Wrapped in Lewis’s arms, I let the silence settle. His hold was steady, grounding, like he was anchoring to the mont. My thoughts drifted backward to the years I lived as Elena. The quiet suffering. The pain I swallowed. The way my voice never seed to reach anyone.
All of it had piled up inside , pressing harder and harder.
But now, that pressure was finally easing.
When my tears slowed, I pulled back and wiped my face. My voice ca out low."Sorry you had to see that. I don’t usually fall apart like this. It’s just... Elena’s story. It hit deeper than I expected."
Lewis t my eyes and gave a small nod. There was no judgnt there. Only understanding."You don’t need to apologize," he said. "Anyone with a heart would’ve felt it. Are you feeling better now?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I am."
He reached into the car and handed a thermos."You’ve been crying for a while. Drink sothing."
The warmth soothed my throat as I took a few sips. Then a thought struck .
I raised an eyebrow. "Wait. Those rotten eggs earlier... was that your idea?"
A quiet laugh escaped him. He brushed a strand of hair away from my face."Yes. I had them placed under the seats."
I stared at him. "You planned all that?"
"They deserved worse," he said calmly. "But humiliation lasts longer."
I laughed before I could stop myself."Lewis... you really are unbelievable. I knew you were ruthless when needed. But this?"I shook my head. "That was brilliant."
No one was hurt. No laws were broken. Yet the Morrigans were exposed and shad in front of everyone who mattered. It was clean. Precise. Almost elegant.
After a mont, my smile faded."Lewis, I need one more favor."
He didn’t hesitate. "Say it."
"I want soone watching Camilla. She won’t let this go. Not after today."
He leaned back slightly, thinking."You’re right. But after a blow like this, she’ll be careful. She won’t act fast."
He wasn’t wrong.
I’d only been able to stay ahead because I knew her moves before she made them. I had lived this once already. She hadn’t. She was still playing by old rules, unaware they no longer applied.
After today, she’d slow down. Plan more. Hide better.
"We can wait," I said quietly. "She can’t."
My hand rested against my stomach as the thought settled."That child she’s carrying will tie her down."
Camilla had believed the art competition would elevate her. That it would secure her place in the Hudson circle and win her admiration.
She never expected to stand in her way.
Now her plans were in ruins.
Lewis watched my expression closely."Don’t worry," he said. "As long as I’m involved, the Hudsons won’t turn her away."
I looked at him, surprised then I understood.
He wasn’t protecting her.
He was giving exactly what I wanted.
I didn’t want Camilla destroyed outright. I wanted her trapped. Smiling in public while breaking in private. Living in a ho where love was absent, where approval was conditional, where her child beca the only thing that gave her worth.
Just like .
Her reputation was already cracking. Support was fading. Doors were closing.
And that perfect image she clung to? It would beco her cage.
Lewis’s words echoed in my mind. She’d be more careful now.
Maybe.
But pressure breaks everyone eventually.
Right then, more than anything, I wished I could share this small victory with Grandma. She had always been my shelter. The one place where I never had to pretend. But with the identity I carried now, walking into her life wasn’t simple anymore.
Lewis noticed the change in my mood almost instantly. He glanced at , his voice low and careful."What’s on your mind?"
I exhaled slowly. "I was thinking about Elena. Did anyone in her family ever care about her? Even a little?"
"There’s one person," he said after a pause. "Her grandmother. She’s in the hospital right now. She had a stroke not long ago. From what I know, the Morrigans haven’t visited her in a while. They’re too busy cleaning up today’s ss."
My chest tightened. "She’s alone?"
He nodded. "Yes. And she’s not in great condition."
The words sat heavy between us. Then I asked, almost without thinking,"Can I go see her?"
Lewis didn’t hesitate. "Of course."
That easy answer made look at him more closely."Why are you helping like this?" I asked. "You’ve done so much, even without asking. Why?"
His eyes held mine, steady and serious."Because so wrongs shouldn’t be ignored," he said. "For Elena. And maybe... for mistakes I’ve made too."
"Mistakes?" I echoed.
Instead of explaining, he reached into the back seat."You must be hungry."
He handed a neatly packed box. Inside were pastries and colorful macarons. The kind I used to love as a child. My throat tightened before I could stop it.
"Thank you," I whispered.
I didn’t realize how empty I was until I took a bite. The sweetness grounded . We talked quietly as the car moved through the city, the hum of the road steady beneath us. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the hospital.
Lewis stopped outside to buy fresh fruit. A small thing. But it mattered.
I was so focused on seeing Grandma that I almost forgot I wasn’t Elena anymore. To everyone else, I was just a visitor. Not her granddaughter.
Mrs. Thailon looked surprised when she saw with Lewis."How has Mrs. Liora been?" Lewis asked gently.
She sighed. "No worse. But no better either."
My heart clenched. Strokes didn’t heal easily, especially at her age. Grandma had always been strong. Proud. I knew she wouldn’t want to live helpless.
I walked into the room quietly.
She lay there, fragile but calm. The room was clean. Peaceful. There was care here. I felt grateful for that.
When I stepped closer, her eyes t mine. Sothing softened in her gaze.
I reached for her hand, holding it gently."Mrs. Liora," I said softly, keeping my voice steady. "Do you rember ? I visited before. My na is Riley. And today... I brought my husband."
Mrs. Thailon laughed quietly."I never thought you and Mr. Hale would end up together. You look good as a pair."
Grandma’s eyes moved from to Lewis. Slow. Careful. I knew what she might be thinking. After Julian. After everything.
I smiled at her. "He’s good to , Grandma. Truly."
Lewis leaned in slightly. His voice was warm."I hope you recover soon, Mrs. Liora. Maybe one day, Riley and I will bring you a little one to hold."
My face burned instantly. I elbowed him lightly."Who said I’m having kids with you?"
He smiled, fingers threading through mine."I’m bonded to you. Who else would it be?"
"Stop," I whispered. "She’s watching."
But even as I scolded him, I felt it that quiet sense of safety. His presence wrapped around , steady and sure.
For the first ti in a long ti, I felt at peace.
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