Elena's life was a harsh reality where people inflicted pain and cruelty upon each other. It was a bitter pill to swallow when she finally understood that she had merely been a pawn in someone else's game all this time. From the very beginning, life had shown her no mercy, relentlessly breaking her vulnerable heart. Her childhood, devoid of love, left her emotionally scarred, shaping her into the person she had become.
Individuals who have experienced childhood trauma do not possess flawed brains; rather, their minds have adapted to survive in hostile environments. This adaptive response is how Elena managed to persevere through difficult times. Children view their parents as powerful figures, shaping their beliefs about themselves based on how they are treated. For a child, the words and actions of their caregivers hold immense weight, leading them to internalize beliefs such as "What you say about me is what I am."
James was a skilled manipulator, adept at influencing those around him. Manipulation, like a contagious disease, could spread insidiously within a household, posing a greater threat than the flu as its effects could persist for a lifetime. The most perilous individuals were those who staunchly believed in their own infallibility, never admitting to any wrongdoing, and were able to convince others of their righteousness.
A heavy silence engulfed the room, punctuated only by the weight of the shocking revelation that lingered in the air. Elena felt her breath escape her in a rush as she struggled to come to terms with the devastating truth. It was as if lightning crackled through her veins, causing time to slow to a crawl. Clover watched in stunned silence as her friend grappled with Jack's words, sharing in Elena's disbelief at the unfolding events.
"Elena!" Clover's voice pierced the air with fear as she witnessed Elena crumble to her knees. The earth-shattering revelation proved to be too much for her friend to bear, her body trembling with the weight of the truth. Tears welled up in Clover's eyes as she grappled with the mind-bending realization that shattered her perception of Jack. Her gaze shifted to Jack, who stood frozen in a speechless stupor, tried to understand the gravity of his actions.
"You're a son of a bitch!" Clover's voice dripped with venom as she unleashed her anger at Jack. His eyes widened as he registered Clover's palpable contempt for his words. In a sudden turn of events, he watched as she approached him, raising her arm near his face. A resounding clap reverberated through the once-silent room as her hand made sharp contact with his cheek, causing his face to snap to the side.
"You abused her! You raped her! What kind of sick person does that to a woman who was your friend?" Clover's voice reverberated with rage, her words cutting through the air as she confronted Jack. He recoiled slightly, a hand instinctively reaching to touch his now-marked face as he faced the full force of Clover's accusation.
"Fuck you! FUCK YOU, JACK!" Clover's screams filled the room as she unleashed her fury, raining down closed-fist blows on Jack. Despite his attempts to restrain her, the force of her anger surged like a tidal wave, overpowering him. Clover's skill as a lightweight boxer became evident as her punches landed with precision and power, each strike fuelled by her pent-up emotions.
"CLOVER!!... PLEASE!" Jack pleaded desperately, attempting to shield himself from Clover's relentless and swift attacks that left him breathless and defenseless.
"FUCKING LEAVE... I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU ANYMORE!! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!!" Clover's voice thundered through the house, filled with anger and hurt. Jack had no other option but to leave, and he swiftly stormed out of the house. As soon as he was gone, Clover sank to her knees, her chest aching with pain like never before. Tears streamed down her face as she grappled with the betrayal from someone she once considered as the love of her life.
Elena's eyes were devoid of light, reflecting the emptiness that had consumed her. Her soul had been engulfed in the pool of tears she had shed for so long, leaving nothing behind. She was a wretched soul, constantly crying behind a mask of false happiness. As Clover rushed back towards Elena with a sense of urgency, the weight of the situation hung heavy in the air.
"El!... El, please! Snap out of it, please!" Clover pleaded with her friend, her voice filled with desperation as she witnessed Elena's detachment from reality. Elena seemed to be lost in a world of her own, a dangerous place where she was unreachable. Suddenly, a shift occurred, and a different aura emanated from Elena. Her eyes took on a sinister and dark gaze, sending shivers down Clover's spine, as if a new and unsettling presence had taken over.
"El?" Clover mumbled hesitantly as she watched Elena rise from the ground, standing up and striding towards the door without uttering a word in response.
"ELENA... where are you going? Please, just stay with me! You're not in a state to drive right now!" Clover implored, following her friend to the door.
"Thank you, Clo! You've been so good to me, even though I've been so bad to you! I'm sorry!" Elena uttered before sprinting out of Clover's house. Clover's chest tightened as she watched her friend leave in the harsh weather outside.
"Elena!" Clover muttered, clutching her chest in concern for her friend. Elena was determined, with one goal in mind in the midst of the cold, rainy night. The drive was long, her throat aching as tears streamed down her face. The grip on the steering wheel tightened as she finally caught sight of her parents' house in the distance.
"No more suffering for me! I will show them their biggest fear. And it will haunt them for the rest of their damn lives!" Elena mumbled to herself as she drove into the driveway.
As the storm raged on relentlessly, it served as a reminder to anyone who reflected on life's tumultuous and transformative moments. Sipping on his glass of whiskey, the man gazed up at the glistening ceiling of his grand mansion. The intricate architecture, elegant chandeliers, and ornate furnishings exuded a sophisticated aura that could captivate anyone who entered.
His father had left behind a magnificent inheritance estate, along with the majority of his riches. However, it was the mansion in particular that held memories for him like no other possession could. The amenities and luxuries it offered were indispensable to him, things he simply could not imagine living without.
He swirled his glass slowly, taking a deep breath as he contemplated the thoughts racing through his mind. His moment of solitude was abruptly interrupted by Martha's entrance.
"James, I just got off the phone with Axel," Martha uttered as she approached the chair where he was sitting so comfortably. James sighed and gave her a tired look.
"What does that good-for-nothing want now? Is he still having issues with the factories?" James asked in annoyance, tired of his son's incompetence. Martha crossed her arms, giving him an obvious look of irritation.
"He's doing his best to please you! Besides, you know how challenging it is for him to manage these things! If only you had chosen Elena to be in charge!" Martha protested, but her words clearly did not sit well with James. He chuckled in response.
"We both know Elena is incapable of handling herself, and you expect me to entrust her with all our wealth?" He quipped, but his smile faded the moment he saw Elena entering the room.
"Oh, child! Why are you soaking wet? Didn't you come with an umbrella?" Martha muttered worriedly as she spotted her daughter. Elena entered the room with deliberate steps, her arms hidden behind her back. James immediately clasped Martha's arm, preventing her from approaching their daughter. This action left Martha completely confused, as her husband's facial expressions seemed wary.
"I'm glad you two are here! You don't know how badly I wanted to come back home to you!" Elena uttered with a shaky voice, tilting her head slightly sideways as she looked at them steadily. Martha felt a sudden intuitive shift in the ambiance of the room and in Elena's eyes.
"Elena? What's wrong?" Martha asked as she noticed a tear spilling down her daughter's cheek. Elena chuckled sullenly to herself in response to her mother's question.
"A lot of things are wrong, mom!" Elena choked out as tears poured down her face. Martha felt her heart sink as she watched Elena completely lose control. James cleared his throat and sat up straight in his chair, looking sternly at Elena's behavior.
"Elena, crying isn't going to solve anything. If you came all the way here to cry about things that aren't worth my time, please feel free to talk to your mother! I will go to my study room," James uttered nonchalantly as he stood up and attempted to walk away. However, Elena's next move startled Martha and James to the core.
"Don't you move, you old fucking bastard!" Elena screamed with mad eyes as she pointed a gun at him. James felt his soul leaving his body at the life-threatening situation he was in. He froze in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock. Martha gasped in horror at the scene before her, covering her mouth in fear.
"Elena? What are you doing?" Martha cried out, her heart racing in her chest. Elena's hands shook as she kept pointing at her father with red, tear-filled eyes.
"I'm so tired! So tired of trying so hard for so long to be the perfect daughter in your eyes! I have done everything possible to get just one ounce of your attention!" Elena cried out, her strangled facial expression showcasing the pain she had endured over the years.
"Elena, please put the gun down and let's just talk! I will give you the attention you want! I promise!" He said nervously, raising his hand in defeat. Elena squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head furiously in denial.
"Now you want to hear me out? NOW YOU WANT TO SEE ME FOR WHAT I AM! A FRUSTRATED WOMAN WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT UTTER LONGING TORTURE!" She screamed in a mix of madness and exhaustion at a man whose face showed sheer fear.
"Just as I was driving back home, I realized something! You never really loved me! You only tolerated me because you had to! You couldn't possibly leave me stranded, but that's exactly how I felt all these years! You left me stranded and broken at such a young age! Sending me to another country so you could live happily with the family you always wanted!" Elena said, her grip on the gun tightening. Her heart was completely shattered, bleeding from wounds that had been opened and left unhealed.
"Elena, please... lower the gun! This doesn't have to end like this!" Martha continued pleading, her anxiety rising with each passing minute. Elena averted her eyes from her father and gave her mother a knowing look.
"Did you also know about my rape, mom? Were you aware that Jack took advantage of me while I was unconscious?" Elena asked, her lips trembling as she spoke to her mother. Martha felt a cold wave wash over her, making her limbs feel heavy as if anchored to the ground.
"What?" Martha mumbled in disbelief as she processed the words in her head. Elena sobbed harder, her gaze fixed on her mother's pale expression.
"Jack raped me! And now I'm carrying his child! Isn't that what you've always wanted? For me to become someone's wife and mother to their child?" Elena questioned her mother. Martha shook her head in horror, her legs failing her as she dropped to the ground, tears spilling from her eyes.
"My baby, that's not true! I never wanted you to go through such a thing!" Martha cried out in desperation. A sudden burst of anger seeped through her as her eyes darted over to James.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO OUR DAUGHTER, JAMES? WHAT DID YOU DO!!!" Martha screamed furiously at her husband. James clenched his jaw, a mix of guilt and anger flashing in his eyes as he listened to his wife's desperate screams.
"Everything suddenly makes sense now! You lied to protect your good friend's son who committed such a terrible act against your own daughter!" Elena cried out at James, her voice filled with a mix of hurt and anger.
"I'M YOUR DAUGHTER!!!... WHY DO YOU NOT LOVE ME? WHY??" Elena screamed hysterically, overwhelmed by the unfairness and cruelty she felt from her father. James clenched his hands into fists, his heart heavy with the weight of her words.
"TELL ME WHYYY!" She continued screaming, her voice raw with pain as she approached her father and pressed the gun against his forehead. James closed his eyes, fear gripping his heart as he braced himself for what might come next.
"Why don't you ask your mother that question?" James suddenly uttered, causing Martha to tense up. Elena furrowed her eyebrows, trying to comprehend her father's cryptic words.
"Why her? Shouldn't you tell me why you don't love me?" Elena asked with wounded eyes, the realization dawning on her that her father had just confirmed there was a reason behind his lack of love for her.
"Things never seem right until you seek for answers yourself, and that's what I did," he said in response. Elena felt lost and empty, the cold gaze from her father leaving her feeling hollow.
"JAMES, PLEASE STOP!" Martha screamed anxiously, her heart pounding as she watched her daughter retreat in confusion and hurt. James turned to look at Martha, who was struggling to stand up amidst the unfolding tension between the three of them.
"JUST TELL HER ALREADY! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! SHE'S POINTING A GUN AT ME! SPEAK, DAMN IT!" James screamed unapologetically, his eyes dark and tired. Martha shook her head, tears streaming down her face as the weight of the secret made her chest constrict with anxiety and terror.
"Fine, if you don't have the courage to tell her, then I will!" He retorted vehemently before locking eyes with Elena once more.
"Elena, I'm not your father," he said, his eyes wide and steady as the thunder outside reverberated through the stormy, rainy sky.
We have entered into the final phase of the chapters of this story.
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More plot twists to come, buckle up!
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