Elle’s Po
What did you just say?” asked quietly, my voice carrying a dangramus edge that made Grace’s theatrical wailing alter
Grace looked between Susan and me, suddenly realizing she i said too much.
“Nothing! I said nothing” Grace backtracked, best het ryes kept desting to Susan, whose face had gone ashen. “Susan, you hrattles woman, look what you an done! Making me say crazy thing!”
But I’d caught it. That moment of panic in Susan’s eyes told me everything I needed to know–Grace hadn’t been rambling Shed accidentally revealed something real, something Susan had hoped would stay buried.
I pulled out my wallet and extracted a handful of rath, Grace’s eyes immediately Exrd on the money like a predator spotting prey.
“Grace,” I said, “let’s inside and talk. If your answers satisfy me, this money is yours.”
The transformation was instant. Grace’s tearful dramatici evaporated as greed took ever. “Well, if you insis………..”
Sasan stepped forward, her hands trembling. “Elle, please-
“It’s alright, Susan,” I said, though my eyes never left Grace’s calculating expression. “We’re just going to clear up some confusion.”
I walked toward the front door, and after a moment’s hesitation, Sophia and Abigail followed. Susan reluctantly stepped aside, and Grace practically scurried after us, her walking stick forgotten on the ground.
Inside Susans living room, I spread approximately twenty thousand dollars across the coffee table. In the human community, this was a live comfortably for months, Grace’s eyes widened, and I could practically see her mind calculating what she could buy.
“Sit down, Grace,” I commanded, gesturing to the wom sola scris from me.
Susan hovered near the doorway, ringing her hands. “Elle, this isn’t necessary-
fortune–enough to
“Actually, it is.” I said firmly, meeting her eyes. “You’ve been hiding things from me for my entire life, Susan. Don’t you think it’s time I knew the truth?”
Sophia and Abigail exchanged glances and quietly retreated to the kitchen, giving us privacy. My two assistants also stepped outside, positioning themselves to ensure we wouldn’t be interrupted.
Grace settled onto the sofa, her gaze fixed hungrily on the money. “What exactly do you want to know?
“You said some paid you to take me in, 1 said directly, ‘Who was it?”
Grace’s eyes flicked to Susan, who had gone even paler. “Well, that’s… I mean
“The money stays on the table, 1 interrupted coldly, “but you don’t get to touch it until Em satisfied with your answers.
My tone carried an authority that surprised even me something I’d learned from Brad. Grace’s posture straightened.
“Yes,” Grace said finally, greed overcoming caution. Someone brought you here with muney, asking the West family to raise you. If you want details, you’ll
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have to ask Susan. The person came specifically for her.”
I turned to Susan, whose face was a mask of anguish, “Susan?”
She looked away, unable to meet my mismatched eyes. ‘Elle, please don’t do this—”
*I’m going to find out one way or another,” I said quietly. “The only question is whether you tell me yourself, or whether I have to piece it together from
other sources.”
Grace reached for the money, but I placed my hand family over the hills. “That was just the beginning, Grace. If you want this money, you need to give me
וווהה.
Grace’s expression sized, but my unwavering Star made her reconsider challenging me.
“Fine,” she huffed. “The person who brought you gave us a large sum of money, said Susan should raise you and never tell you about your origins o
background.
My heart hammered in my chest. “What person? A man! A woman?”
“I don’t know?” Grace snapped, then caught herself and forced a more cooperative tone. I wasn’t the one dealing with them. They only spoke to Susan
She wasn’t done. “I never understood why they chose her specifically. After all, she was just a woman who used to work as a servant for those big shots. If i hadn’t been sure she was clean when your father married her, I’d have thought you were her bastard child.”
The room went dead silent,
for wealthy employers.
Servant for bug shots. Susan had never mentioned working for
“What big shots?” I asked quietly.
Grace waved her hand dismissively. “How should I know? Rich people. Important people. The kind who have servants. She looked at the money again. “Ane we done? I’ve told you everything I know,”
I nodded slowly and pushed the money toward her. Grace’s face lit up as she snatched the bills and counted them quickly
“Pleasure doing business,” she said with falve sweetness,
then hurried toward the door before I could change my mind.
Grace left, the room frit oppressively quiet. I turned to Susan, who was still standing by the doorway, looking like she wanted to disappear
“Well?” Lasked. “Who are
you protecting. Susan?
Susan sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging in defeat. ‘Elle, I was trying to protect you There are things in this world that you’re better off not knowing
“Like the fact that I look exactly like Dakota Blair?”
Susan’s face crumpled, “Elle-”
You know the Blair family personally, don’t you?” I pressed. “You’er known them all along
Susan tried to move toward the does, but I stepped into her path. “I can always get a DNA test, Sunan. En trying to be respectful and hear the trish from
O
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Chapter 183
rame specifically for her.
have to ask Susan. The person tame
I turned to Sun, whose face was a mask of anguish. “Susan?”
She looked away, unable to meet my
ret my mismatched eyes. “Ille, please don’t do this-
I’m going to find out one way or another, I said quietly. “The only question is whether you tell me yourself, or whether I have to piece it together from
other sources.”
Grace reached for the money
„but I placed my hand firmly over the bills. “That was just the beginning, Grace. If you want this money, you need to give me
Grace’s expression soured, but my unwavering state made her reconsider challenging me.
person who brought you gave us a large sum of money, said Susan should raise you and never tell you about your origins or
“Fine,” the bulled. “The pa backround.
My heart hammered in my chest.
person? A man? A woman?”
“I don’t know!” Grace snapped, then caught herself and forced a more cooperative tone. “I wasn’t the one dealing with them. They only spoke to Stall”
y chose her specifically. After all, she was just a woman who used to work as a servant for those big shots. III She wasn’t done. “I never understood why they hadn’t been sure she was clean when your father married her, I’d have thought you were her bastard child.”
The room went dead silent,
Servant for big shots, Susan had never mentioned working for wealthy employers
“What big shots?” I asked quietly.
Grace waved her hand dismissively. “How should I know? Rich people. Important people. The kind who have wervants. She looked at the money again. “Ane we done? I’ve told you everything I know,”
I nodded slowly and pushed the money toward her. Grace’s face lit up as she matched the bills and counted them quickly.
“Please doing business,” she said with false sweetness, then hurried toward the door before I could change my mind.
After Grace left, the room felt oppressively quiet. I turned to Susan, who was still standing by the doorway, looking like she wanted to disappear.
“Well?” I asked. “Who are you protecting, Susan?”
Susan sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging in defeat. “Elle, I was trying to protect you, There are things in this world that you’re better off not knowing.”
“Like the fact that I look exactly like Dakota Blair?”
Susan’s face crumpled. “Elle”
“You know the Blair family personally, don’t you?‘ I pressed. “You’ve known them all along.
Susan tried in move toward the door, but I stepped into her path. “I can abys get à DNA test, San I’m trying to be respectful and hear the truth bom
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Chapter 183
have to ask Susan. The person came specifically for her,”
I turned to Susan, whose face was a mask of anguish. “Susan?”
She looked away, unable to meet my mismatched eyes. “Elle, please dont do this-
“I’m going to find out one way or another,” I said quietly. The only question is whether you tell me yourself, or whether I have to piece it together from
other sources.
Grace reached for the money, but I placed my hard firmly over the bills. “That was just the beginning, Grace. If you want this money, you need to give me
Grace’s expression soured, but my unwavering stare made her reconsider challenging me.
“Fine,” she huffed. “The person who brought you gave us a large sum of money, said Susan should raise you and never tell you about your origins or
background.”
My heart hammered in my chest. “What person? A man? A woman!
don’t know!” Grace snapped, then caught herself and forced a more cooperative tone. “I wasn’t the one dealing with them. They only spoke to Susan
She wasn’t done. “I never understood why they chose her specifically. After all, she was just a woman who used to work as a servant for those big shots. If I hadn’t been sure she was clean when your father married her, Ed have thought you were her bastard child.”
The room went dead silent.
Servant for big shots. Susan had never mentioned working for wealthy employers.
“What big shots?” I asked quietly,
Grace waved her band dismissively. “How should I know? Rich people. Important people. The kind who have servants.” She looked at the money again. “Are we done? I’ve told you everything I know,”
I nodded slowly and pushed the money toward her. Crace’s face lit up as she snatched the bills and counted them quickly.
“Pleasure doing business,” she said with false sweetness, then hurried toward the door before I could change my mind.
After Grace left, the room felt oppressively quiet. I turned to Susan, who was still standing by the doorway, looking like she wanted to disappear.
“Well?” I asked. “Who are you protecting, Susan?”
Susan sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging in defeat. “Elle, I was trying to protect you. There are things in this world that you’re better off not knowing.”
Like the fact that I look exactly like Dakota Blair?
Susan’s face cumpled. “Elbe-”
“You know the Blair family personally, don’t you?” I pressed. “You’ve known them all along.”
Susan tried to move toward the door, but I stepped into her path. I can always get a DNA best, Susan
trying to be respectful and hear the truth from
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Chapter 183
The words hit Susan like a physical blow. She swayed on her feet, then slowly lowered herself into a
dhar.
“If I tell you,” she whispered, “you have to promise me something. Promise you won’t hate anyone for the choices they made.”
I sat down across from het, my heart racing. “I promise,”
Susan took a shuddering breath. “You are… you
Even
are a Blair descendant, Elle.”
though I’d suspected it, hearing the words confirmed sent a shock through my entire body, I forced myself to remain calm.
“Tell me everything,” I said.
Susan’s eyes grew distant, lost in painful memories. “I was an orphan, taken in by the Blair family when I was young. I grew up serving old Mrs. Elenor Blair, working in that family’s household.”
She paused, gathering strength. “When the current lady of the house Mrs. Stella Blair became pregnant with twins, the whole Blair family was overjoyed. You have to understand, Elle–the Blair family was wealthy and powerful, but their bloodline was thin. Most of their children were sickly, and many died young.”
I leaned forward, hanging on every word.
“But old Mrs. Eleanor Blair was worried,” Susan continued. “She used to tell me. Time is running out, Susan.
Susan’s voice became barely a whisper. “As the due date approached, Mrs. Eleanor became more anxious. She locked herself in her study, reading old booka and drawing strange symbols. Those were the Blair family’s ancestral texts–alchemy and witchcraft knowledge passed down through generations.”
A chill ran down my spine. “What happened next?”
“The pregnancy became unstable,” Susan said, her voice breaking. The doctor discovered that one of the twins was weakening, almost dying in the womb. But the other one…
Susan paused
“The other one what? I demanded.
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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.
