The Billionaire Who Claimed My Heart and Who Broke Fate for Me 4 Summary
In Chapter 4 of “The Billionaire Who Claimed My Heart and Who Broke Fate for Me,” Elle finds herself outside her family’s cramped apartment, feeling a mix of dread and determination. As she hears her grandmother Grace’s furious voice and the sound of something breaking, Elle’s instinct is to turn away, but she knows she must check on her foster mother, Susan. With a shaky breath, she enters to find Susan being verbally and physically abused, a sight that fills Elle with anger and concern.
Elle rushes to Susan’s side, attempting to provide comfort despite the chaos. Grandma Grace’s cruelty is palpable as she berates Susan for minor mistakes, and Elle feels the weight of the injustice. She tries to defend Susan, but Grandma Grace’s disdain only intensifies. The emotional turmoil escalates when Grace throws a teacup at Susan, and in a protective instinct, Elle shields her, sustaining injury in the process. This act of defiance highlights Elle’s love for Susan and her growing frustration with the toxic environment they are trapped in.
Just as the tension peaks, Elle’s cousin Megan enters, shifting Grandma Grace’s attention and momentarily alleviating the atmosphere of hostility. However, the contrast between Megan’s carefree demeanor and the pain surrounding Elle and Susan deepens Elle’s despair. Despite her father’s half-hearted attempt to quell the situation, it becomes clear that the cycle of abuse is deeply ingrained, and Susan is too terrified to escape. Elle’s heart aches as she realizes that Susan is conditioned to believe she deserves this treatment.
Ultimately, Elle decides to leave, recognizing that she cannot save Susan tonight. As she rides the bus back to the city, she grapples with her emotions and the weight of her circumstances. A text from her friend Jason reminds her of the life she is trying to escape from, but she hesitates to confront her reality. The chapter closes with Elle vowing to one day rescue Susan, while she focuses on her own survival amidst the pain and turmoil of her current life.
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**TITLE: The Billionaire Who Claimed My Heart and Who Broke Fate for Me**
**Chapter 4**
**Elle’s POV**
Standing outside the familiar yet suffocating confines of my family’s modest apartment in the human district, I felt a chill creep up my spine. My hand lingered on the doorknob, frozen in place as the cacophony of raised voices erupted from within. Grandma Grace’s shrill tones sliced through the thin walls, a piercing sound that made my stomach twist in knots. The unmistakable sound of something shattering soon followed, sending a wave of dread through me. The instinct to turn around and flee, to seek refuge elsewhere for the night, tugged at my heart. Yet, I had journeyed all this way to check on Susan, my foster mother, and I couldn’t abandon her now.
With a shaky breath, I steeled myself and pushed the door open.
What lay before me was a scene that sent a jolt of ice through my veins. There was Susan, my foster mom, kneeling on the living room floor, her head bowed in submission as Grandma Grace loomed over her, her face flushed with rage. Broken pieces of ceramic littered the ground around Susan’s trembling knees, a stark testament to the fury unleashed upon her.
“You call this clean?” Grandma Grace’s voice thundered, her words laced with venom as she hurled another shard of what had once been a dinner plate at Susan’s face. “Look at these spots! Are you blind as well as stupid?”
Susan remained silent, her gaze fixed on the floor, refusing to meet the storm of anger directed at her. A purplish bruise was already forming on her forehead, a cruel reminder of the abuse she had endured. How long had she been subjected to this torment?
Without a second thought, I dropped my bag and rushed to her side, sinking to my knees beside her.
“Grandma Grace, please,” I implored, wrapping my arm around Susan’s quaking shoulders, hoping to offer her some semblance of comfort. “She just missed a few spots. You don’t have to hit her!”
Grandma Grace’s attention snapped to me, her eyes narrowing with disdain. “Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence!”
I bit down on my tongue, holding back the truth of my day—the exhaustion that had settled into my bones, the heartbreak that lingered from my encounter with Brad Rayne. The memory of his amber eyes and the warmth of his skin flared in my mind, but I quickly shoved it aside. I had no room for distractions now.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “Work was overwhelming.”
“Work?” she scoffed, her tone dripping with contempt. “That pathetic job in the human section? I bet your salary this month won’t even cover your share of the expenses again.”
Susan attempted to speak up, her voice shaky. “Elle works very hard—”
“Shut up!” Grandma Grace barked, cutting her off with a sharpness that made me flinch.
I felt Susan’s body tense beside me, and I tightened my grip around her. “Please stop yelling at her.”
Grandma Grace leaned in, her face mere inches from mine, her breath hot against my skin. “You spend all day God knows where, come home at all hours, and don’t lift a finger to help around here. Your foster mother has spoiled you rotten!”
The injustice of her words ignited a fire within me. I worked longer hours than anyone else in this house, yet I returned to this chaos and abuse. But I knew that arguing would only escalate the situation further.
“I’ll help with chores now,” I offered quietly, trying to diffuse the tension. “Let me clean up this mess.”
Grandma Grace let out a derisive snort. “Too little, too late. You’re just like your mother—useless!”
In a fit of rage, she snatched her teacup from the side table and hurled it toward Susan. Without thinking, I instinctively shifted my body to shield her from the flying porcelain. The cup shattered against my back, the scalding tea soaking through my already stained blouse. A sharp pain radiated through me as the ceramic shards cut into my skin.
“Elle!” Susan gasped, her eyes wide with horror.
I gritted my teeth against the pain, forcing a smile through my anguish. “I’m fine.”
Just then, the front door swung open, and my cousin Megan bounced in, her arms laden with shopping bags. Instantly, Grandma Grace’s demeanor shifted, her rage evaporating like mist in the morning sun.
“My sweet girl is home!” she cooed, rushing toward Megan, completely ignoring the scene of chaos still unfolding with Susan and me on the floor. “What did you bring, darling?”
Megan shot me a smirk over Grandma’s shoulder as she began pulling out snacks from her bags. “Look what Tyler bought for me today, Grandma. He says his boss in the mixed district might have another position open soon.”
“That’s wonderful!” Grandma Grace beamed, her hand affectionately stroking Megan’s hair. Then she turned her gaze back to us, her expression darkening. “See? Megan has landed herself a boyfriend with connections to werewolf employers. That’s how you get ahead in this world! Not like you two, content to live off scraps.”
I helped Susan to her feet, noticing the way she winced in pain as she stood. “Come on, let’s clean your cuts.”
Just then, the front door opened again, and Dad slipped inside quietly. He took in the scene—the broken dishes, Susan’s visible bruises, the blood seeping through my blouse—and quickly averted his gaze, his eyes darting nervously toward Grandma Grace.
“Mom,” he said cautiously, “maybe that’s enough for tonight? If Susan can’t cook dinner because she’s hurt, we’ll all go hungry. And it’s full moon week—humans can’t go out after dark to get food.”
I stared at him in disbelief. Was that really his concern? Not the fact that his wife and daughter were being subjected to abuse, but rather the possibility of a delayed dinner?
“We’re leaving,” I announced suddenly, grasping Susan’s hand firmly. “Come on, Susan. We don’t have to stay here.”
Panic flashed in Susan’s eyes. She yanked her hand from mine and darted toward the kitchen. “No! I’ll cook! I’ll start dinner right now!”
She grabbed a knife and began chopping vegetables with frantic urgency, her hands trembling so violently that I feared she might injure herself. “See? I’m cooking. Everything’s fine.”
The sight of her desperate attempt to appease Grandma Grace shattered something deep within me. She was too terrified to leave, too conditioned to believe this was all she deserved.
“Susan, please…” I whispered, my heart aching for her.
But she shook her head vigorously, tears streaming down her cheeks as she continued chopping. “I’m sorry, I’ll be better. Please don’t be angry.”
In that moment, I realized I couldn’t convince her to leave tonight. This psychological prison was too strong, a fortress built over decades of abuse and fear.
With a heavy heart, I decided to grab my bag and leave. No one attempted to stop me as I walked out, the weight of my decision heavy on my shoulders.
On the bus back to the city center, I gazed out the window, watching the stark dividing line between the human district and the mixed zone drift by. The streetlights grew brighter, the buildings more modern. My phone buzzed with a text from Jason.
“Elle, what’s going on with you? Why aren’t you answering my calls? Everything’s great here, call me when you get this. Love, Jason.”
Before I could respond, the phone rang.
My finger hovered over the answer button, but I hesitated. What could I possibly say? “Hey, I slept with Brad Rayne, the Alpha werewolf CEO of Rayne Group”?
Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, I tucked my phone away, opting for the comfort of ignorance over the harsh light of reality. It was easier to hide from the truth than to confront it. Easier to pretend I hadn’t seen the incoming calls than to utter the words that would make it all too real.
I silenced my phone and pressed my forehead against the cool glass, watching the city lights blur as tears streamed down my cheeks. One day, I promised myself, I would earn enough to rescue Susan from that house.
But for now, I needed to focus on my own survival.
Conclusion
In the aftermath of that harrowing encounter, I felt the weight of despair settle heavily on my chest. The stark contrast between my chaotic home life and the glimmering allure of the city I longed to embrace became painfully clear. Each passing streetlight illuminated the deepening shadows of my heart, where the echoes of Susan’s fear and Grandma Grace’s rage reverberated relentlessly. I had always hoped for a moment of courage to change our fates, yet here I was, feeling more powerless than ever. The warmth of Brad’s presence lingered in my mind, a bittersweet reminder of the life I yearned for but felt unworthy to claim. As the bus rumbled through the night, I realized that my fight was not just for my own freedom, but for Susan’s too—a battle I would not shy away from, even if the path ahead seemed fraught with uncertainty.
In that moment of solitude, I made a silent vow to myself: I would not let despair dictate my future. I would gather the strength to face the harsh realities of my life and, one day, I would break the chains binding Susan and me to that toxic environment. The tears I shed were not just for the pain of the past, but for the hope that flickered within me, urging me to keep moving forward. I would find a way to rise above the chaos, to carve out a new destiny not just for myself, but for Susan as well. With every mile that brought me closer to the city’s heart, I felt a flicker of determination igniting within me—a promise that one day, I would reclaim our lives from the shadows and embrace the light of a brighter future.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
In the next chapter, readers can expect Elle to grapple with the aftermath of her harrowing confrontation with Grandma Grace. The emotional turmoil she experienced will weigh heavily on her, forcing her to confront the complexities of her family dynamics and the painful reality of Susan’s situation. As she navigates her feelings of guilt and helplessness, Elle may find herself at a crossroads, torn between her responsibilities at home and her burgeoning feelings for Brad Rayne, the enigmatic billionaire who seems to represent a life beyond her current struggles.
With the tension simmering in her personal life, Elle’s journey will take an unexpected turn as she contemplates reaching out to Brad for support. Will she dare to share her burdens with him, or will fear of judgment keep her silent? As the chapter unfolds, readers will be drawn into the whirlwind of her emotions, witnessing her gradual transformation from a passive observer of her life to an active participant determined to reclaim her narrative. The stakes are high as Elle must decide whether to continue living in the shadows of her past or to embrace the possibility of a brighter future, one that may very well include the man who has already begun to claim her heart.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
