Mag-log inEliana
Serena had outdone herself.
That was the first thing I noticed when I stepped through the doors of Blackwell Estate. Every single detail had been thought through and perfected. White roses and trailing ivy wound around the grand staircase. Crystal chandeliers caught the candlelight and reflected it across the ceiling in shifting patterns. The napkins at every table were folded into pretty flowers.
I knew, the wh
Eliana"Who's after you?" I yanked my arm out of his grip. "Damon, who-""It doesn't matter." He was moving through my apartment, checking the windows, keeping his body below the sill when he looked out. "Just close the blinds. Close them right now.""I'm not doing anything until you tell me what's happening."He turned from the window and looked at me with something wild in his eyes, and then he crossed to my dining table and dropped the box he'd been carrying under his arm. It hit the wood with a heavy, solid sound.He flipped it open and my eyes narrowed at the small device inside it. It looked like nothing, like something you'd pass over completely if you didn't know what you were looking at.I knew what I was looking at."Damon." My voice came out very quiet and shaky. A nervous laugh fell from my lips and I glanced up at him. "Tell
ElianaI had no idea how long I stood in front of that safe, but it was quite a while.It had been long enough for Theo's voice in the hallway to wind down, for the call to end and his footsteps to move toward the kitchen. Bright sunlight filtered into the study and I repeated the passcode of the safe in my head.The numbers of Serena's birthday. I was standing at the edge of something I could never come back from, for both decisions and yet my hand never lifted.I thought about my mother hugging me tightly, Serena's voice saying 'final warning'. All the walls were closing in from every direction until the only door left was this one, this room, this safe, this betrayal.My hand wouldn't lift. I dropped the painting in its position, turned around and walked out, pulling the study door shut behind me without looking back.There was only one w
ElianaMy phone rang while my mother's hand was still moving through my hair.Theodore.I stared at his name on the screen and felt my chest tighten painfully. I answered before the second ring because not answering would have worried him and the last thing I needed right now was Theodore Blackwell arriving at this care home in full crisis mode."Where are you, flower? You aren't home," he murmured.I looked at my mother's hand resting on top of mine. "The care home.""I'll be there in twenty minutes.""Theo, you don't have to-""Nineteen minutes then," He said gruffly and hung up.Serena was gone by the time his car pulled up. I had watched from the window as her sleek black car slid away from the curb and disappeared around the corner. Only then had I gone to the bathroom and run col
Eliana"Oh, now we can add harassment to the list of your crimes I guess,," Serena chuckled, the phone still raised at me. "There's quite a list already. Slut, thief, gold digger and now, harassment too. This fits beautifully."I let go of Claire who gave a small whimper and quickly rushed back into the room, putting myself between her and my mother's bed. My arms spread out to shield mom from whatever video she was working with. "Put the phone down."Serena smiled and stepped left. I moved in with her. She stepped right and I matched it, keeping my body between that camera and the woman lying in the bed behind me."Is everything alright, Eliana?""Hi Mrs Ashcroft," Serena said cheerily and I hoped to God that mom wouldn't remember who she was."Everything's fine, Mom." I lied through my teeth."It really is." Sere
Eliana"What do you want?!" I spat at his face and he let go of my air, rising on his feet."Four hundred million dollars."The number dropped into the room and sat there between us, so heavy and outrageous, it had me pushing off the floor. My palms screamed where the hardwood had torn into them, my knees throbbing, but I pressed through it, got my feet under me, straightened my spine until I was eye level with him."You're not getting a dime from me."Damon laughed, arching his brows at me. "Are you sure about that?""Get out of my apartment.""Eliana." He moved to my kitchen counter and leaned against it, crossing his ankles. "Your name is on every site, every comment section, every group chat in this city right now. People have already decided who you are. Do you really want to hand them more ammunition to use against
Eliana"How long do you think you can hold on?"I went still over my sink, glass halfway to my mouth. Serena's voice filtered through the phone like she was discussing the weather with me. I had been terribly surprised when she called but then, it was a long time coming wasn't it? The news about me and Theodore had been going on for almost two weeks now and it affected practically everything I did.Hell even at the care home, I wasn't sure, but the nurses were definitely being cold to my mother. There was something off about the way they had treated her when I was there last Saturday."What do you want, Serena?""I'm genuinely curious." She spouted. "What exactly is the plan here, Eliana? What does the ending of all this mess look like in your head?""Serena, if you want to talk, just talk. If you called to insult me, do it and b
Eliana"Seriously though, what were you two talking about?" Serena's hissed, her eyes darting between me and Leslie."Oh, nothing important." Leslie waved a dismissive hand, her lips still pulled in that ridiculous smile. "Just ran into each other and tho
Eliana"Is that what you think this is?" His voice was deadly quiet."I don't know what this is!" Tears burned my eyes but I blinked them back. "I don't know anything anymore except that I'm suffocating and I need you to back off!"Th
ElianaMy phone buzzed for the fifteenth time that weekend. Theo's name flashed across the screen, again.I stared at it until it stopped ringing, then shoved it under a couch cushion where I couldn't see the light and wouldn't have to talk to him. If I s
ElianaThe words blurred together, black ink swimming across the white paper."We have your mother,"My knees buckled but the older nurse caught my elbow. I barely felt her touch, barely felt anything except the ice spreading through







