Chapter 17
The words hit Erick like a physical blow. His complexion, already ashen, drained further, his lips trembling as if he were on the verge of collapse.
“No… it’s not like that…” he muttered desperately, but the reality was
inescapable. Elisa held up the divorce
certificate, its bold text mocking him with
its finality. His chest tightened as his
flicked from the certificate to her unyielding face.
gaze
“I found this among Bianca’s belongings,” Elisa said, her voice flat and unrelenting. “Are you claiming that the two of you weren’t divorced?”
Erick’s eyes darted from the document to Elisa’s face, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. His pulse hammered in his ears as a storm of panic washed over him. “The divorce… it was just a temporary measure!” He scrambled for an
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explanation, his voice desperate. “Bianca and I were going to remarry soon. We had plans…”
“There’s no need for that,” Elisa
interrupted, her voice icier than before. She pulled out a second document- Bianca’s will. “In life, you cut ties with Bianca for your mistress. In death, Bianca cut ties with you.” Elisa’s words were deliberate, punctuated by the sting of each syllable. “Not only will you not take Bianca’s ashes today…”
Her voice grew colder, sharper, as if each word was a knife. “You won’t even get to attend her funeral.”
Erick recoiled as if struck, his eyes. widening in disbelief. His vision blurred with emotion as he stared at Bianca’s will, the words written on it feeling like a judgment he could never escape. The document clearly stated that Elisa would handle all posthumous matters, with a specific note that Erick was to be excluded
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from any funeral arrangements.
But strangely, despite the searing pain, Erick’s mind began to clear. A cold, calculating look crossed his face as his gaze turned razor–sharp. He straightened up, his jaw tightening as the pieces began to fall into place.
“Tell me,” he growled, his voice low with suspicion, “did you and Bianca conspire to trick me? How else could Bianca have prepared a will before her accident?”
Elisa felt a flash of frustration deep within, but she controlled it, her face betraying none of the tumult swirling inside her. This had been anticipated, but even so, Erick’s perceptiveness was something she had hoped would remain clouded by his grief.
‘Bianca contemplated taking her life after discovering your affair,” Elisa said, her yoice heavy with a sorrow she could never quite shed. “But she hesitated–for you and the child. And how did you treat her?”
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Erick was speechless, his chest tightening in anguish as the cruel reality of his actions began to hit him like a tidal wave. He looked back at the will again, noting the notary’s stamp, the date–more than two months ago. His last shred of hope evaporated in that instant, leaving only a suffocating sense of despair.
His voice faltered. “If only… if only I’d realized sooner. Could things have been different?” His breath hitched as he
thought about Bianca, about their time together, about everything he had ruined.
But it was too late. The truth was now final and the guilt–sharp, overwhelming–clung to him like a weight he could never lift.
The grief hit him with full force, pulling him under. It was as if he had lost not only Bianca but his own humanity, drowning in the consequences of his actions. The once- strong head of the West Family was now a hollow shell, incapable of even the anger he once wielded so easily.
Chapter 12
Without a word, Elisa watched as Erick stood motionless, his body sagging with defeat. Bianca’s death and the death of their relationship, was too much to bear. It was a quiet surrender, one that Elisa could neither pity nor comfort.
Without another glance at him, Elisa turned and walked away. Her footsteps echoed as she carried Bianca’s ashes, leaving Erick behind in his shattered state.
Elsewhere, the small town of Ridgeview lay bathed in the soft glow of the evening sun, the quiet charm of its surroundings offering Bianca a stark contrast to the chaotic, painful world she had left behind.
The car rolled to a stop in front of a modest two–story house. The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, a soothing balm to Bianca’s weary soul. As she stepped out of the vehicle, she turned to the bodyguard who had accompanied her. The man had been silent throughout their journey, his
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presence stoic and unyielding.
Bianca hesitated for a moment before offering him a small smile. “Thank you for accompanying me here,” she said, her voice soft but sincere..
Throughout the journey, she had barely spoken due to her somber mood. The man, equally reticent, had only exchanged a handful of words with her. She didn’t even
know his name.
The man finally met her gaze, his expression unreadable. “It’s my duty. And, by the way, my name is Nathan Lawson,” he replied, his voice cool and distant. He took one last glance at her before getting into his car, starting the engine with an efficient hum. He didn’t say anything more as he drove off, leaving Bianca standing alone in
front of the house.
As the car disappeared into the distance, Bianca stood still, her mind turning over the sudden realization that had struck her
like a lightning bolt. Nathan Lawson. The
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name echoed in her mind and for the first time, she allowed herself to process the implications. Elisa’s big half–brother.
Why had Nathan personally escorted her to this remote place? She didn’t have the answers, but she decided not to dwell on it. What mattered now was the new life she had to forge for herself, free from her past.
Bianca took a deep breath, steeling herself for the uncertainty ahead. She picked up her luggage and walked toward the house. The door creaked open, revealing a cozy, warm space that already felt like a haven. Elisa had ensured everything was ready for her–meticulously cleaned, stocked with essentials, even clothes. Everything she needed to begin anew.
Gratitude flooded Bianca as she sank onto the couch, pulling out her phone. With trembling fingers, she dialed Elisa’s
number, her heart lifting as she heard the familiar voice on the other end.
“Bianca, you’ve arrived?” Elisa asked, her
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voice warm yet laced with concern.
Bianca smiled softly, a genuine smile that felt like the first in a long time. “Yes, I’m here.” Her voice wavered slightly as she asked, “Erick didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”
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