CHORDS OF REVENGE

Chapter 10: Elena's Hidden Past

Elena sat by the window of her bedroom, staring out at the sprawling Knight estate. The moonlight bathed the garden below, casting shadows that danced with the wind. But she barely noticed its beauty, her mind tethered to memories she had long fought to forget.

The days in the Knight mansion were suffocating, the weight of Adrian’s vengeance bearing down on her shoulders. Cassandra’s taunts and Vanessa’s cruel schemes were constant reminders that she was unwelcome. And yet, here she was, tied to a marriage she never wanted.

As the night deepened, Elena found herself pulling out a small, weathered journal from her bedside drawer. It was the only thing she had taken from her modest home before she was uprooted into this life of torment. Flipping through the pages, her eyes fell on an old entry, written sometime ago.

"Vanessa is so in love with Ethan, but I can see the cracks. He’s charming, yes, but beneath the surface lies a man who doesn’t value her the way she deserves. I can’t stand by and watch her get hurt. If I must be the villain in her story to save her, then so be it."

Tears welled in her eyes as the words resurfaced all the pain she had buried. She had never meant to hurt Vanessa. All she wanted was to protect her from the heartbreak she had seen coming. Ethan had been charming but manipulative, using Vanessa’s love for him to fulfill his own selfish desires.

Elena remembered the night Ethan had approached her, smug and confident, as if he already owned Vanessa’s heart, and her future.

“You’re her friend,” he had said, leaning against the doorway of the café where Elena worked, half drunk. “Convince her to wait for me. I just need some time to sort things out with another... commitment.”

Elena had known what that “commitment” meant—another woman. She had confronted Ethan, accusing him of playing with Vanessa’s emotions. But the confrontation only proved her fears. Ethan had laughed, brushing her off like she was nothing more than an inconvenience.

“Elena, do yourself a favor,” he had said. “Stay out of this. Vanessa doesn’t need your ‘help.’”

But Elena couldn’t stay out of it. She had seen too much, heard too much. And when Ethan’s lies started to unravel, she did the only thing she could think of to protect her friend.

Elena had studdied at the same high school with Ethan. Though not too intimate, but they share some subtle friendship connections and relative students' bond.

The memory was interrupted by the creak of the bedroom door. Elena snapped the journal shut, her heart racing. Adrian stood in the doorway, his silhouette sharp against the dim light.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, his tone unreadable.

Elena wiped at her eyes hastily, not wanting him to see her tears. “What do you want?”

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “You looked... upset at dinner. Grandma said I should check on you.”

The mention of his grandmother sent a pang of warmth through her chest. Evelyn was the only person in the house who treated her like a human being.

“I’m fine,” she said quickly, her voice flat.

Adrian’s gaze fell to the journal on her lap, his brows furrowing. “What’s that?”

“Nothing.” She clutched it tightly, as though it were a shield.

He crossed the room, his presence overwhelming as always, and sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re a terrible liar,” he remarked, his eyes locking with hers.

For a moment, Elena considered telling him the truth, about Ethan, about Vanessa, about everything. But what good would it do? Adrian was blinded by his hatred, convinced she was the villain in his sister’s story, therefore he's never going to believe her.

“It’s none of your business,” she said finally, her voice steadier now.

Adrian’s jaw tightened, the flicker of concern in his eyes replaced by his usual coldness. “Suit yourself.” He stood, his presence looming over her for a moment longer before he turned and left the room.

When the door clicked shut behind him, Elena let out a shaky breath. She opened the journal again, running her fingers over the pages as if searching for comfort in the inked words.

She had no idea how to fix the mess she was in. The weight of Adrian’s revenge was one thing, but the guilt she carried for hurting Vanessa, no matter how unintentional, was another.

But one thing was clear, if she didn’t find a way to tell her side of the story, she might never escape the nightmare her life had become.

And as the wind howled outside, Elena made a silent vow to h

erself.

She wouldn’t let her past define her future.