Chapter5
1094 Words
The Truth That Should Have Stayed Buried
Elowen's POV
I stared at the message until my eyes burned.
"You were never meant to survive."
My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped the phone. The room suddenly felt too small, too dark. I couldn't breathe.
The rain. The headlights. The car that didn't swerve. It wasn't an accident.
Someone had wanted me dead. Someone still did. I stumbled out of bed and toward Cassian's office. The door was slightly open, light still spilling out. He was standing by the window, looking out at the city.
"Cassian." My voice came out strangled.
He turned immediately, and whatever he saw on my face made him cross the room in three strides.
"What happened?"
I held out the phone with trembling hands.
He read the message, and his expression went cold. Not surprised. Cold.
"You knew," I whispered. "You knew it wasn't an accident."
He met my eyes. "I suspected."
"Suspected?" My voice rose. "Someone tried to kill me, and you suspected?"
"I didn't have proof. I still don't." He handed back my phone. "But yes, I always thought your accident seemed convenient. Too clean. Too perfectly timed."
"When?" I demanded. "When did this happen? In my other life, when did I die?"
"I don't know what you mean by another life." His voice was careful. "But three years from now, you were hit by a car. The driver was never found. The police ruled it an accident."
Three years from now. Just like I remembered.
"It wasn't an accident," I said, my voice breaking. "Someone arranged it. Someone wanted me gone."
"I know." Cassian's jaw tightened. "And now they know you're still a threat."
The full weight of it crashed over me. This wasn't just about escaping the Ashbournes anymore. This wasn't just about revenge or freedom.
This was about staying alive.
"We need to change strategy," Cassian said, already moving back to his desk. "No more quiet moves. No more operating in the shadows. If someone wants you dead, we make you too visible to kill."
"What does that mean?"
He looked at me with something fierce in his eyes. "It means we go public. Fully. Completely. We make you untouchable."
The next three days were a blur. The Ashbournes struck first. I watched the news reports from Cassian's apartment, my stomach churning with each new headline.
"Former Ashbourne Daughter Suffers Mental Breakdown"
"Sources Close to Family Reveal Years of Instability"
"Jealousy Over True Heiress Led to Public Outburst, Family Claims"
Maribel gave a tearful interview, dabbing at her eyes with a silk handkerchief.
"We tried so hard to help Elowen," she said, her voice trembling. "But after Seraphine came home, Elowen became obsessed with the idea that we loved Seraphine more. We got her therapy, medication, but nothing worked."
"Liar," I hissed at the screen.
Garrick appeared on a financial news program, looking grave and concerned.
"Elowen made serious accusations at a private family event," he said. "Unfortunately, these delusions are part of her ongoing mental health crisis. We're doing everything we can to get her the help she needs."
Even Rowan released a statement through his lawyer, expressing concern for my wellbeing and hope that I'd accept treatment.
They were painting me as crazy. Unstable. Dangerous.
"It's working," I said hollowly, watching my social media mentions explode with speculation and judgment. "People believe them."
"Not for long." Cassian was on his phone, typing rapidly. "Trust me."
Two days later, he told me to get dressed.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"The Sterling Foundation Gala. One of the biggest charity events of the year." He was already in a tuxedo, looking impossibly elegant. "Every major player in the city will be there. Including your former family."
My heart stopped. "You want me to face them? Publicly?"
"I want you to stand beside me while I introduce you as my partner." His eyes were steady on mine. "I want the world to see that Cassian Valecrest doesn't align himself with unstable, delusional people. I want them to question everything the Ashbournes said."
"And if it backfires?"
"It won't." He offered his hand. "Do you trust me?"
I looked at his hand for a long moment. Then I took it.
"Yes."
The gala was everything I expected. Glittering. Excessive. Full of people who had too much money and not enough conscience.
I wore a dress Cassian had sent for me. Midnight blue, elegant, nothing like the soft pastels Maribel had always forced on me. I looked older. Stronger. I looked like someone who belonged here. The whispers started the moment we walked in.
"Is that Elowen Ashbourne?"
"I thought she was in a mental facility."
"What is she doing with Cassian Valecrest?"
Cassian kept his hand on the small of my back, steady and sure. We moved through the crowd like we owned it.
Then I saw them.
The Ashbournes, clustered near the main stage. Garrick in his expensive suit. Maribel dripping in diamonds. Rowan looked uncomfortable. And Seraphine, beautiful as always, wearing white like she was the bride at someone else's wedding.
They saw us at the same moment.
Maribel's face went white. Garrick's expression darkened. Rowan took a step forward, then stopped. Seraphine just smiled.
The master of ceremonies called for attention. The crowd quieted.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special announcement tonight from one of our most generous donors, Cassian Valecrest."
Cassian squeezed my hand once, then stepped up to the microphone.
The room held its breath.
"Thank you all for coming tonight," he began, his voice carrying effortlessly across the space. "I want to introduce someone very important to me. My partner, Elowen Ashbourne."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Partner?" someone whispered loudly.
Cassian continued, unfazed. "Many of you have heard stories this week. Stories about instability, delusions, mental breakdowns." He paused. "I'm here to tell you those stories are lies."
Maribel made a choked sound.
"Elowen is one of the most intelligent, capable people I've ever met. She's survived years of manipulation and abuse with grace and strength. And now, she's choosing to fight back. I'm honored to stand beside her."
He looked directly at the Ashbournes.
"Anyone who has a problem with that can take it up with me."
The room erupted. Cameras flashed. Reporters surged forward. Social media exploded in real time.
I stood frozen, overwhelmed by the sudden shift. One moment I was being painted as crazy. The next, Cassian Valecr
est, one of the most powerful men in the city, was claiming me publicly.
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