she demands," Lucas instructed the manager.

"Yes, sir."

Eleanor's phone buzzed again, a call from marcus. "I'm on my way," she whispered

"I changed my mind. Don't come. Somebody is outside the bank you're in, in a black car. Get in with the money. Your time's ticking—ten minutes more."

The call ended abruptly. Eleanor grabbed the bag of money from the manager. "Thank you," she said faintly, but her relief was short-lived. Her eyes locked onto her bodyguard standing at the entrance.

"Fuck, how did he find me?" she muttered, quickly turning back to the manager. "Show me the back door," she commanded.

She raced down the stairs and out the back door, spotting the black car Marcus had mentioned. As she approached, her eyes widened in shock. Her nanny was behind the wheel.

"What... What are you doing here?" Eleanor stammered. "You're working with Marcus?"

"Get in the back of the car. We don't have all day," the nanny ordered, taking the money and smashing Eleanor's phone.

"Why are you doing this?" Eleanor muttered as the car sped away. "This isn't you. You've worked with me for over three years, and... and I trusted you."

"Shut your mouth before I shut it for you. If you know what's good for you, stay quiet until the end of the ride," the nanny snarled.

Eleanor tapped her leg anxiously, her mind racing with possible escape plans. She silently prayed and slipped her hand into her pocket, realizing Marcus wouldn't let her and her children go without bloodshed.

She discreetly pressed the alarm button she had carried with her. "Lucas, please be here as soon as you can," she whispered inaudibly as the car came to a halt at an abandoned building.

"She's here!" Marcus shouted excitedly as the nanny dragged Eleanor out of the car along with the money.

"Let go of me!" Eleanor jerked her hands free from the nanny and faced Marcus head-on. "Where are my kids, Marcus?" Her voice was filled with hatred, masking the fear she felt inside. "Stop playing games, Marcus.

Aren't you tired? Because I'm damn well tired.

Marcus stared at her before bursting out in a fit of laughter

"You think this is a joke?" Eleanor spat. "There's your money, I want you to leave my life for good."

“Yes, i think this is a big joke”, Marcus's smile faded. "Who do you think you are? You marry some rich man and think you've left the gutter you came from” His voice piercing into her heart like a dagger as he lowered himself to meet her gaze “You're nothing but a cheap knockoff gold digger," he snarled, his words cutting like knives. “This is where you belong, Eleanor, in the slum”

Eleanor's fury boiled over as She slapped him hard, her hand stinging from the impact.

Marcus's expression turned to rage. He grabbed her by the hair, hitting her viciously. "Marcus, stop! You're going to kill her!" the nanny cried, trying to intervene, but Marcus shoved her away.

"Do you know why I'm like this, Eleanor?" he hissed, pulling her close. "It's because of you. I did everything for you, and you still left me."

"You did nothing for me, Marcus!" she screamed.

"Nothing?" he asked, his voice lacing with disbelief, the sound echoing off the abandoned building's walls. "You killed my brother and I helped you!!" he spat, his words venomous. "I fucking helped you hide the evidence, even went to jail for you, is that nothing?" The words hung in the air, the silence that followed deafening.

Eleanor's head spun as Marcus's words soaked into her, the revelation hitting her like a ton of bricks. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut, her breath knocked out of her.

The sound of police sirens in the distance only added to her dizziness, the wailing growing louder with each passing second. She didn't know what made her head spin: if it was the loss of blood from Marcus's brutal grip, the sound of the police siren's car approaching, or the fact that the man she once loved had just told her she had killed his brother.