10

ELIZA

 I wrapped myself in my robe, the lingering chill of the water clung to my skin, prickling with the memory of the day’s humiliations. I had barely finished fastening the sash when my phone rang, piercing the stillness of the room. Vanessa’s name flashed on the screen, her timing as impeccable as it was irritating. She had taken me shopping earlier today, so why was she calling so late? After all the reason I lost my soon to be husband was at the store as well.

Given the spectacle Raina had made of us at the store, the humiliation. The experience was no where pleasant. Vanessa calling me now felt like salt on an open wound. My fingers hovered over the screen, torn between ignoring it and giving her a piece of my mind, but I eventually relented, swiping to answer. 

“Hello?”

Vanessa wasted no time. Her voice was frantic, each word clipped with urgency. “Eliza, it’s going to happen. Tomorrow.”

I froze. “What’s going to happen?”

There was a pause, and then Vanessa’s voice came through with venom. “Alex called off the wedding,” she spat. “All because he wants Raina to donate her bone marrow to Liam.”

The words hit me hard, even though, somewhere deep down, I’d known something like this was coming. I’d seen the change in Alex recently—the distant look he’d get whenever Liam’s condition was brought up. But now? To put everything aside for Raina… and her son?

A bitter taste filled my mouth. “I’m not letting that happen,” I said, each word cutting through the air like a blade. “Not the surgery, and certainly not Liam staying alive.”

Silence fell on the other end, and I could feel Vanessa’s satisfaction. She hated that child almost as much as I did. He was a piece of Raina that would always remain—a living, breathing reminder of everything Alex had with her, of a life he’d never truly share with me. I clenched the phone tightly, the resentment simmering just beneath the surface.

“Vanessa,” I whispered fiercely, “only my child will be Alex’s heir. Not some… some whore’s child.”

Vanessa laughed coldly. “And you’re not the only one who wants her gone, Eliza. She’s poisoning everything. Stealing Dominic, humiliating us—acting like she belongs in our world.”

The hatred in her voice was a mirror of my own. “When is it happening?” I asked, my voice lowering to a dangerous whisper.

A pause, then Vanessa’s voice sharpened with excitement. “Tomorrow.”

The timeline only fueled my determination. Tomorrow was a gift, a rare chance to strike before Raina and her child could infiltrate even more of my life. “I’ll take care of it,” I replied, ending the call with a sharp click, my fingers tightening around the phone before tossing it onto the bed.

I moved to my dresser, my mind already spinning with plans. My fingers trembled slightly as I opened a drawer, pulling out a small, leather-bound journal that held the names and contacts of people I’d hoped never to rely on again. I flipped through the pages, my mind settling on one person who’d proven himself capable of handling delicate situations. I pressed his number into my phone, listening as the line connected.

“Yeah?” The voice on the other end was rough, casual.

“It’s Eliza,” I said, infusing my voice with the authority I knew would command his attention. “We need to meet.”

There was a pause, and then he chuckled, low and calculating. “Eliza… I knew you’d be back sooner or later.”

---

I quickly changed into dark jeans and a sweater, something inconspicuous. My old neighborhood wasn’t a place for silk and designer labels; it was gritty, the kind of place you left and never looked back. But tonight, I was going back, knowing exactly who I was looking for.

When I finally arrived, I spotted Daniel right where I’d expected—leaning against a lamppost outside the rundown bar he haunted. He hadn’t changed a bit. Rough around the edges, with that same eager glint in his eyes that had once drawn me in. I approached him with purpose, my expression softening just enough to play him the way I needed to.

“Daniel,” I purred, letting my voice dip in a way I knew he couldn’t resist. “I need you to take care of someone for me.”

He looked me up and down, a spark of interest in his gaze. “You know my price, sweetheart.”

Disgust flickered through me, but I hid it well. Once, I’d let him believe he was the one I wanted, that he’d been more than a pawn to get what I couldn’t from Alex since he never touched me or allowed me to touch him even. But tonight, I had no patience for his little games. I shoved a thick wad of cash into his hand, watching as his eyes widened in appreciation.

“Just do it, Daniel,” I said, my voice cool.

He frowned, reluctant, but the sight of the money was too much to resist. He nodded with a grunt. “Fine. But you owe me, Eliza.”

As I watched Daniel shove the cash into his pocket, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of grim satisfaction. His face still held that familiar hunger, the one I used to manipulate so easily. But tonight wasn’t about pleasure, nor about our past games. Tonight was about sealing my future with Alex—without anyone, especially not Raina, getting in the way.

“Don’t mess this up,” I warned, letting an edge creep into my voice. “I need her gone.”

He flashed me that crooked grin, the kind he thought was charming, but his eyes gleamed with greed. “When have I ever let you down?”

I almost laughed at his misplaced confidence. He hadn’t changed at all—still as rough, as reckless as ever. And that’s exactly why I’d chosen him. He’d get the job done without asking too many questions. And if things went south, no one would look twice in his direction.

“Tomorrow, then,” I murmured, turning on my heel without waiting for a response.

The next morning, I was at the hospital before dawn, a heavy tension settling in my chest. Daniel had assured me he’d be close by, lurking somewhere outside, ready to “handle” Raina if she showed up. He had that smirk on his face when he said it, one that made my skin crawl. But none of that mattered now. All I had to do was get close to Liam.

The hospital halls were quiet, and I moved swiftly, glancing around until I spotted the doctor who had been overseeing Liam’s care. I put on a concerned expression, tilting my head in that way I knew would make them believe I was here out of love for Alex.

“Good morning,” I said softly. “I’m here to see Liam. I’d appreciate some time alone with him if that’s alright.”

The doctor nodded, giving me a look of sympathy, clearly assuming I was here to offer support in this trying time. “Of course. Take all the time you need.”

They were all so easy to fool. I gave a polite smile and walked toward Liam’s room, making sure the door closed softly behind me.

The room was dim, the only light coming from the machines surrounding the bed. I looked at him—this small, frail figure swathed in blankets, tubes hooked up to every part of him. His face was pale, his breathing faint, and I felt a cold satisfaction as I looked at him. He was a mirror of his mother, and it filled me with disgust. Only his eyes and hair bore any resemblance to Alex, and even then… this was her son, not Alex’s.

I took a seat beside him, crossing my legs and leaning in, speaking in a voice that was almost a whisper. “You don’t belong here,” I said, my words laced with contempt. “If Alex had just married me, my child would have been his heir. Not… you.” The bitterness surged in my veins, tightening my throat.

My hands hovered above the machine, fingers brushing over the blinking lights, every nerve in my body wired with the anticipation of what I was about to do. It was so simple—a movement so small, and yet it would solve everything. And when Raina dies too, finally, Alex would have no choice but to rely on me. I would be his comfort, the one he needed.

“If you were gone,” I whispered softly, my voice dripping with satisfaction, “and your mother dies. Then I’d be there for him. He’d see… he’d see that I’m the one he truly needs.”

My hand tightened over the machine, heart racing as I prepared myself. One little action, one quiet, irreversible step, and it would all be over.

But then, just as I was about to act, a sharp scream pierced the air, shattering the silence. I turned, startled, my heart leaping into my throat, I gulped down the ache that had risen in my throat. It was her −Raina.