Chapter 14

As Alexis snapped back to reality, her expression turned gloomy. She wheeled herself back to the villa and stopped outside Eleanor’s room. The locked door brought a cold smirk to her lips.

Gregory was also pacing outside, fuming. Seeing Alexis return, he hurried over. “Alexis, Dominick didn’t lose his temper over that wretch, did he?”

“Not at all,” Alexis replied casually. “Why would Dominick be upset? You know how close we are, Dad.”

“Of course, sweetie. I’m so proud of you,” Gregory beamed, nodding eagerly. “You’re nothing like that disgrace. All she does is make Dominick angry. Honestly, she’s better off dead.”

Inside the room, Eleanor bit her lip and trembled. Even knowing Dominick had abandoned her, hearing Alexis flaunt it was deeply disgusting.

Outside, Jennifer sharply admonished Gregory. “Enough, Gregory. Watch your mouth.”

“Well, well,” Gregory said, attempting to smooth things over. “Alexis, have some rest. Who knows, Dominick might want to see you tomorrow.”

Alexis put on a sweet smile and replied, “Dad, my own affairs can wait. Eleanor’s situation is far more important.”

Gregory frowned. “Didn’t Dominick already arrange everything? What else is there to worry about?”

“That’s precisely why it’s important,” Alexis replied, her lips curling into a sly smile. “Since Dominick personally set this up, we need to make sure everything goes perfectly. Imagine if he found out…”

“Ah, you do make a point,” Gregory said, nodding. “So, what’s your plan?”

“What else can we do?” Alexis’s smile turned syrupy sweet. “Since Dominick has made his decision, it’s clearly for the best. As for the next steps, we’ll just follow his timeline and make sure Eleanor goes through with the wedding.”

“Fair enough,” Gregory grunted, though a trace of doubt lingered. “But do we just sit around doing nothing for the next few days?”

Alexis chewed on her lip, then said, “Actually, Dad, I’m not sure doing nothing is a good idea. You know Eleanor’s temper. What if she tries to resist?”

Gregory’s face immediately clouded with fury. “That ungrateful brat! After all that time in prison, she still can’t be obedient. If I’d known this, I’d have made sure she never walked out alive!”

“Dad, let it go,” Alexis said placatingly. “I’m not holding it against her. She did apologize, after all. But if she doesn’t change her attitude, this marriage will fall apart. We’ll keep an eye on her and make sure she has no chance to resist.”

Gregory frowned. “And how do we keep an eye on her?”

“Oh, it’s simple,” Alexis said, revealing her true intent. “Either we make sure she’s too preoccupied to fight back, or we make it impossible for her to resist.”

Gregory’s eyes narrowed. “Too preoccupied? That’s not going to happen; we know how stubborn she is. But…making it impossible for her to resist? Yup. I guess that might work.”

The two shared a knowing glance, their plan silently agreed upon.

Inside the room, Eleanor had long since stopped paying attention to the conversation outside. Cold, hungry, and utterly drained, she eventually passed out from exhaustion. In her dreams, memories of her past with Dominick flooded her mind.

Truth be told, Dominick had never really been kind to her, even then. To the outside world, it seemed beyond reason. But Eleanor had always felt something was missing from that so-called “affection,” like he adored her and spoiled her. Sure, he’d occasionally listen to her or toss her a teasing remark. There was always an invisible wall between them—especially in public, where his aloofness made him seem untouchable, even to her. Everyone else thought she was the exception, the one he treated with warmth. But Eleanor knew the barrier had always been there, and the fact that he spoiled her didn’t mean he deeply cared for her.

Back then, she’d convinced herself it was just his personality. His coldness was simply who he was. Yet now, seeing how he acted around Alexis—a similar mix of distant politeness and occasional indulgence—Eleanor felt a churning in her stomach. The only difference was that Dominick had never crossed certain lines with Alexis. Everything else? They’d done it all.

The realization jolted her awake. She shot upright and wiped tears from her face before she even realized she’d been crying. A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “Crying? What good would that do? I need to focus on finding a way out of this mess and definitely out of the marriage Dominick has planned for me.”

The entire Reed family was dead set on forcing her into this union. Her only option was escape. Her first instinct was to reach out to Rachel, but she hesitated. That fiasco with the drugging plan had already backfired, and she wasn’t sure if Rachel had been caught in the fallout. Dragging Rachel into this again wasn’t worth the risk. This time, she’d have to rely on herself.

But to escape, she needed strength, and that meant food. Her stomach growled loudly. Frustrated but determined, Eleanor banged on the door and shouted, “Hey! Anyone out there! Bring me some food, or I swear I’ll starve to death in here!”

Eric’s chilling voice answered. “Ms. Reed, I’m afraid there’s no food left for you in this household.”

Eleanor retorted, “Let’s get one thing straight. You’re supposed to keep me alive long enough to marry Dominick’s chosen idiot, not let me die of hunger. Do you think Dominick will be happy if I drop dead before the wedding?”

Eric insisted, “Ms. Reed, it was Mr. Reed himself who gave the order not to bring you anything. If you’ve got complaints, take them up with him. I’m just the messenger.”

A sinking feeling crept up Eleanor’s spine. “Gregory? What the hell is he playing at?”

Eric’s voice darkened. “Mr. Reed said that keeping you well-fed might give you too much time to think. So, to keep you from getting any bright ideas, he decided it’s better if you stay a little hungry.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You guys are unbelievable!” She never expected her real father would devise such a ruthless plan.

Eric remained silent. Eleanor gritted her teeth, realizing arguing was pointless. If she wanted out, she’d have to figure it out on her own.

Pacing the room, she inspected every corner and every possible exit. The door was out of the question; she could hear the guards outside. The windows were boarded up tight. But she refused to let Gregory—or Dominick—dictate her fate.

After what felt like an eternity, she found an overlooked flaw in the room’s defenses.