Ella leaned back in her chair, a smirk playing on her lips. She had been recounting her confrontation with Tania to Rick and Derek, her voice filled with satisfaction.
“The look on her face, Derek it was priceless. I didn’t think I could actually get to her like that, but I did. The fear in her eyes when she realized she was probably going to die… oh, it made me laugh.” Ella chuckled, but there was a darkness behind her amusement.
Rick raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What exactly did you do? You’ve been vague about it.”
Ella’s eyes gleamed. “oh I only nearly ran her over. And for the first time, I saw her panic. She couldn’t hide behind that smug mask anymore. She lost control and she didn’t know whether to sit or stand there and wait for me to hit her. I guess she saw her life flash before her eyes”.
Derek, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, gave a nod. “I knew she’d crack. Tania’s the kind of person who thrives on control. You take that away, and she’s nothing.”
Rick frowned. “But this isn’t over. Fear alone won’t stop her. You know that.”
Ella sighed, her expression turning serious. “Of course. But it’s a start. Now we have to make sure she can’t recover. She’s already paranoid, but we need to dismantle everything she has left.”
Derek cleared his throat, looking at both Ella and Rick. “Speaking of dismantling… I just found out something that might interest you both. Ethan has filed for divorce.”
Ella’s face softened slightly, though her guard remained up. “Good for him. It’s about time.”
Rick’s eyes widened. “Wait, does that mean Tania’s completely out of his life now?”
Derek shook his head. “Not yet. She doesn’t know about it. But he’s serious this time. Victor’s handling the paperwork, and they’re already working on building a case to keep Grace with him. From what I’ve heard, he’s got damning evidence against Tania.”
Ella’s lips tightened. “It’s about time Ethan saw her for who she really is. But I can’t trust that he’ll do the right thing. He’s too easily manipulated.”
Rick nodded in agreement. “We’ll keep an eye on things. If Tania starts making moves, we’ll know.”
Ella remained seated after Rick and Derek said their goodbyes and left for the night, the dim light of the room casting long shadows across the walls. The flicker of satisfaction that had danced behind her eyes earlier began to fade as she thought about Derek’s revelation regarding Ethan’s decision to file for divorce.
She leaned back further in her chair, letting out a long sigh. “Ethan filing for divorce,” she muttered under her breath. It was the right move, logically speaking. Tania had been playing them all for years, and now that the truth was unraveling, her grip was loosening. But still, the thought of Ethan truly breaking ties with Tania stirred something unsettling inside her.
Ella stood and began pacing the room, her fingers idly tracing the lines of the table as she walked by. It wasn’t as if she still loved Ethan, she told herself, not anymore. Those feelings had long been buried beneath layers of betrayal and anger. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about what Tania might do once she realized Ethan was slipping away from her.
“She’s not going to go down quietly,” Ella thought. “This divorce could push her over the edge.”
There was no doubt in Ella’s mind that Tania, with her twisted sense of entitlement and control, would view this as the ultimate insult. And an insult from Ethan, of all people? She could only imagine what kind of retaliation Tania was capable of. Would she try to pull Ethan back into her web? Would she come after Ella and the boys again?
Ella shook her head, her arms wrapping tightly around her body as a chill crept up her spine. She couldn’t let herself get comfortable, not now. Not with the storm that was sure to come.
Her phone buzzed on the table, pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts. She glanced down at the screen. It was a message from Fabian, brief but to the point:
“We need to talk. Soon.”
Ella stared at the message, her heart thudding in her chest. Fabian. Despite everything he had done, he was still a looming presence in her life. She had tried to cut him out, to distance herself after learning the truth about his past betrayal. But like a shadow, he was always there, hovering in the periphery.
“What now?” she murmured, her thumb hovering over the screen before finally typing a quick reply:
“Tomorrow. I’ll let you know when.”
Ella’s mind raced as she considered the message. “Why does Fabian want to talk now?” After everything that had come to light, she had kept him at a distance, unsure if she could ever trust him again. But now, with his sudden request, she couldn’t shake the suspicion creeping into her thoughts.
“What if this is another one of Tania’s schemes?” she wondered, her chest tightening. Tania was always two steps ahead, her web of deceit intricately woven to trap anyone who got too close. Even though Fabian had claimed he wanted to protect her and the boys, could she really be sure he wasn’t still under Tania’s thumb?
The more Ella thought about it, the more the pieces didn’t add up. Fabian had once been tasked with ending her life, a chilling betrayal that had left her reeling. But now, he claimed to be watching over her, lurking in the background like some tortured guardian. His motives were murky, and his actions were unpredictable. She couldn’t afford to trust anyone blindly-not now, when so much was at stake.
As she paced the room, her hand resting on her hip, Ella replayed her last encounter with Fabian. He had seemed different, almost broken. Yet, there was something unnerving about how he kept coming back, no matter how much she tried to push him away. Why couldn’t he just disappear?
She sat back down, her hands resting on the table, and stared at the message again. The words felt loaded, charged with unspoken intent. “We need to talk.” About what, exactly? His loyalty? Tania? Or something even worse? The possibilities swirled in her head, each one darker than the last.
“This could be another trap,” she muttered, drumming her fingers on the table. “Or it could be a warning.” Fabian had never been one to openly betray her-not in front of her, at least. But his ties to Tania made him dangerous. What if Tania was using him again? What if she had manipulated him into luring Ella into some kind of ambush?
The room felt colder as Ella considered the possibility. Tania wasn’t someone who gave up easily. She would fight tooth and nail to regain control of everything she’d lost especially Ethan and her reputation. The fact that Ethan was filing for divorce only made Tania more desperate, more unpredictable. If she realized Fabian was slipping away from her too, she might lash out.
Ella clenched her jaw, frustration boiling up inside her. She hated this constant game of second-guessing everyone around her. Even those who claimed to be on her side could be pawns in Tania’s twisted game. Trust was a luxury she couldn’t afford right now.
“Tomorrow,” she repeated softly to herself, her fingers still lingering over the phone. She had agreed to meet Fabian, but she would be prepared. No more walking into situations blindly. Not with so many threats circling her and her boys. She’d have Derek nearby-just in case things went south. There was too much riding on this to take any chances.
Ella stood up and moved toward the window, peering out into the dark, quiet street below. The faint glow of streetlights flickered in the distance, casting eerie shadows along the sidewalk. Her mind drifted back to the last time she’d felt safe, truly safe. It seemed like a lifetime ago, before Tania’s betrayal had shattered the fragile peace she’d built.
The weight of it all pressed down on herth e secrets, the lies, the constant danger. How had her life spiraled into this mess? And more importantly, how could she ensure it wouldn’t swallow her whole?
As she stood there, lost in thought, a memory surfaced Tania’s smug face, that twisted smile when she’d manipulated her way into Ella’s life. Ella had been naive back then, too trusting, too willing to see the best in people. But she wasn’t that woman anymore. She had learned the hard way that survival meant staying one step ahead.
Turning away from the window, Ella felt a renewed sense of determination settle over her. Fabian’s message had rattled her, but she wouldn’t let it derail her plans. Whatever Fabian wanted to say, she’d hear him out but on her terms, with her guard fully up. If Tania thought she could use Fabian against her again, she was wrong. Ella had come too far to be played like that again.
She glanced at the clock. The late hour weighed on her, but sleep wouldn’t come easily tonight not with all these thoughts swirling in her head. There was still so much she didn’t know, so many unanswered questions. Why had Fabian saved her years ago, even though he’d been hired to kill her? Why had he stayed in her life, lurking in the background, despite everything?
And now, why did he want to talk?
Ella shook her head, her jaw set in resolve. She would find out soon enough. Tomorrow, she would face Fabian, but this time, she wouldn’t let her guard down. She’d make sure she was in control of the situation, no matter what he had to say. Whether he was warning her or leading her into a trap, Ella would be ready.
As the night stretched on, Ella made her way to bed, though her mind refused to quiet. Tania’s web was unraveling, but it wasn’t gone yet. And until it was, Ella knew she had to stay sharp. One wrong move could bring everything crashing down, and she wouldn’t let that happen not for herself, and especially not for her boys.
Lying in the dark, her thoughts drifted to Leo and Liam. They were the reason she fought so hard, the reason she couldn’t afford to slip. Fabian, Tania, Ethan they were all part of a tangled past that Ella was determined to put behind her. But for now, she had to navigate it carefully, making sure her next steps were the right ones.
Tomorrow would bring answers. And maybe just maybe a way out of the shadows for good.
She placed the phone back on the table, rubbing her temples as tension crept into her shoulders. Fabian’s message only added to the growing sense of unease gnawing at her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was converging toward something bigger, something darker. Tania, Ethan, Fabian each of them was a piece in a twisted puzzle, and no matter how hard she tried to take control, there were still too many moving parts.