Hearing her threat, I let out a cold laugh.
“Go ahead. Try me.”
Isolde snapped and lunged at me.
But right then, Sebastian’s voice cut through the tension.
“Isolde, stop!”
He rushed in, placing himself between us.
“Just calm down. We can talk this through.”
Isolde’s voice turned sharp.
“Talk? She’s got the whole internet coming for me–how the hell am I supposed to talk?”
“Move, Sebastian, or I swear I’ll lose it.”
His face went pale, but he didn’t budge.
“Isolde, that’s enough.”
She stared at him, stunned and furious.
“You’ve lost your damn mind, haven’t you?”
“Elara ruined me, and you’re telling me to calm down?”
“Whose side are you even on?”
For a split second, I caught the flicker of annoyance in Sebastian’s eyes.
Then he turned to me.
“Elara, I’ll make sure her family doesn’t press charges if you come home with me.”
He sounded calm, collected–like some big shot offering charity.
I didn’t need his charity.
I laughed, bitter and sharp, then looked past him to the furious girl behind him.
Once, Isolde was my nightmare.
The kind that made me shake even in daylight.
་
11:59
M… C
Chapter 9
But now, when I looked her in the eyes, I saw something else.
Beneath her rage was fear.
She was afraid.
Afraid of people like me.
People she used to hurt.
People who finally found the strength to speak out.
And that gave me power.
“Sebastian. Isolde. I’m not backing down.”
“I’m not alone anymore.”
“I’ve got support. I’ve got strength.”
“And I’ve got every reason to keep going.”
“Isolde, you’re going to pay for what you’ve done.”
That broke her.
She screamed and shoved Sebastian aside, grabbed me by the hair, and yanked me off the bed.
Just like old times.
But this time, I didn’t cry.
This time, I fought back.
“Let her go!”
Nathaniel burst into the room, phone in hand.
“I’ve already called the cops.”
That shut them up fast.
Isolde and Sebastian both froze, panicked.
They tried to run, but security had already blocked the exits.
Nathaniel helped me up and eased me back onto the bed, his eyes full of fury as he glared at Isolde.
Sebastian clenched his jaw when he saw Nathaniel holding me.
“Who the hell is he?”
11:59
Chapter 9
I didn’t even bother looking at him.
“None of your business.”
He gritted his teeth.
“Elara, I’m your boyfriend!”
“No, you’re not.”
“The moment you chose her over me, you stopped being anything to me.”
He stammered.
“I–I didn’t know it would get this bad… I didn’t hit you, did I?“.
That made me laugh.
Really laugh.
The kind that hurts.
“Sebastian, you seriously don’t get it?”
“You didn’t think it mattered.”
“You never saw me as worth protecting.”
“If I hadn’t blown this up, would you even be here apologizing?”
“You’re such a fake.”
I didn’t look at him again.
Didn’t want to.
Nathaniel helped me out of the room.
The cops showed up soon after.
With all the surveillance footage, Isolde had no way out.
Together with the other victims, I filed a class–action suit.
The public outrage was massive.
And finally, Isolde had to face the consequences of her actions.
Sebastian didn’t get off easy either.
He lost his right to inherit anything.
11:59
Chapore 9
His family kicked him out and sent him overseas to fend for himself.
I doubt he’ll ever come back.
Nathaniel helped me recover.
He fixed my leg
Helped me land a job at a senior care center.
He still stops by often, always bringing home–cooked meals.
And we’re together now.
Sebastian tried to reach out a few times.
I never responded.
Nathaniel told me the Kane family cut him off financially.
No more trust fund.
He ended up hanging around local thugs, got into drugs.
Barely functional these days.
Eventually, even the messages stopped.
Guess he couldn’t face me anymore.
But I didn’t forget him.
When Nathaniel and I got married, I sent him an e–vite.
Five years together–I figured he should see what real love looks like.
I wanted him to know I made it.
That I’m happy-
He saw the invite just after waking from another blackout.
His hands were already shaking from the withdrawals.
He stared at the name “Elara Sinclair” for hours.
The next day, he was found in his apartment.
Wrist slit.
And me?
11:34
Mur
Chapter 9
I was walking down the aisle in the dress Nathaniel picked out just for me.
Stepping into a brand–new life.
Spring had come again.
