Henry’s mind reeled, his ambitious brain struggling to process the drama unfolding in her life. He paced his large living room now, the marble cold under his bare feet. "She slapped you? He hates her? She tried to kill him? God, Eliana, this sounds like sothing out of a thriller novel. Does he know? About you being her daughter?"
"No!" she whispered fiercely, her voice dropping as if the walls had ears. Fear clawed at her chest, making her breath co in short bursts. "He has no idea, and I’m terrified of what he’d do if he found out. Rafael doesn’t just hate her, Henry—he hates everyone associated with her. By blood or even acquaintance. He’d see as an enemy, a plant sent to betray him. I’ve seen his cold side, Henry. That calculating glare, the sarcasm that cuts like a knife. What if he turns it on ?"
Henry stopped pacing, his hand pressing against his forehead as he absorbed the blow. Shock painted his handso face, his warm eyes darkening with concern. "This is... I don’t even know what to say. What about your mom? Has she said anything? Did she even apologize for abandoning you after all these years?"
Eliana’s laugh was hollow, laced with pain that twisted her soft, heart-shaped face. "Apologies to ? She didn’t even recognize . She looked right through , Henry. Like I was dirt on her designer heels. And it’s worse—she hates now. Wants to harm because of that fight I got into with Celine, her precious daughter. My half-sister, can you believe it? Celine’s this spoiled brat, and I stood up to her, and now Mirabel’s gunning for . She doesn’t even know I’m her flesh and blood, and she’s already plotting my end."
Henry’s shock deepened, his voice rising in incredulity. "Hates you? Wants to harm you? Eliana, that’s ssed up on so many levels. Your own mother, treating you like an enemy without even knowing the truth. This house... it’s not safe for you anymore. You can’t stay there, surrounded by people who could destroy you at any mont."
She let out a long, weary sigh, her shoulders sinking as though the weight of the evening might crush her. Her curls tumbled forward, spilling over her shoulders in loose, untad waves that brushed against the satin of her gown. She hadn’t even bothered to change—the elegant dress clung stubbornly to her warm brown skin, a reminder of a night that had spun far beyond her control.
"It’s not just that, Henry, there’s more," she whispered, her voice quivering between exhaustion and anger. "Now Rafael and I are at each other’s throats over Jason." Her lips pressed tight for a mont before the words broke free in a rush. "Turns out Jason orchestrated my kidnapping a few days ago. He hired thugs—actual thugs—to drag off while I was on my way to see my father at the hospital. Only God knows what he planned to do with if it had worked."
Her hand trembled as she raked it through her curls, eyes burning at the mory. "But Sarai... she ca out of nowhere. She scared them off. Saved . Then she begged —begged —not to tell Rafael. Said it would only make things worse, that Jason could get killed by Rafael if he knew."
Henry’s gasp this ti was louder, laced with horror. "Kidnapped? Eliana, you were kidnapped? By Jason? Why the hell didn’t you tell sooner? God, I knew that guy was bad news back in college, but this? This is criminal. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"I’m fine now, physically," she assured him, though her voice wavered. "But Rafael found out sohow—through one of his many links, I think. And he’s furious. I don’t know what he’s planning for Jason, but it scares . Rafael’s ruthless when he’s betrayed. And I hid it from him, Henry. To protect Rafael, maybe even Jason a little. Now everything’s exploding."
Henry’s tone turned blunt, his reserved deanor cracking under the weight of his worry. He leaned against the wall, his heart pounding. "Eliana, listen to . You’re not safe in that environnt. Kidnappings, attempted murders, family secrets that could blow up in your face—it’s a powder keg. You have to leave. As soon as possible. Pack a bag, get out before it all cos crashing down."
"But I can’t just leave," she protested, her emotional resilience fraying at the edges. She sat up, hugging her knees to her chest, her hopeful smile long gone, replaced by a mask of despair. "Rafael’s paying for Dad’s hospital bills rember? Without him, we’d be back to square one—bills piling up, Dad suffering. And Rafael... he’s been betrayed so many tis, Henry. His family, his so-called friends and caregivers. If I vanish now, it’ll shatter him all over again. I’d be no better than the rest."
Henry took a deep breath, calming his racing thoughts. His voice softened, turning advisory like the doctor he aspired to be. "Okay, okay. I get it. But let ask you this, Eliana—calmly. Are you free in that house? Can you walk the halls without looking over your shoulder? Can you sleep at night with your eyes closed, without the guilt gnawing at you or the fear that Rafael will uncover your lies? Or that your mother will find a way to harm you, daughter or not?"
She fell silent, the questions hitting her like arrows. The room spun slightly, the elegant furnishings mocking her turmoil. No, she wasn’t free. Every day was a tightrope walk, every smile a facade.
"And if the answer to those is no," Henry continued gently, his ambition fueling his resolve to help, "then you have to leave. For your sake, for your dad’s in the long run. I’m willing to help you escape, Eliana. Whatever it takes—pick you up, find a place, anything. Just say the word."
Eliana’s breath hitched, the offer hanging in the air like a lifeline. But as the weight of it settled, she wondered if she had the strength to grab it—or if the chains of her secrets would hold her captive forever.
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