8
Waking up the next day, as I went downstairs for breakfast, hushed whispers carried news from afar. The Hayes family’s fortunes had plummeted overnight. It didn’t take a genius to know Julian was behind it.
But what did it have to do with me? I no longer considered myself a Hayes. Even if the Hayes family’s assets were seized, it wouldn’t concern me. I knew this was Julian’s tactic to force me back. But I wouldn’t go.
Henry sent me a letter through someone, inviting me to go sightseeing in half an hour. But the familiar envelope filled me with a flicker of confusion. I sat up straigh- ter. I stared at the letter for a long time, then laughed. This was Blackwood family stationery. No wonder,
Logically, given Julian’s personality, he wouldn’t have let me leave with the boy last night. He would have simply abducted me. No wonder Henry claimed to be “sav- ing for college” but wore a golden, jade–inlaid watch on his wrist.
it turned out… Julian had personally sent his cousin–a cousin I’d never even met. Was he monitoring me?
As I pondered, the bullet comments lit up:
So this stranger is his cousin, damn, he wasn’t in the original story, was he?]
Julian’s so conflicted right now: he wants his cousin to spy on Ellie, but he’s terrified she’ll actually get involved with him.]
Julian was genuinely furious last night, haha. Even knowing it was his cousin, he totally lost it. He just melts down whenever there’s another guy near Ellie!]
[The cousin will drug Ellie’s coffee later, and Julian will swoop in to save her, making her fall deeply in love!]
Me: ?
A knock sounded at the door. I opened it to find Henry, a beaming smile on his face. “Good morning, Eleanor!” He held up a breakfast basket. “I was afraid you wou- Idn’t like the local breakfast, so I brought you some I made myself.”
I took the basket, smiling. “Thank you.” I stepped aside, letting him enter and sit.
A moment later, a stranger called him out. He followed, looking bewildered, only for the man to claim he’d mistaken him for someone else.
