Chapter 2
The moment we got back, I rushed straight toward Eli’s room.
“Eli? Eli?”
“Eli, Mommy’s back.”
The house staff stared at me like they’d seen a ghost.
I thought it was my face, so I fumbled out a wrinkled surgical mask and pulled it on.
I didn’t want to scare him.
The door swung open.
The room that used to be filled with toys was now stacked with junk.
The smell hit me so hard my mind went blank.
I turned stiffly, grabbed the nearest staff member by the arm.
“Where is he? Where did you take Eli?”
They glanced at Draven behind me, then fell silent.
Something in my chest tightened. The fear spread fast.
I spun around and grabbed Draven by the collar.
“Where is he, Draven? I’m asking you, where is my son?”
“You can’t just ignore him because I wasn’t here-”
He shut his eyes.
It took him a long time to speak.
“Eli… is dead.”
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Something inside my head snapped.
That accident… the one that got hit.. it was Eli.”
“We were afraid you wouldn’t survive it, so we sent you to prison. We thought it would spare you the worst of it.”
My blood turned cold.
My whole body trembled as tears spilled uncontrollably.
“You’re lying.”
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“Draven, I did what you asked. I took the fall for Maris. Give me my son back. Please… just bring him out to me.”
His face drained of color.
Maris stepped forward, her voice soft and pitiful.
“Liora, Eli’s gone. There’s nothing Draven can do.”
“I know you’re angry, but I’ve already repented. I stayed by his side all these years, making up for what I did.”
She rested a hand on her stomach.
“I just found out I’m pregnant. Same father as Eli… so this baby would’ve been his brother.”
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll give you this child.”
I looked up at her, my vision going red.
Then I slapped her with everything I had.
The sound cracked through the room.
My Eli.
How could she talk about his death like that, like he was something disposable?
Draven moved toward me at first.
But the second he saw Maris stumble, he turned and caught her instead.
He held her steady, careful, protective.
When he looked back at me, his lips parted.
But all he said was, “Liora… what happened with Maris and me… it was an accident. But she’s pregnant now, so she stays.”
“Eli is gone. I can’t lose another child.”
It made my stomach turn.
I rushed forward and grabbed Maris by the hair.
“Her child? A mistress’s child? A murderer’s child? How does that compare to mine?”
“Draven, that was your son!”
Maris screamed.
In the struggle, her acrylic nails slashed across my face.
Blood dripped to the floor.
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Another scar.
Draven reacted without thinking.
He kicked me away.
Then froze.
“Liora… I… His voice faltered. “You need to calm down.”
Take her upstairs. Let her rest.”
Two men in black suits grabbed me from both sides. They dragged me back to the room and shoved me inside.
I collapsed onto the floor, and all I could see was five years ago-Eli, not even three, calling for me over and over again.
“Mommy… Mommy…”
It felt like my heart had been ripped open.
Hollow and empty.
No amount of tears could bring him back.
That night, Draven pushed the door open.
He held out my old phone.
There are photos of Eli on it. It might help.”
I reached for it, but he pulled it back.
He hesitated, then said, “Liora… Maris has a prenatal appointment tomorrow.”
“If you don’t forgive her, she says she’ll terminate the pregnancy. Can you go with her?”
I looked at him,
Then I laughed until tears slipped down my face.
“Okay.”
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