Tania stood in front of the mirror, her hands gripping the edges of the sink so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Ethan’s words echoed in her head, a broken record she couldn’t shake. Divorce. He wanted a divorce. It was impossible. After everything she’d done, everything she’d sacrificed there was no way he could just walk away from her.
“He can’t leave me,” she muttered to her reflection, her voice trembling. “He can’t.”
Tania’s mind raced back to the years she had spent meticulously crafting her life with Ethan. The manipulation, the lies, the plot to eliminate Ella it was all supposed to secure her position as his wife. But now, it was unraveling, slipping through her fingers. And worse, Ella was back. Tania’s stomach churned at the thought of her.
No. He won’t leave me. I won’t let him.
She grabbed her phone and texted one of her remaining contacts, someone who owed her a favor. If Ethan wanted a divorce, she’d make sure there was no easy way out. She had too much to lose.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Grace was recovering well, her small body looking stronger with each passing day. She smiled faintly as Ethan sat by her side, but her eyes reflected a lingering fear.
“Daddy,” she whispered, clutching his hand. “I’m scared.”
Ethan frowned, brushing a stray hair from her forehead. “Why are you scared, sweetheart?”
Grace hesitated, her little voice faltering. “Mummy… Mummy hates me.”
Ethan’s heart clenched. “What? No, Grace. Mummy doesn’t hate you.”
She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “I heard her… she said she wants Liam and Leo’s mummy dead. Daddy, why does she hate me?”
Ethan’s breath caught in his throat. The realization hit him hard. Tania had made their daughter a pawn in her twisted games, planting seeds of fear and doubt. He wanted to scream, to storm out and confront Tania right then and there, but he forced himself to stay calm for Grace’s sake.
“She doesn’t hate you, Grace,” he said softly, though his voice shook with anger. “She’s just… confused. But you don’t have to worry about that. I’m here. I’ll always be here.”
Grace nodded, though the fear in her eyes remained. Ethan hugged her gently, feeling the weight of the mess Tania had created. He needed to act fast, to protect his children from any more of her poison.
Back at the private hospital across town, Ella was steadily recovering. She still felt weak, but the strength in her voice was returning, and her mind was as sharp as ever. Derek and Rick had visited earlier, bringing updates on their investigation.
“Rick managed to shut down the rest of Tania’s connections,” Derek informed her as he sat by her bedside. “And since Crystal is dead, that’s one less threat to worry about. We’ve got a solid pile of evidence, including the accident records. The noose is tightening.”
Ella nodded, relief washing over her. “Good. I want her behind bars as soon as possible.”
Rick, standing near the window, looked over at her. “We’re almost there. Tania’s still got a few tricks up her sleeve, but we’re on top of it. We’ll tie up any loose ends she’s missed.”
Ella exhaled, allowing herself a small moment of peace. For the first time in years, she could see the light at the end of the tunnel. And soon, she would have her boys back. Liam and Leo. The thought of them warmed her heart.
“I miss them,” she said softly, her voice tinged with emotion. “I haven’t seen them in so long.”
Derek smiled gently. “You’ll be reunited soon. They miss you too. We’ll make sure it’s safe for them to come back to you.”
Ella nodded, determination filling her chest. She would make sure of it. She had been through too much, lost too much, to let anyone tear her family apart again.
That evening, in a dimly lit room, Tania sat with her phone, waiting. Her contact finally answered, a deep, gruff voice on the other end.
“I’ve done everything I can. Her ties are cut. But be careful, Tania. There’s only so much you can do before everything blows up in your face.”
Tania’s eyes narrowed. “Just make sure no one comes for me. I’m not done yet.”
She hung up the phone and stared at the darkness outside her window. If Ethan wanted a divorce, she’d make sure it was the messiest, most painful experience of his life.’
Tania’s hand trembled as she set her phone down, her heart racing with a mix of anger and desperation. How dare Ethan think he could walk away from her? After everything, everything she had done to secure her position by his side, this was how he repaid her? With betrayal, abandonment, and the threat of a divorce? No, she thought, gritting her teeth. Ethan would pay for this. He would regret ever trying to leave her.
Her reflection in the mirror sneered back at her, twisted with bitterness and resentment. “He’ll never get away with this,” she hissed under her breath, her voice hardening with every word. “I’ll make him pay. He’ll never see Grace again. She’s mine, not his, and I’ll make Ella pay for everything.”
Her mind raced, formulating a new plan, more vicious than before. It wasn’t enough to ruin Ethan’s life she would take everything from him, starting with their daughter. She would strip him of his rights, ensuring that he’d never get near Grace again. Full custody that was her next move. She would drag him through the courts, smear his name, and paint him as an unfit father. Whatever it took, she would win. Tania would come out on top, as she always did.
And Grace… poor little Grace. Tania’s lips curled into a malicious smile as she thought of her daughter’s wide, fearful eyes, the way she trembled whenever Tania raised her voice. Grace was weak, soft, just like her father. She had never been the daughter Tania wanted. She was a pawn, a means to an end.
Grace would suffer too, Tania decided, her smile growing darker. She would make sure of it. Grace would learn that loyalty to anyone but her mother came with consequences. If Ethan thought he could swoop in and play the hero, save Grace from the monster she’d become, he was sorely mistaken. Tania would break her spirit, sever the bond between father and daughter, and leave Ethan with nothing.
She stood up straighter, squaring her shoulders as her eyes gleamed with cold fury. “Ethan thinks he can abandon me?” she said to the empty room, her voice laced with venom. “I’ll destroy him. I’ll destroy everything he loves. Grace will never want to see him again when I’m done.”
With a satisfied nod to herself, Tania grabbed her phone and dialed her lawyer. The divorce would be a war. Ethan wouldn’t even know what hit him. And as for Ella Tania’s eyes flashed with hatred her time would come too. Ella wouldn’t survive long enough to see Ethan or her boys again.