Chapter 5
Sure enough, Jonathan was standing behind her.
"Eleanor has already apologized to you. You should forgive her," he said, his tone edged with impatience, as if my refusal made me unreasonable.
I didn't respond. I simply pulled my hand free and turned to leave.
But Eleanor clutched my wrist tightly.
"Chloe, it's fine if you don't want to forgive me. After all, you'll still be living here for another three years. There's plenty of time for you to forgive me."
At her words, I turned to Jonathan in disbelief.
He stiffened, then avoided my gaze, guilt flickering across his face.
Seeing my reaction, Eleanor let out a strange, mocking laugh.
"What's wrong? Chloe, don't tell me you didn't know? Jonathan agreed to stay by my side and the children's side for another three years, just to get the Sterling family to take you in. After all these years, his devotion to you really hasn't changed."
His promises. My waiting.
Three years, then another year, then another three years...
If he truly didn't want to leave Eleanor and their children, then why lie to me again and again?
Just as he was about to explain, his phone rang. He answered it and walked out.
Eleanor's expression shifted instantly. She suddenly grabbed my hair and dragged me toward the door.
"Chloe, why haven't you just died already? Isn't it exhausting, living like this?"
No one else was home. The wound on my back hadn't healed—I was no match for her.
As we went downstairs, she showed no mercy and shoved me hard down the steps.
As my body tumbled, I felt the wound on my back split open again. Warm blood seeped out.
"I've already decided to leave. I'll go today. I don't want Jonathan anymore. I'll never appear in front of you again—"
Before I could finish, she yanked my hair again.
"No, Chloe. How can you leave? If you leave now, how will I make Jonathan completely give up on you?
"If you don't die… your grandfather will eventually uncover my identity. Once you and that old man are dead, I'll say you threw a tantrum and hid in the basement to get attention."
So she had already discovered that Grandpa was investigating her. That was why she wanted to kill me—and even planned to kill Grandpa.
"It doesn't matter what I say. They'll believe me anyway. You'll just stay down here, in this lightless basement, and slowly wait for death."
The basement door slammed shut. Darkness swallowed me whole once again.
The familiar terror crept through my body. No matter how I screamed, there was no response.
No one knew I was here. So all I could do was let Eleanor have her way—and wait for death in this darkness.
Meanwhile, Jonathan arrived at the Sterling family's old estate with the others.
For some reason, his chest suddenly tightened, as if he sensed something was wrong.
"Chloe is still injured," he said. "I'm worried about leaving her alone at home. Is there anyone to take care of her?"
Eleanor clung to his arm and replied sweetly, "She's not even a member of the Sterling family. Grandpa wouldn't want to see her anyway. I already told the housekeeper to look after her. Don't worry."
At that moment, Jonathan's phone—and the phones of Eleanor's parents—buzzed with incoming messages.
Everyone except Eleanor.
There were two paternity test reports and a message: [You fools! I'm taking Chloe abroad for recovery. You will never see her again.]
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