ASHES TO JUSTICE

Chapter2

JENNY

The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the Williams mansion, casting a warm glow over the polished marble floors.

Eric had left for work early in the morning, and here I was in my sheets while the grand foyer failed to speak. I looked at my watch, as the silence almost suffocated me.

Just as I began to relax into the stillness, the doorbell echoed through the halls, shattering the quietude.

My heart sank as I hesitated, my mind racing with apprehension. Who could be visiting at this hour?

Resignedly, I crossed the room heavily to the front door. When I flung it open, however, my dismay turned into blank incredulity—for framed in the elaborate doorway stood Claire Reynolds—Eric's former fiancée, looking poised and self-assured.

"Good morning, Jenny," Claire greeted smoothly, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement. "Is Eric home?"

I blinked. I wasn’t quite expecting Claire to be there. “Um,” I answered carefully and hesitantly, “No he’s not. He is at a meeting.”

Claire's smile broadened knowingly as if she already knew where Eric was. “That’s okay,” she said nonchalantly moving past me and entering the foyer. “I’ll wait here for him.”

My heart raced as I watched Claire make herself at home, her confidence bordering on arrogance.

"Claire, I think you should leave." My voice was begging her. “Eric won’t be pleased if he finds you here.”

I swung back to look at Claire. Her expression was cold, considering.

"Oh, I'm sure Eric will be delighted to see me," she replied casually, brushing off my concerns with a wave of her hand.

Before I could protest further, the distant sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught my attention.

My heart plummeted as I saw Eric coming home far sooner than planned. A panic rose in me at the thought of what was going to happen.

Just then the door swung open and Eric stepped in, looking confused but surprised to see Claire standing at his front doorstep. "Claire?" he said hesitantly.

“What are you doing here?”

Claire's smile widened as she crossed the room to greet Eric, her movements deliberate and calculated. “I was in the neighborhood,” she replied smoothly, the picture of innocence. “I thought I’d drop by for a visit.”

Claire and I were met with Eric's furrowed brow of confusion.

“I understand,” he said slowly, his voice guarded. “It’s good to see you, Claire."

I ground my teeth as I watched Claire make her claim to stay in Eric's life. It never failed to make me jealous and feel insecure, but I stomped down on those emotions – I was not going to allow Claire that power over me. If Eric was happy I was happy.

"Eric, Claire hasn't eaten anything yet," I interjected, my voice tinged with frustration. "I can prepare something for her.”

Eric's gaze hardened as he turned to face me, his expression unreadable. "That won't be necessary," he said curtly, dismissing my suggestion with a wave of his hand. "Claire and I have things to discuss."

My heart sank at Eric's dismissal, a wave of helplessness washing over me. I opened my mouth to protest, but Eric's steely gaze silenced me before I could utter a word. Defeated, I stepped back, my eyes burning with unshed tears.

Claire's laughter echoed through the room as she linked her arm through Eric's, leading him towards the staircase.

"Shall we?" she asked coyly, her voice dripping with innuendo.

Eric hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering towards me with a hint of remorse. "Yes, let's," he replied quietly, following Claire up the stairs with reluctant resignation.

I watched helplessly as they disappeared from view, the weight of Claire's presence lingering in the air like a suffocating fog. I sank onto the nearest chair, my hands trembling with a mix of anger and betrayal.

How did it come to this? I wondered bitterly. I had sacrificed everything for Eric, believing that our love could overcome any obstacle. But now, as I sat alone in the grand foyer of the Williams mansion, I realized the painful truth— I was fighting a losing battle against forces I couldn't hope to control.

And as the echoes of Claire's laughter faded into the distance, I knew that she had reached a crossroads.

I sat in the grand living room, my mind swirling with a mix of anger and despair. The image of Claire draping herself over Eric, acting as if she still had a claim on him, replayed in my mind like a tormenting loop. I was deep in thought when Eric's voice cut through the silence, calling my name from the direction of his office.

"Jenny! Could you come here for a moment?" Eric's tone was firm, leaving no room for hesitation.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I rose from my seat and made my way to his office, my heart pounding in my chest. As I approached the doorway, I could hear Claire's voice, light and airy, like she didn't have a care in the world.

Stepping into the room, I found Claire lounging comfortably in one of the leather chairs, while Eric sat behind his desk, a look of mild annoyance on his face.

"Jenny," Eric said, glancing up at me. "Claire and I have some things to discuss. Could you prepare us a nice meal and bring it in here?"

My stomach clenched at the request, but I forced a smile and nodded.

"Of course," I said softly, turning on my heel and heading to the kitchen.

As I worked to prepare the meal, my hands shook with a mixture of anger and anxiety.

I could hear Claire's laughter echoing faintly through the house, grating on my already frayed nerves. Despite the turmoil inside me, I meticulously arranged a platter of sandwiches, fresh fruit, and a selection of cheeses.

I placed the tray on a silver serving cart and took a steadying breath before wheeling it towards Eric's office.

When I reached the office, I hesitated for a moment outside the door, gathering her resolve. With a firm push, I opened the door and entered, trying to maintain an air of composure.

Eric barely looked up from his conversation with Claire, who was perched on the edge of his desk, leaning in close. I could feel Claire's eyes on her, a smug smile playing on her lips.

"Here you go," I said, my voice strained but steady. I began to set the meal out on the small table in the corner of the room.

Claire's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper as she spoke to Eric.

"Do you remember when we first met?" she asked, her tone dripping with nostalgia. "It was at that charity gala, wasn't it? You were so charming, even then.

"My hands stilled for a moment, the words slicing through me like a knife. I focused on my task, trying to block out the conversation.

"Yes, I remember," Eric replied, his voice softer now. "It was quite an evening.

"Claire chuckled, the sound light and teasing. "And do you remember how you spilled champagne all over that poor waiter? You were so embarrassed."

I felt my grip tighten on the serving utensils. I couldn't believe the audacity of Claire to bring up their shared history in front of me.

"And you were there to rescue me, as always," Eric added with a chuckle.

My heart ached at the familiarity between them, a stark reminder of how intertwined their pasts were. I finished setting the table and turned to leave, but Claire's voice stopped her.

"Oh, Jenny," Claire called out, her tone saccharine sweet. "Would you be a dear and pour us some wine? I'm feeling quite parched."

I clenched my jaw but complied, grabbing a bottle of red wine from the nearby cabinet. As I poured the wine into two glasses, I could feel Claire's mocking gaze on her.

"You know, Eric," Claire continued, her voice dropping to a more intimate tone, "I was thinking about that time we spent in Paris. Such wonderful memories."

My hands shook slightly, causing the wine to splash over the edge of the glass. I quickly set the bottle down and wiped the spill with a napkin, my heart palpitating.

Eric looked up, his expression a mix of irritation and something else I couldn't quite place. "Claire, that's enough," he said quietly.

Claire pouted, but there was a glint of triumph in her eyes. "Oh, Eric, I'm just reminiscing. No harm in that, right?"

I felt a surge of anger I could no longer contain. As I turned to leave, the serving cart jostled, and the platter of sandwiches toppled over.

In a moment of clumsy haste, I tried to catch it, but the movement sent the entire tray of food spilling onto Claire's lap.

There was a moment of stunned silence. Claire sat frozen, her expensive dress stained with food. Eric's eyes widened in shock, and my heart pounded in my chest as I realized what had happened.

"You i***t!" Claire shrieked, leaping to her feet. "Look what you've done!"

My face flushed with humiliation and anger.

"It was an accident," I stammered, trying to keep her voice steady.

"An accident?" Claire spat, her eyes flashing with fury. "You did this on purpose!"

Eric stood up, his expression darkening. "Jenny, what were you thinking?"

"Eric, I need to speak with you about the upcoming charity event", Vivian’s voice cut through the tense silence in the house. Her tone was dismissive. "Claire, why don’t you come with me? We’ll get you cleaned up.”

Before I could respond, the door to the office opened, and Vivian Williams stepped inside, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. Her presence immediately added to the tension in the room.

"What is going on here?" Vivian demanded, her gaze shifting from the spilled food to Jenny's flushed face.

"Your clumsy daughter-in-law just ruined my dress," Claire snapped, her voice shaking with rage.

Vivian's eyes locked onto Jenny, her expression a mix of disdain and disappointment. "Jenny," she said coldly, "how could you be so careless?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but the words caught in her throat. The weight of their accusing gazes was too much to bear. I felt the walls closing in, the suffocating atmosphere threatening to overwhelm me.

“Mother, it was an accident," I finally managed to say, my voice trembling.

Vivian's lips pressed into a thin line. "An accident or not, you need to be more careful," she said sharply. "Now clean this mess up immediately."

I nodded, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I knelt and began to gather the fallen food, my movements mechanical and numb. I could feel Claire's satisfied gaze on me, the humiliation washing over me in waves.

"Eric, I need to speak with you about the upcoming charity event", Vivian’s voice cut through the tense silence in the house. Her tone was dismissive. "Claire, why don’t you come with me? We’ll get you cleaned up."

Claire shot one last triumphant glance at me before following Vivian out of the room. Eric lingered for a moment, his expression conflicted, before he too turned and walked away, leaving me alone with the mess.

The door closed and my hands stilled. This was it. And then I felt a tear slip down my cheek, but I wiped it away quickly and turned around. I couldn't let them see me break.