Chapter 16

Eleanor opened her mouth to respond, but before she could utter a word, Alexis yanked her hair back hard.

"Aaah!" Eleanor cried out in pain, glaring at Alexis.

Alexis unconvincingly donned her sweetest smile. "Oh, I'm so sorry, did I pull too hard? I was only trying to fix your…"

Before Eleanor could fire back, Eric interjected, his tone dripping with sycophantic charm. "Ms. Foster, you're being way too dramatic. You've been in a wheelchair for so long—how strong could your grip possibly be?"

"But," Alexis replied in a concerned, unconvincing tone, "I think I might have hurt her."

Eric shot Eleanor a scornful glance and sneered, "Ms. Keeit, you know how she is. She loves playing the victim. Why waste your energy worrying?"

Eleanor turned her icy gaze to Eric and retorted, "And who asked for your opinion, Eric? You think you have permission?"

Eric's grin faltered, his face falling into awkward silence.

Nis—gave Eleanor a cautious look and said, "Eleanor, be nice. Eric has been with our family for years—he's practically part of it. He's older than you too. Shouldn't you show him a little respect?"

Eleanor let out a cold laugh. "Respect? Some people earn it, and some don't deserve even an ounce." She glanced at Alexis. "Alexis, don't pretend you actually respect him. We both know you just treat him like a loyal dog who cleans your birdcage."

The room fell deathly quiet. Alexis stiffened, her fake smile wavering for a split second before she recovered. "You're so cynical, Eleanor," she said with a forced sigh. "Do you think there's not a single good person in the Reed family?"

Eric turned ghostly pale, the sting of her words cutting deeper than he cared to admit.

Eleanor snorted, too tired to give the question a real answer. She thought, Don't you know the answer? There's no need to spell it out.

With another exaggerated sigh, Alexis adjusted her tone to sound heartbreakingly sorrowful. "It's such a shame, Eleanor. The misunderstandings between us are so deep. And now that you're getting married, I guess there's no chance of us ever clearing the air, right?"

Despite her pitiful act, the glee in her voice was impossible to miss. Eleanor's fists clenched, her anger simmering beneath the surface.

The maids stepped in and began their work, applying cheap makeup to Eleanor's face. When they were finished, Alexis wheeled closer, holding up a mirror with a falsely admiring smile. "Wow, Eleanor. Look how stunning you are. Don't you think you look beautiful?"

Eleanor glanced at her reflection and fought back a laugh. Her face looked like a mess. The blush was garishly heavy, plastered like clownish splotches on her cheeks, and her skin looked rough and uneven due to the low-quality products.

Eleanor finally spoke, her tone laced with mockery. "Alexis, this is your big play! You think making me look like this on my wedding day will make me despair?"

Alexis feigned shock, her eyes widening dramatically. "How could you think that? You've got it all wrong, I swear!"

Eleanor rolled her eyes and turned away, ignoring Alexis's insincere apologies. Eleanor sorely felt disappointed, and it wasn't just the makeup. Whatever Alexis thought she could achieve with this, it couldn't compare to the despair Eleanor felt at being forced into this marriage.

Alexis paused, though her smile quickly returned. "Well, no point dwelling on it. Let's get moving, shall we? We don't want to be late for your big day."

Eleanor didn't trust them, and the guards and maids hustled her out of the cramped attic room and down the stairs.

The so-called "wedding" Dominick had planned was nothing short of an insult. There was no grand ceremony, no celebration, no pretense of propriety. Instead, the Reed family had thrown together a small meal in the dining room. Eleanor was dragged downstairs and saw the man she was supposed to marry. He stood stiffly in a cheap white suit, his face plain, but his slanting eyes betrayed a sly, calculating glint.

The sight of him made Eleanor's stomach churn. This was her first glimpse of Dominick's choice, and it hit her like a bucket of cold water. Dominick knew her too well—he'd found the kind of man she despised most. This wasn't a marriage, but a punishment.

Well, Eleanor scoffed inwardly, to get revenge on Alexis, he wants me to marry such a man.

Gregory and Jennifer were already waiting in the living room, their patience clearly frayed. The moment they saw Eleanor, both visibly relaxed.

Jennifer's eyes swept over Eleanor's garish makeup and deliberately ruined face. A small, satisfied smile played on her lips. Gregory wasted no time barking orders.

"Alright, enough stalling. Let's get this over with. The wedding starts now," he said impatiently.

"What's the rush?" Eleanor shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Can't wait to see me gone, huh?"

"Exactly," Gregory sneered. "Do you think we want you hanging around the Reed family any longer? Eleanor, if you had even an ounce of self-respect, you'd have left ages ago instead of being the disgrace you are."

Eleanor let out a dry laugh. "Do you honestly think I want to stay here?"

"You–!" Gregory stepped forward, hand raised to slap her.

"Honey, stop it," Jennifer said softly, stepping between them with her usual feigned gentleness. "Don't lose your temper on the big day." Gregory gritted his teeth, barely containing his anger. He jabbed a finger at Eleanor and growled, "If it weren't for Jennifer, you'd meet your demise today."

"Oh, really?" Eleanor scoffed, unimpressed. "Do you even have the guts for that? Or the authority? Don't forget this whole wedding was Dominick's idea."

Gregory's retort died in his throat. He grimaced and snorted. "Since you know this is Dominick's decision, stop deluding yourself. You'll never have what doesn't belong to you."

Eleanor's eyes narrowed, her voice equally frosty. "Don't worry, I only take what's mine. I don't give a shit about touching anything that doesn't belong to me."

The implication was clear: whatever belonged to her would be reclaimed.

Gregory's brow furrowed. Her words felt pointed, layered with a threat he couldn't quite decipher. But he was too eager to be rid of her to dwell on it.

Clearing his throat, Gregory snapped, "Enough talking. Now I declare the wedding officially started."

The band struck up a painfully off-key rendition of the wedding march. Eleanor, dressed in a faded, secondhand wedding gown, was shoved forward by the flanking guards. She trudged toward the groom, her steps heavy with despair.

She'd barely made it halfway when a cold, unmistakable voice cut through the room. "Oh, looks like I'm late."

Everyone turned their heads toward the door. Alexis's eyes lit up as she wheeled herself toward Dominick. "Hi, Nick, you finally made it!"

Dominick stepped into the room, his gaze sweeping over the scene with barely concealed contempt. He glanced briefly at Alexis and replied, Alexis’s smile grew syrupy, and she asked, “You came to see Eleanor off, didn’t you?”

A flicker of disgust flashed across his face. "See her off? She isn't that important to me."