Southward Villa, once purchased by Elinor as a marital home for her and Logan Echolls, was now inhabited by Logan, her half-sister Isabelle Gray, her biological father, and her stepmother. At this moment, it was hosting a grand pre-wedding bachelor party!
Cheerful jazz dance music accompanied by sizzling, sexy bikini girls, champagne, beauties, and the scent of expensive perfumes filled the air, making for quite the spectacle. By the poolside lounge chairs, Isabelle was using her most prided figure to rub against Logan, her soft and gentle voice making him itch with desire, "Logan, did you really flush my brothers ashes down the toilet?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" Logan, With his sexy nose with black sunglasses, rested one hand unconsciously in Isabelles strapless bikini, teasingly proud, "Finally, all the obstacles are out of the way, wife, are you happy?"
"Really?"
"Of course..."
Suddenly, a basin of cold water poured down from above, drenching the couple from head to toe!
"Ah!! Who!! Who dares to splash me! Husband..." Isabelles elegant and pure image was instantly ruined. Upon looking up and seeing Elinor Dashwood, her face dropped immediately!
Logan followed Isabelles gaze, narrowed his eyes as he stood up, and protectively placed Isabelle, whose belly is slightly protruding, behind him, "Elinor Dashwood?!"
Elinor stood before them, cold as ice, her dark eyes endless and deep, while her hands, clenched at her sides, dug into her palms, "Where is my brother?"
Logans throat rolled, his anger gathering, "So fearless? You dare to show up here?!"
He stood tall in the sunlight, wearing only a pair of casual shorts, his well-defined muscles on display, his delicate features fair and exquisite, more handsome than any woman!
The pool party was forcibly halted, and the young men and women all gathered around to watch the drama unfold.
"I ask you one last time, where is my brother?!" Elinor stood firm, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between her teeth.
Logan impatiently tore off his tie, his sinister eyes narrowing dangerously, instructing the butler nearby, "First, have the guests leave!"
The butler didnt dare to delay and immediately arranged for the guests to depart, causing the scene to descend into chaos!
"Why? Are you feeling guilty? Afraid of what I might reveal about your ugly deeds? You murderer! I want you to pay with your life!" Elinor sneered, aggressive and unyielding, pressing forward with each word!
They said they had flushed her brothers ashes down the toilet!
Unconscionable!
At that moment, a slap resounded!
Logan, unable to contain his rage and patience, didnt hesitate to slap Elinor across the face, grabbing her collar and pulling her close, his voice terrifying and murderous, "Elinor Dashwood, have you lived enough that you want to die like your brother?! Shut your mouth, or believe me, Ill make sure you never speak again!"
Elinors head spun from the blow, the pain numbing, but she refused to back down, spitting at Logan, "Ptui! Scum, murderer, I was blind to trust you with the thriving company I built from scratch, Echolls Corp!"
As the scene was cleared, Isabelle, standing by, became emboldened, "Dear sister, dont blame Logan. Hes been more than patient with you all these years. Besides, you willingly handed Echolls over to him; no one forced you. And brother Jamies death has nothing to do with us. He had a heart attack when he heard you were selling yourself. If anyones to blame, its you!"
These words pierced Elinors heart like needles.
She laughed bitterly to herself, tightly clenching her fists.
Yes, she had brought all of this upon herself, she had no one to blame but herself!
After leaving Edward Cullen, heartbroken and childless, she had almost not wanted to go on living.
She had stood on the cross-river bridge where Edward had his accident, intending to end it all, when she witnessed another car crash.
Logans car was smashed to pieces, and hearing his desperate cries for help, she was reminded of Edward, covered in blood after his accident.
She had pulled Logan out of the car that was about to explode with all her might.
Perhaps this way, she could atone, could lessen her sins just a bit.
The two, who had narrowly escaped death, leaned on each other from then on. With Logans help, she started her own business from scratch, and in just five years, she had taken Echolls Corp public.
Her days with him had been steady and uneventful, no grand passions, just a natural progression. She thought, if she could live a plain life with him, that would be enough.
But there were no "what-ifs."
A bitter sweetness spread across her lips, and Elinor looked up, her eyes filled with a deep, all-encompassing hatred!
Her sharp gaze fell on Isabelle, "Isabelle Gray, do you and your mother sleep soundly at night? Have my mother, my grandfather, my foster parents ever appeared in your dreams? Did they tell you that it was you and that bitch who drove them to their graves? That their ghosts would never let you go?!"
Isabelles expression became ugly instantly, her maintained image of a lady completely shattered!
But she tried to remain calm, as if she had been wronged, "Sister, why are you so malicious? How can you slander me like this? Logan, why does she get to throw mud at me?"
Elinor laughed coldly, long used to her act.
"The heavens see all, and one day I will make you pay for your crimes with blood!"
Logan wanted to strangle her!
"Looking for death!" His fingers clenched, he grabbed Elinors neck, slamming her head against the wall.
"I want you to pay with your life!"
Elinor felt dizzy and disoriented, intense pain radiating through her body, her vision turning blood red, her mind going blank, and she felt her light body being thrown into the pool.
Darkness overwhelmed her, and she tried to surface, but her mind was in a daze, and she couldnt exert any strength!
The cold water poured into her lungs without restraint, suffocating her.
Everything around her was quiet; she kept sinking, falling!
Her consciousness was becoming more and more diffuse...
"Get out, youre no longer part of the Dashwood family!"
"Elinor Dashwood, I am the real Miss Dashwood of this house, everything you once had is mine!"
"Not a penny of the Dashwood estate for you or Jamie Fraser, he dared to compete with me, so thats why hes in the ICU, and you dare to compete with me, Ill make sure you die!!"
"Edward Cullen, your mother gave me five million to leave you, so lets break up, I only liked your money anyway, now that I have the money, my purpose is achieved, and the child in my belly isnt yours, theres no point in being together. So lets part ways amicably, and when we meet in the future, just be strangers."
The past unfolded before her like a movie, and Elinor felt like she might be dead.
Otherwise, why would she remember so many things she didnt want to recall?
Her head ached, a piercing pain.
The long, perilous night enveloped her.
Bang!
Elinor was suddenly startled out of her daze.
Before she could open her eyes, a force pulled her from the bed.
The needle in her snow-white hand was brutally torn out, and blood dripped out!
"Elinor Dashwood! You still have the face to pretend to be dead here! Why arent you the one who died! You killed the child in Isabelles belly, you disaster! Youre the one who owes her, even your worthless life isnt enough to repay her!"
By her ear, the voice of her father, Thomas Dashwood, came through loud and angry, filled with boundless rage!
Thomas Dashwood, a man she hadnt called "dad" since her mothers death.
Elinor could imagine his furious expression without looking.
His precious daughter had lost her child; how heartbroken he must be.
"You dont get to pretend to be dead! Get over here! Isabelle is hemorrhaging, and the blood bank is emergency! You go and donate blood to Isabelle! Its what you owe her, and even your wretched life isnt enough to make up for it!"
Thomas dragged Elinor out of the ward, his anger palpable.
Elinors head was buzzing, her whole body ached, and the sunlight outside the window was particularly dazzling, making her pale face look as if her veins were visible.
She was too weak to resist.
A commotion of footsteps approached from outside the door, and Edward Cullens tall and upright figure stood at the door of the ward.
The hospital director accompanied him, surrounded by a group of subordinates.
"Stop!"
His deep and resonant voice was commanding, the coldness intimidating.
His tall and upright body blocked the flickering light in the corridor, his handsome features as if carved by the gods, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, with straight and strong legs under his trousers.
His gaze fell on Elinors pale and lifeless face, calm, showing no ripples.
Elinor was groggy, and it seemed she saw the figure of Edward Cullen in her delirium.
She thought, am I dreaming again?