Chapter 3

Elara's POV

Dominic pulls out his phone. The footage freezes me.

Three years ago, late at night, I was heading home from a clinical trial. Just two blocks from home, they dragged me into an alley. I barely had time to call Dominic. In the video, I'm screaming, struggling. They tear my clothes apart. Until the very end, I kept waiting for Dominic to show up.

He never came.

I taste blood in my throat. My voice comes out raw, shredded. "It was real! Those men actually assaulted me! You promised you'd come get me."

"Cut the act." Dominic cuts me off, looking irritated. "Those guys were paid actors. They wouldn't have the guts to actually touch you. That's what this is about, isn't it? Trying to make us feel guilty so we'll get rid of Vanessa. Elara, why can't you just accept her?"

My chest heaves. Who can't accept who here?

Forget it. No point in arguing. I'll be free soon enough.

Someone grabs my hair. "You homewrecking bitch!"

A slap cracks across my face before I can react. Then it's like a switch flips. The guests who heard the confrontation swarm toward me. "Homewreckers deserve to die!" "I'll tear your face off!" Fists, slaps, nails clawing at me. I stumble back, my lip splitting open.

Dominic frowns and starts toward me.

Vanessa clutches her chest and sways, collapsing to the deck. "Dom... I'm dizzy... too many people, I can't breathe..."

Mom panics. "Vanessa! Get her to the back room, quick!"

Sebastian glances at me, then at Vanessa's pale face. His throat bobs. He turns and runs to Vanessa.

Dominic hesitates for just a second. Then he scoops up Vanessa and hurries off the deck.

No one looks back at me.

The women's fists come down harder. "Kill her! One less bitch in the world!" I curl into myself. The pain is unbearable. My lungs feel shredded. Every breath cuts like glass. Blood pours from my mouth.

I don't know how long it takes before they finally disperse.

I lie on the deck, staring at the sky. Not many stars. Maybe the city lights are too bright.

I drag myself up. Every movement feels like pulling myself apart.

I head toward the back room. I don't know why. Instinct, maybe.

When I push the door open, I see a perfect family scene. Mom sits beside Vanessa, speaking softly. Dominic hands her water. Sebastian crouches in front of her, asking if she's okay. Oliver leans against Vanessa.

Mom's face hardens the moment she sees me. "You have the nerve to walk in here? Making yourself look like a bloody mess for what, sympathy?"

Sebastian looks annoyed. "Can you just stop? You embarrassed Vanessa in front of everyone. I had to show them the certificate. You brought this on yourself. What's the point of playing victim now?"

I'm shaking. Every step feels like walking on knives. I don't have the energy to argue. I just look at Oliver. My son. He leans against Vanessa, nothing but disgust in his eyes when he looks at me.

Vanessa stands and walks over. She grabs my hand, won't let me pull away. "Elara, you're hurt. Let me take a look."

She leans in close, her voice dropping so only I can hear. "I'm already bored of that stupid kid of yours. How about you give me a daughter? I could use a fresh toy. If I'm in a good mood, maybe I'll give him back before I'm done playing with him."

Everything snaps. I swing at her face.

Vanessa screams and stumbles backward. Dominic rushes over and slaps me. Half my face goes numb. "Are you out of your mind? You'd actually hit her in front of all of us?"

"Don't you hurt my mom!" Oliver charges at me and shoves hard.

I can barely stand as it is. His push sends me crashing into the table edge. I hit the floor hard. More blood spills from my mouth.

Dad grabs a water bottle and hurls it at me. "How dare you say that crazy shit! Shut up!" The bottle slams into my shoulder. Pain blinds me.

Oliver stands there, pale, but still glaring at me. "What do you want to say? That you're my mother?" He scoffs. "Even if you are, I'd rather die than have someone like you as my mom!"

I lie on the floor, gasping. My lungs feel torn open.

Dominic walks over and looks down at me. He pulls out his phone again. The video plays silently on the screen.

His voice drops low. "Here's what's going to happen. You apologize to Vanessa. Then you're going to record a video. Post it online. Take back everything you said out there. Otherwise, I send this to everyone. Let the whole world see what kind of woman you really are."

I stare at the screen. Then I laugh. Tears stream down my face.

I think about these five years of humiliation. I think about Oliver saying he'd rather die. I reach out and take Dominic's phone.

He blinks. "What are you—"

My fingers shake as I open social media. Then I upload the assault video myself.

Dominic's face goes pale with rage. "Are you insane?!" He grabs for the phone, but it's too late. The video's already posted.

I hand the phone back to him. Slowly, I stand up and walk toward the yacht's edge.

Behind me, Mom's voice turns frantic. "What are you doing? Stop this!"

Sebastian sounds nervous too. "We won't pressure you anymore, okay? Whatever you want, we can talk about it."

I climb onto the railing. The sea wind makes me sway.

But Dominic just laughs. "You're falling for it again. She's counting on us caring about her. Using suicide to manipulate us." He looks at me. "Go ahead and jump then. I don't believe you'll actually do it!"

I stand on the railing and look back at them one last time. My eyes empty. Peaceful.

"You wanted five years of my life to pay a debt. I gave it to you. You wanted my child. I gave you that too. Now I'm buying my freedom with my life."

The next second, as their faces drain of color and they lunge toward me, I let go. My body tips backward.