Chapter 2 #2
To Katherine, my love and best friend, thank you for the wonderful gift of our children, which I could never repay you for.
I leave you our wedding rings you returned after the divorce.
You decide whether to keep or sell them.
I also leave you with the years we spent together.
They have always brought me comfort, and I hope you will feel the same.
Finally, to my extraordinary Elliot, you do so much for everyone else. Please take this money and do something for yourself.
All my love —Daddy.”
The room fell silent again as the lawyer stood, signaling the end of the meeting.
“I’ll give you some time to discuss as a family. When you’re ready, we can move forward with the legal formalities.”
As he left the room, the tension lingered. I looked at each of their annoyed faces and wondered how we had gotten here. Daddy’s death was supposed to bring us together, but it felt like it was tearing us apart instead.
Jonathan opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.
“I need some air,” I said abruptly, pushing my chair back and rising before anyone could stop me.
I made it halfway down the hall before I heard him call after me. “Ellie, wait.”
I turned just as he caught my wrist and pulled me toward the nearest bathroom. The door clicked shut behind us, and the echo bounced off the tile walls.
“Hey,” Jonathan said gently, “what’s going on? You okay?”
I rubbed my arms. “It’s just a lot. Today’s draining.”
“I get it,” he said, his tone soft. “Ryan’s taking it hard, too.”
I nodded, but the unease was growing. “What was that earlier? Why was your hand on her knee?”
He blinked, taken aback. “What? What are you talking about?”
“I saw you,” I said, heart thudding. “You were holding her leg.”
He scoffed. “Ellie, come on. You’re being hysterical.”
“I’m not.”
“You are. You’re stressed and seeing things. You need to relax.” He stepped closer. “Matter of fact, I think I can help you.”
“I’m not in the mood, Jonathan.”
He ignored that. “You’ll feel so much better.”
“I said no.” My voice sharpened.
That’s when he grabbed my arms—tight.
“Ellie,” he said lowly, “you know how I feel about you not listening.”
My blood ran cold, and my stomach twisted. I’ve never felt as scared as I did now with my fiancé standing over me, using his size and strength to pin me down. His face was so close, I could feel his warm breath on my neck. His hand moved to the small of my back, rubbing the way he always used to.
But this time, it triggered something inside me.
“Just relax,” he whispered, hand creeping down my skirt.
“I said, stop.” I pushed and bucked against him. His grip tightened, almost bruising me. “You’re hurting me, let me go.”
“Keep still!” He commanded before he grabbed my hips and thrusted me into the door, the handle digging into my lower back. I winced in pain then shoved him, and when he didn’t move, I kneed him. Hard.
“Don’t you ever grab me like that again.”
He staggered back, clutching himself. “Ellie—”
“No!” I snapped, chest heaving.
I turned toward the door, hand already on the handle. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you better get your shit together before tonight!”
And then I stormed out.
?
I used to think I could handle anything. And I mean anything.
For as long as I could remember, I’d been the reliable one—the fixer, the continuous presence in a family of chaos—the peacemaker. If someone needed advice, they called me. If someone made a mess, I cleaned it up.
I was the eldest daughter, after all. I was the stable one.
My eight-year relationship with Johnathan only reinforced that image. Together, we were the golden couple. The high school sweethearts everyone revered, and I was gratified by that.
After that terrible meeting with the lawyer earlier and the whole bathroom incident, I was excited to shift my focus to something else. Still, the reality was slowly seeping into my bones.
Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?
Since when did Daddy have all that money? And why did he never tell me?
I thought we shared everything.
Shaking off the lingering threads of doubt, I focused on the setting at hand. If Daddy kept this money a secret, it was probably for the best. Especially after the way they acted today.
But still.
Focus, Elliot. You’re at a party.
Right. Game face.
Our engagement party was as picture-perfect as I had planned.
The chandeliers above the grand hall cast a warm glow over the white-draped tables adorned with blush roses and gold accents.
Guests sipped champagne and laughed as soft jazz played in the background.
It was the kind of night I’d dreamed of as a little girl, right down to the fitted lace dress I’d been starving myself for weeks to wear.
Everyone kept telling me how beautiful I looked, how radiant, how lucky Johnathan and I were to have found each other.
I smiled through it all, basking in the praise before finally feeling the strain of the evening.
My cheeks ached from smiling, my feet throbbed in my heels, and I hadn’t seen Johnathan in over an hour, not that I was actively looking.
I told myself he was probably making the rounds and thanking guests as I was.
He was good at that—charming people, saying the right things.
He had a way of making everyone feel seen, which was one of the reasons I fell in love with him.
But after today’s antics, unease began to creep in.
I questioned if he was still the man I fell in love with.
A conversation was needed.
Politely, I excused myself from a conversation with one of Johnathan’s aunts and slipped out of the main hall.
The hallway outside was a quiet retreat from the laughter and music. I kicked off my heels to rest my soles and walked slowly on the carpet, letting the silence soothe my nerves.
Daddy would’ve been miserable here. I know it.
After about two conversations with Johnathan’s family members, he would be on his way to the bar with me hot on his tail to stop him.
“This is the most boring party ever, Elliot. Why do you even like these people?” he’d ask as he looked around at the plump faces of the drunk and happy with disgust. He liked Johnathan enough, but his family was a different story.
With a small chuckle, I’d answer, “Daddy, they’re gonna be our family soon, play nice.”
Then, he’d suck air through his teeth with annoyance and loop his hand in mine to be carried away from the alcohol.
“You’re my family, and that’s enough,” he’d whisper as we rejoined the masses.
Daddy wasn’t a fan of crowds, and the man was dead set on not meeting new people. He’d be polite when needed to, but never by choice and never for too long. He’d excuse himself and wander the halls alone, just like I was doing.
It still amazed me that people moved on as if life itself weren’t uprooted. The idea that my father’s death didn’t completely change the world and stop the passage of time rattled me. I tried my best to ignore the endless reminders that life was moving on whether I was ready or not.
The plush carpet muted my footsteps, and the faint hum of air conditioning filled the space.
Wall lamps cast a soft, golden glow, highlighting framed photos of other lavish events that had likely taken place here—smiling couples, champagne toasts, picture-perfect moments frozen in time.
I wondered if Johnathan and I would be added to this display.
Further down the hall, the chatters of the dining room were replaced by the chatters of the staff in the nearby kitchen.
I needed the space, so I ventured further.
That’s when I heard a muffled voice coming from one of the many break rooms. At first, I didn’t think anything of it. The venue was huge, and there were plenty of places for guests to wander off to. But then I heard the voice again and froze.
“We said no more, Johnathan. Seriously, today was a mistake.”
I knew that voice.
My heart stuttered, and a sick feeling settled in my stomach. I stepped closer to the door, pressing my ear against it to hear clearly.
“You don’t think I know, Ry?” Johnathan’s voice came next, quiet but desperate. “I feel guilty about this whole thing. Elliot has been through so much, and she’s still so raw about Elijah. I don’t want to put her through more.”
There was a pause, a breath between them as objects moved around and settled. I leaned in closer to see if I could discover more. Jonathan’s voice broke their shared silence, “But now, I can’t stay away from you.”
My breath caught, and I couldn’t move. The words didn’t make sense.
Johnathan and Ryan? No. Not at my fucking engagement party, of all places.
They wouldn’t.
I pushed the door open to silence all suspicions and confirm their innocence.
The room was dimly lit, and near the small sitting area, Ryan stood in front of Johnathan.
The first thing I noticed was that they weren’t far enough apart.
Her hands were pressed against his chest as if to hold him back, while his hands rested on her waist, his fingers gripping the fabric of her dress with urgency.
His pants were unbuttoned, his shirt disheveled, and his face stained with red lipstick.
They both turned at the sound of my heels slipping from my hand and hitting the floor. For a moment, no one said anything. They pulled away from each other slowly, all under my shocked gaze.
“Oh, you two are not serious right now,” I reprimanded. “Here? Of all places?”
“Elliot,” Ryan tried. Her face flushed deep red, but there was no apology in her eyes. “Fuck. It’s not what you think.”
“Really?” I snapped a sharp, bitter sound that didn’t feel like it came from me. “So you’re not fucking my fiancé at my engagement party?”
Johnathan’s face went pale, his mouth opening and closing as if searching for the right words. “Elliot, I—this isn’t—”
“Don’t,” I said, my voice trembling. “Don’t you dare try to explain this.”
“I can’t. I know I can’t. This is inexcusable and cruel,” Johnathan said, taking a step toward me. “But baby, please,”
“Please, what?!” My voice rose, cracking on the last word. “How long has this been going on? How long have you two been sneaking around?!”
Ryan flinched but didn’t answer. Johnathan admitted with a soft but shaky voice. “It only happened today.”
“Today?!” I yelled.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen—”
“But it did!” I snapped, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
“Elliot,” Ryan started, her tone annoyingly calm. “You don’t understand. We didn’t mean for this to happen. It’s just that he’s been there for me since Daddy died—”
“No,” I cut her off. “Don’t try to play the victim, and don’t you dare bring Daddy into this.”
“But I have to!” Ryan yelled. “When he died, I was so mad at you. I wanted to break you, to make you feel the way I feel. I wanted you to hurt like I do because, deep down, I always knew Daddy loved you more. Today was proof of that. The only way I knew how to get under your skin was through Jonathan because I knew you loved him, and I wanted to take something you cared about. But I regret it. Deeply.”
I stared at them with dead eyes, the only thing holding me together was the self-respect my father instilled in me. I couldn’t unravel now, not here in front of people hellbent on torturing me further.
What more could they want? How far could they push me?
I know I signed up to be the punching bag, but this was beyond the pale. Was I just always expected to forgive in the name of family? ‘Stay strong, hold onto each other.’ Surely, this wasn’t at all what Daddy meant. Fuck. Even he would be appalled.
“You’re pathetic,” I finally said.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Johnathan looked like he wanted to say something, but for once, he didn’t have the words.
The charm he used to always say the right thing had finally run out.
But Ryan just stared at me, her lips pressed into a thin line.
With that expression, she looked so much like Ma.
I couldn’t stand to look at either of them anymore.
“You’re both pathetic, horrible people. And I hope you suffer for this.” Then, I turned and walked out.
I used the wall to prop myself up as my legs trembled beneath me.
The hallway felt endless, and by the time I reached the main hall, my vision was blurred with tears I refused to let fall.
The noise and light hit me like a wave, but I didn’t stop.
I headed straight for my mother, who was standing near the bar with a glass of champagne in hand.
“Elliot! Where were you? People were looking everywhere for you and Johnathan. Now it’s almost time for the toasts. And where the hell are your shoes?”
“Ma,” I struggled to get out as my voice was breaking. “I need to tell you something.”
She took one look at my face and frowned. “What’s wrong, Elliot? Did someone say something to upset you?”
“It’s not that.” I glanced around. “It’s Ryan. And Johnathan. I saw them.”
Her brow furrowed. “Saw them what?”
“Together,” I managed, the word tasting like poison on my tongue.
Her face twisted. “Together, how?” She pressed.
I gave her a look, “Don’t make me say it. You know how.”
Her frown deepened, but instead of the outrage I expected, she looked…confused.
“Are you sure? Ry may be a little unstable, but she wouldn’t do something like that.”
“I saw them,” I repeated, my voice rising. “They’re having an affair, Ma.”
She looked around sharply to make sure no one was listening.
“Elliot, lower your voice. This isn’t the time or place to have this conversation.”
I felt the threat of my heart exploding in my chest and taking my lungs with it.
“What am I allowed to be upset about, Ma? I can’t cry about Daddy’s death, and now I’m not allowed to be upset with this betrayal. So tell me, what emotion am I allowed to show right now?”
Her eyes lowered into a squint that warned me to reel in the dramatics. “No one is saying you aren’t allowed to be upset, Elliot. I am simply saying to get a hold of yourself. Now is not the right time to discuss this.”
“When is the right time, then?” I demanded. “After the wedding? After they destroy my life completely?”
“Ryan’s been going through so much lately,” she said, her tone placating. “You know how fragile she is. I’m sure this was just a mistake.”
“A mistake?” I repeated, my voice cracking. “She fucked my fiancé, Ma. She ain’t fragile, she’s a spoiled brat who’s out of control.”
“Elliot,” she warned. “She’s still your sister.”
My face fell.
“Huh,” I stared at her. “So that’s it then? You’re taking her side?”
Her silence was answer enough.
That night, I realized the truth: the parent who cared about me had died. And I would never be the same.