chapter161
After hearing the harrowing details of the night, Blossom was both incandescent with rage and shattered by heartbreak. Her eyes reddened as she paced the room.
“Unbelievable! Oriana actually had the nerve to orchestrate something so vile? We are suing her—I want to see her behind bars for this! And that... that man. I don't care if he intervened at the last second; it doesn't excuse his past actions. They think their status places them above the law? They’re wrong! I’m calling my family right now to find the best lawyers in the city. We aren't letting them walk away from this!”
Blossom’s hands trembled as she reached for her phone, her voice thick with tears. But Elysia reached out, stopping her.
“Wait, Blossom. Let’s not be impulsive.”
“What do you mean? You aren't going to let them get away with it, are you?”
Elysia took a steadying breath, though her voice was still hoarse. “I’ve already contacted the authorities regarding Oriana. The law will handle her. But as for the rest...”
“And the man who saved you? The 'jerk' as we call him?”
“I want nothing more to do with him,” Elysia said, her gaze hardening. “I want a divorce from my husband, and I want to leave this city. Now.”
Only that morning, she had been full of hope, braving a snowstorm to deliver breakfast to Elijah, feeling as though she might finally belong. But that warmth had been stripped away. She couldn't stand to stay another second in a place where she was a pawn in other people’s games.
“But your husband is refusing to even meet you,” Blossom reminded her gently. “He’s stalling the divorce. How can you settle this quickly? Are you just going to walk away without the papers?”
Elysia shook her head. “No. I need that chapter closed legally before I go.”
“Do you have a plan?”
Elysia leaned back, her brow furrowed in concentration. “Keaton Huber.”
“Keaton? How does he help?”
“Oriana is his ex-girlfriend. This entire nightmare started because of the fallout from their relationship. If Jessamine finds out her brother’s mess led to my kidnapping, she’ll be furious. I’ll use that leverage. Keaton is close to my husband; I’ll give him an ultimatum. If he can convince my husband to sign those divorce papers immediately, I’ll consider the matter with Oriana settled as far as the Huber family’s involvement is concerned.”
Blossom pondered the idea. “It’s a long shot, but it might just be the pressure we need.”
“Success or not, I have to try. I need my freedom, and I need it today.”
While Elysia was plotting her escape, Tarquin had already arrived at the Slater residence.
Donovan Slater had been at his office when the news reached him. He had rushed home, arriving breathless to greet Tarquin with a level of deference he usually reserved for no one.
“Tarquin! You should have let me know you were coming,” Donovan said, forcing a jovial warmth. “I wouldn't have kept you waiting.”
Tarquin remained cool and composed, his presence dominating the room. “No need for formalities, Donovan. I’m here to speak with Nola. And perhaps to see how Gage is recovering.”
Donovan, an old fox who could scent danger from a mile away, felt a prickle of panic. He forced a smile. “Nola? Has she done something to upset you again?”
Tarquin didn't offer a polite denial.
Donovan’s pulse quickened. “I’ve spoiled her, I admit it. She’s grown far too entitled. I suppose she thinks that because she saved Elijah’s life, she can act however she pleases. Rest assured, when she returns, I’ll set her straight!”
By criticizing Nola himself, Donovan was subtly reminding Tarquin of the debt he owed her for Elijah’s safety. It was a calculated move, but Tarquin’s expression remained a mask of stern indifference. He simply sat in silence, waiting.
The air in the room grew heavy. Donovan swallowed nervously, reaching for his phone to summon his daughter.
Just then, the front door burst open. Nola marched in, her face flushed with a fresh rant already on her lips, completely unaware that the man who held her family’s fate in his hands was sitting in her living room.