Chapter 7 Things Got Messy
Tyler glanced over at Eleanor. “If your plan’s one of those where you hurt yourself just to take someone else down, it’s not worth it.”
“I’m not that dumb,” Eleanor replied. “I didn’t see Martha today. Tyler, could you let her know? Even if I don’t end up as her granddaughter–in–law, it won’t change the way I treat her.”
Tyler just gave a short “Mm” and said nothing else.
“I’m not going home yet. I’m heading to the hospital,” Eleanor added after a quick
pause.
Tyler thought about it for a second, then asked, “Do you want me to come with you?”
Eleanor bit her lip. “I might need you to show up at just the right time.”
In the ward, Serena watched Chris pour her a glass of water. She spoke softly, “Mr. Langford called you just now, right? Today must be important. You don’t have to stay here. Go take care of your stuff.”
Chris helped her sit up and handed her the glass. “No way. I’m not leaving you here. You passed out all of a sudden, scared the hell out of me.”
Serena shook her head. “Back then, I didn’t want to leave. I had my reasons. And you shouldn’t be mad at Eleanor just because she hurt me.”
“If Tyler hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve had Eleanor thrown in jail that day!” Chris looked at her with a mix of guilt and regret. “You silly, why didn’t you press charges?
“Your depression… did it start because of that? Christ, had I known, nothing would’ve kept me from your side.”
“It’s not too late now,” said a voice as Eleanor kicked the door open.
Chris frowned as Eleanor stormed in like she owned the place. “Why are you here? What, need me to come play the dutiful boyfriend? Too late for regrets.”
“Regrets?” Eleanor clenched her fists, a twisted smile on her face. “My only regret is being dumb enough to waste years by your side. Chris, I’m done with you. I’m calling off our engagement.”
When Eleanor looked at Serena, Chris panicked and stood up to shield Serena. “Don’t do anything stupid. I know you hate her, but she’s still your sister. And you left her with trauma she’ll carry for life.“,
“She brought that on herself,” Eleanor shot back.
A few years ago, Eleanor had planned a trip to Himvar with some classmates. Serena had secretly followed them, messed with their car in the middle of nowhere, and tried to get Eleanor kidnapped.
Luckily, right before anything went down, some locals invited Eleanor and her friends
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to stay with them.
Later, the locals said a girl had shown up at the scene with a few thugs, looking for someone. Things escalated and she got knocked out and taken away.
When Serena was finally found, she was bruised and beaten. She insisted Eleanor had sent those men after her–but she just smiled and said, “It’s fine. I don’t blame her. Let‘ s not blow this out of proportion.”
After that, Eleanor got labeled as selfish and arrogant. What she hadn’t known until now was that Chris had actually considered sending her to prison. She thought,” Unbelievable. I must’ve been completely out of my mind to fall for a guy like this.
Her eyes landed on the nightstand, where someone had peeled and sliced an orange. So Chris does know how to take care of people. He just picks and chooses who deserves it,‘ thought Eleanor. That familiar ache returned to her chest.
“Eleanor, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come back,” Serena said through tears as she clung to Chris’s arm. “I was just a foster kid living in your house. I never expected anything.
“You can do whatever you want to me, I won’t complain. I just wanted to spend a little time with him before you two got engaged. Is that really so wrong?”
“That’s rich, playing the victim while stealing someone’s man,” came a voice dripping with sarcasm from outside the room. The sound of heels clicking on the floor echoed in, and in walked Vera, followed by a whole crew with cameras.
“Vera? What are you doing here?” Eleanor looked surprised.
“I got an anonymous tip–and some cash,” Vera said in a low voice. “I figured it was from you. They told me to make sure this couple’s little secret blew up fast.
“So I thought, livestream it. Quick and easy. Let the world see Chris shacking up with another woman days before his engagement.”
Eleanor frowned, thinking ‘When did I ever ask Vera for help? Though… Tyler did ask me about her before. Is this his doing?”
“Well, no need for outsiders to say anything. Let your own tears do the talking. Three, two, one–go,” Vera whispered, then stepped to the side.
“Eleanor, what the hell is wrong with you?!” Chris roared. “Our engagement was all set. I gave up the one I loved for you. I didn’t care that you were cruel. I-”
“Are you done?” Eleanor cut him off, her tone laced with disdain. “I found this in your study.”
She held up a contract and waved it in front of him. “It says here that just by dating me, you’d get 1% of the Langford Corporation. Marry me, and you get another 1%.”
Chris‘ face went palé. He stared at the document in her hand. “Where did you find that?” “I already told you. In your study,” Eleanor said with a cold smile. “I was packing my
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Chapter 7 Things Got Messy
things and it just happened to be sitting there.”
“Enough! Stop with this nonsense!” Chris pulled Serena into his arms, shielding her from the cameras. “You’re just scared I’ll back out of the engagement. I’m a Langford- what’s wrong with me getting my share of the family stake?
“If Serena hadn’t stopped me from calling the cops, you’d already be in jail for kidnapping. After everything you’ve done to her, how do you sleep at night?”
“Never too late to call the cops now.” Eleanor sneered. “I can even hook you up with an eyewitness. Let’s see who’s really pulling the strings here–whether she staged the whole thing or I framed her.
“Chris, spare me the righteous act. If not for that deal, I might’ve been dead by your hands.”
Chris clenched his fists, seething. He thought, ‘Can’t lie to myself. I let Serena walk away back then because it suited me.‘
Eleanor kept going. “We’re getting engaged. And you kissed her. When I found out and kicked her out, that made me the villain?
“We dated for seven years. You had neck problems from sitting too long–I learned. chiropractic care and massage therapy for you. You had stomach issues–1 studied
traditional me, learned to identify herbs, made you custom remedies.
“And the whole time, your heart was stuck on a woman you couldn’t have. You never really cared about me. But you sure enjoyed all the perks.”
Chris felt ashamed, but Eleanor didn’t give him a chance to respond. “We were supposed to get engaged next week. But clearly, there’s no point now.
“I don’t care what deal you signed, or what you might lose if I walk away. I’m telling your right here and now–I would rather stay single for the rest of my life than marry you. Vera clapped. “That’s my girl. Eleanor, no man is worth ruining your whole damn life.”
Meanwhile, the whole drama had blown up online. Every platform, every feed–it was everywhere.
Pretty soon, the whole country knew the story: Chris had cheated on Eleanor, his childhood sweetheart, right before their engagement–with his “one true love” no less. After years of quietly putting up with his crap, Eleanor finally snapped.
Some people did wonder about that kidnapping case Chris mentioned, but the topic got buried fast.
Most people were too busy dragging Chris in the comments. Stuff like: [Marrying her just for shares? What a snake.] And: [She gave him everything, and he still cheated? Classic trash behavior.]
A few users chimed in with their own sightings–like one mom who brought her baby in for infant massage therapy and spotted Eleanor, super put–together, learning
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chiropractic care from the director.
The caption read: [Total sweetheart. Girl needs to run from that dumpster fire of a man.
]
Of course, the Donovans heard about it too. Linda rushed into the ward and slapped Eleanor across the face. “Enough with the drama!”
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