Chapter 8
The bedroom door creaked open, then softly closed again. Eleanor knew it was her mother and Kane leaving.
Not long after, a servant tiptoed into the room and called her name. When she didn’t respond, the servant hesitated for a moment before gently pulling back the covers to tend to the wounds on Eleanor’s arm. Eleanor was aware that Selene and Kane had instructed the servants to do this. She no longer naively believed they did it out of genuine concern. They only cared because they needed her body to remain a viable donor for Lillian.
In the following days, the villa buzzed with activity. Even behind closed doors, Eleanor could clearly hear the preparations for Kane and Lillian’s wedding.
The day before the wedding, Lillian, glowing in her pure white bridal gown, opened Eleanor’s door with a flourish. Around her neck hung the rare “Tears of the Mermaid” necklace, and her fingers sparkled with a large diamond ring. She looked like a fairy–tale princess. Her eyes were brimming with joy, though at the very depths there was an undeniable hint of provocation.
“Ellie, you’re my sister, so I just had to come and get your opinion. Do I look stunning or what?” she asked with a smirk.
She paused briefly before continuing, “Oh, and I want you to be my bridesmaid tomorrow. If you don’t show up, people might start talking. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that, right?”
As she spoke, she glanced at Kane for support. Kane, understanding her cue, chimed in, “Ellie, do the right thing. Don’t upset Lillian.”
Eleanor’s lips twitched in a bitter smile. The pain was almost unbearable. Yet she responded softly, “I understand.”
What they didn’t know was that Eleanor would never be able to be the bridesmaid at their wedding because tomorrow would be her last day alive.
Seeing Eleanor staring vacantly out the window, looking utterly exhausted and devoid of interest, Lillian seemed satisfied, having achieved her purpose, and left the room.
Kane looked at Eleanor, prepared to leave, but paused when she quietly said, “Kane, every word I ever said to you was true.”
This included her explanations when Lillian slandered her and the promise that if she died, so would Kane.
Kane hesitated, pondering her words, but dismissed them as her final futile attempt to plead her case. He left without a word, closing the door behind him.
As night fell, Eleanor sat alone in the yard, quietly absorbing the darkness as if she wanted to imprint her last night on earth deeply into her heart.
A faint “meow” interrupted her thoughts. Looking around, she saw a small orange kitten that had fallen into a drain, its leg bleeding but still valiantly struggling to climb out.
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Chapter 8
Perhaps the kitten’s tenacity touched a tender place in Eleanor’s heart, or maybe she felt a kinship with its plight. Ignoring the foul water, she reached in to help.
The kitten, seemingly understanding her intention, clambered into her hand. Though she was the one rescuing it, Eleanor found her eyes filling with tears.
“Who would have thought that in the end, only this little stray kitten believes in me,” she whispered.
She brought the kitten inside, carefully cleaned its wound, and ordered a large supply of cat food online. After settling the kitten in, she gazed at it lovingly, as if seeing her own life continued in its tiny form.
“Kitten, I’m leaving this world tomorrow. Thank you for giving me one last touch of kindness. You must live well for the both of us.”
The kitten looked at her with wide, intelligent eyes and let out a gentle “meow,” as if it
understood.
The next day, when Kane came to fetch Eleanor, he was relieved to see her up and getting ready in front of the mirror. His long–standing anxiety eased a bit. He approached her with a soft gaze, saying, “Ellie, you look beautiful. I’ll see you at the wedding.”
Eleanor remained calm, applying lipstick while watching him carry his bride, Lillian, out of the room step by step. She didn’t say that she was actually applying makeup for her own funeral. There was no way she would attend the wedding.
An hour later, at the wedding venue, guests who were aware of the tangled past between Kane and Eleanor couldn’t help but gossip despite being there to celebrate Kane and Lillian’s union.
Selene also heard the whispers and her face paled, then flushed with anger, though she forced a smile. She scanned the crowd for Eleanor but couldn’t find her, biting her lip in frustration.
“Is that girl deliberately not showing up just to spite Lillian?” she hissed. “I’ll deal with her after the wedding!”
She tried calling Eleanor, but couldn’t get through, so she hurried over to Kane, whispering urgently, “Call Eleanor and make sure she gets here in ten minutes! If she doesn’t come, she can forget about being part of the family!”
Kane, feeling a mix of irritation and concern, held Lillian’s hand to reassure her as he pulled out his phone. Just as he was about to dial, an unfamiliar number came through.
Something in his gut twisted with unease as he answered the call. On the other end came a heavy, solemn voice.
“Is this Mr. Kane? This is the city hospital. I’m sorry to inform you that Miss Eleanor has passed away. Her body is in the morgue. Please come to handle the arrangements.”
