4.

ELEANOR

The beeping of the hospital monitors was the only thing keeping me company in the quiet room. I sat beside my father’s bed, my hand gripping his tightly as I prayed to whatever was up there to save my father. And maybe my relationship.

Dad was still unconscious, and I couldn’t help but blame myself. I caused this. Everyone else thought the same as well.

The doctor had said he fainted because his blood pressure was high so we needed to make sure he avoided anything that would stress him out.

Mom had not looked at me since. She stayed at the other end of the bed and had not stopped crying as well.

I knew she blamed me. I could see it in her body’s telltale signs that she blamed me.

“Aiden” Mom suddenly called out and I looked up to see that Dad had indeed woken up. His eyes fluttered open and he looked around the room first to see where he was. 

A shaky breath of relief escaped my lips and my eyes watered from the relief, but my relief was short-lived when I saw the emotionless stare he pinned me with.

“What are you doing here?” Dad asked with a hard tone.

“What?” I asked, confused as I glanced towards my mother and back to him “You fainted Dad and we are in the hospital. Don’t you remember? Should I get the doctor?”

“I remember just fine what happened, Eleanor. My question is what are you doing here?” He asked again.

“Dad” I chuckled nervously “I don’t understand what you are asking”

“I want nothing to do with you. You are no longer my daughter. I will not have a betrayer bear the Sterling name”

I blinked, finding it hard to comprehend his words. No. There was no way he would cut me off at a time like this.

“Dad, you don’t mean that, do you?” I reached for his hand, but he pulled it back before I could touch him.

I recoiled, my vision blurring with tears as my stomach twisted into painful knots “Daddy”

My father closed his eyes briefly and when it opened, his expression hardened again “I mean it, Eleanor.”

“Is it because of the emails? I thought you were standing up for me because you believed in me?”

“I stood up for you because I was desperate to make sure the marriage happened, but it didn’t, and it is all your fault”

“What?” My voice cracked with disbelief “I didn’t do it. As my father, you should believe me and stand by me more than anyone else”

“Stop your excuses, Eleanor” My mother snapped, cutting me off “You disgraced this family, and it is appalling to see you still trying to lie to cover up your deeds when you should be on your knees begging for forgiveness. I didn’t raise you to be a despicable woman”

“Mom” I exclaimed “Don't you know the daughter you raised? I was set up”

“It doesn’t matter,” My father said “The damage is done, and I just know that our stocks would suffer the consequences of your actions”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I can fix this. I will find a way to prove that I...”

“Prove what, Eleanor?” Mom snapped “There is nothing to fix. Theon has made it clear where he stands. The engagement is over. The wedding won’t happen and the Blackwells want nothing to do with us”

“So, you are just going to abandon your own daughter for your reputation?” I tighten my fists, nails digging into my palm.

Mom exhaled sharply “Stop acting like we are terrible parents when you are the one who made the mess”

“My entire world is falling apart because of a lie and instead of my family to stand by me and defend me, you want to toss me aside like I am a minor inconvenience”

“We are trying to save our reputation that was sabotaged by your stupid stunts.” She snapped.

“To make sure nothing happens to our company, we have to cut off the problem. If our family maintains ties with you, it will do worse damage”

I froze “Dad, I’m your daughter. Are you going to throw me away?”

“It’s the only way” Dad answered and looked away.

A sob tore its way past my lips. Theon had thrown me away and now my parents had done the same, all because of their reputation.

My mother sighed again, as though she was tired of the conversation “I’ll contact the workers to pack your things. You don’t need to enter the house”

I stared at her with horror.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m being kind enough to let you take a few things and some money. Don’t come back. You are no longer welcome in our home”

“Where am I supposed to go?”

“That’s not our concern”

I let out a strangled laugh and stood up “How did I not see how horrible you both were? I hope your reputation is worth the daughter you threw away”

"This reputation you act like is nothing is the same one that has allowed you to live your life as the darling of the high society" Mom sneered. 

"If that's what you want to believe, then fine. I will leave" 

Neither of them said a word as I staggered out of the door. In the space of a few hours, I had lost everything.

I stood outside the hospital, confused and scared. I had nowhere to go. No one to run to.

Wait.

Isla.

I still had my best friend and she was my only hope and I knew she would never turn her back on me.

I hailed a cab immediately in front of the hospital and made my way to her apartment. The lights were on which meant she was back from the Blackwell's dinner. I wondered why she didn't come to the hospital with me but that was the least of my worries. 

I knocked frantically on her door and soon, the door swung open and Isla stood there with a smirk.

“Why are you banging the door like that Elle? Do you want to pull down my door?”

I ignored the tone with which she spoke “Isla, you have to help me. You are my last hope”

“Help?” She asked with a tilt of her head and I nodded.

“I have nowhere to go. My parents disowned me and drove me out of the house. I can’t go to Theon…”

She laughed, the shrill sound cutting off the rest of the words I wanted to say.

The sound isn’t the warm one I was familiar with. Instead, it was mocking and her eyes gleamed with excitement, making my blood run cold.

“God, Ellie.” She sneers “Don’t tell me you ran all the way here thinking I would help you?”

I took a step back “What..t?”

Her lips curled into a sneer “You don’t know how long I have pretended to like you. You were so foolish and gullible that it was so easy to trick you into thinking I was your friend”

“Isla, what are you saying?”

“Exactly what you are hearing” she hissed “I never considered you a friend, Eleanor. You were just my stepping stone and I hated every minute I watched you smile and shine brighter than I did. You don’t know how good it felt to see you humiliated and tossed aside tonight.”

I felt like I was going to be sick. She opened the door for me to see an opened bottle of wine. 

"Look, I was even celebrating your downfall before you came here and now you've spoilt my mood..." she paused, her eyes lighting up "No, actually, you've made it better. Seeing you like this has lifted my spirits more" 

“You… I trusted you”

“Did I ask you to?” She sneered, her grin turning cold as she eyed me with disdain. 

“How are you so despicable?” I whispered, unable to believe my eyes. 

She shrugged, not the least bothered “That’s life, sweetheart. Now run along, I don’t want people to see me associating with a cheat and a traitor”

She slammed the door in my face and I was left standing outside like a fool.

My legs carried me away from the apartment and I walked aimlessly until I couldn’t any longer.

I collapsed on a nearby bench just as my phone rang. I was tempted not to answer but it was Doctor Kevin. I had gone to him when I felt ill some days ago and he did some tests on me and promised to call when they were ready. 

“Hello,” I greeted as soon as I answered the call.

“Miss Sterling, we have your test results. You are pregnant” he said, going straight to the point. 

The world stopped and I let out a gasp. “Are you certain?”

“Yes. You are six weeks along. Congratulations.”

I disconnected the call without a reply and the phone dropped to the floor.

I felt everything fade away. Theon’s betrayal. My parent's rejection. Isla’s cruel nature.

None of them mattered anymore. All I could think of was my baby.

Theon’s child that was growing in me.

“Since he decided to abandon me, he doesn’t deserve to know you” I whispered, laying my hand on my stomach.

At that moment, I made a promise to my baby. I may have nothing but one day, I was going to come back and I would make them pay.

A thousand times more.