Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Bianca opened her eyes slowly, her lips curling into a faint, bittersweet smile. She looked around the dimly lit room, her gaze settling on Elisa, who stood nearby with arms crossed, her expression soft but firm.
“Is everything settled?” Bianca’s voice was calm, though her tone carried an undercurrent of exhaustion.
Elisa nodded, her sharp features relaxing slightly. “Yes. Everything went as planned. Erick’s too sharp for his own good–I was worried he might notice something was off. Thankfully, the lifelike replica of you fooled him completely. It’s already on its way to the crematorium and the funeral arrangements are underway.”
Bianca rose from the bed, her movements slow and deliberate. The faint ache in her chest served as a reminder of how close she’d come to losing herself entirely. Without Elisa’s intervention, her escape
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from Erick would have been impossible.
“Thank you, Elisa,” she said, stepping forward and embracing her best friend tightly. “I can never repay you for this.”
Elisa returned the hug, a chuckle escaping her lips. “You’re my best friend. There’s no need for thanks. I’d do it all over again for you.” Pulling back slightly, she added with a teasing smirk, “By the way, Erick fainted at the hospital from grief. If you want to change your mind, now’s your chance.”
Bianca shook her head firmly, her expression resolute. “No. From the moment I saw those photos and learned the truth, there was no going back.”
Her voice faltered briefly as memories of the past five years with Erick surfaced–the love, the betrayal, the heartbreak. But the sharp edges of those memories had dulled, leaving only a faint ache in their wake.
Elisa reached for a folder on a nearby table
and handed it to Bianca. “This contains
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your new identity. You chose the name yourself Aubree Stanton. It suits you.”
Bianca accepted the folder, her fingers tracing the embossed name on the cover. With a deep breath, she looked up and met Elisa’s gaze. “Goodbye, Elisa. Take care of yourself.”
Elisa gave her a reassuring smile. “You too.
And don’t
everything
about the evidence-
gave me will be put to good
use. The West Family won’t recover from this.”
Bianca’s lips quirked into a faint smile. She knew Elisa’s rivalry with the Wests ran deep and her best friend wouldn’t waste an
opportunity to strike. With a nod of gratitude, Bianca turned toward the door.
As she stepped outside, the cool night air greeted her, carrying with it the scent of rain–soaked earth. A sleek black car was parked a short distance away and standing beside it was a man.
Chapter 16
Bianca stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing slightly as she observed him. He was tall, with a commanding presence that made the shadows around him seem
insignificant. His sharp features were illuminated by the faint glow of a
streetlamp and his dark eyes held a quiet intensity.
She glanced back at Elisa, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Who is that?”
Elisa sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “He’s the bodyguard I arranged for you. Do you think I’d let you travel alone after everything that’s happened?”
Bianca hesitated, her instincts telling her that this man was no ordinary bodyguard. His stance and demeanor spoke of someone accustomed to authority, not subservience.
“You don’t trust me?” Elisa teased, noticing Bianca’s wary expression. “He’s the best. Besides, you’ll need someone capable of handling trouble if it comes your way.”
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Realizing that arguing would be futile, Bianca nodded and approached the car. The bodyguard opened the door for her without a word, his movements precise
and deliberate.
***
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Erick’s eyes flew open as he gasped for air.
“Bianca!” he shouted, bolting upright.
His heart raced as he glanced around, the sterile white walls of the hospital room coming into focus. Disoriented, he stumbled out of the bed, clutching his head as fragmented memories rushed back.
“Mr. West!” a nurse called, hurrying into the room. “You’re awake! Miss Lawson has already taken your wife’s body to be cremated.”
Erick froze, his blood turning cold. “What did you say?”
The nurse hesitated, alarmed by the
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ferocity in his eyes. “The crematorium… They’ve already taken her.”
Without another word, Erick shoved past
his
the nurse and sprinted out of the room, mind consumed by a singular thought, he had to stop them.
The drive to the crematorium felt like an eternity. Rain began to fall, pelting the windshield as the wipers struggled to keep up. Erick’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel, his foot pressing the accelerator to the floor.
When he finally arrived, he threw the car door open and ran inside, his clothes soaked through. His heart sank as he
spotted Elisa standing near the incinerator, her arms crossed, her expression
unreadable.
“Elisa!” he roared, his voice echoing through the chamber.
She turned slowly, her icy gaze meeting his. “Mr. West, you’re not welcome here.”
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Ignoring her, Erick’s eyes darted toward the incinerator, where the staff was preparing
to retrieve the ashes. His breath hitched, his chest heaving as he took a shaky step
forward.
“Elisa,” he rasped, his voice breaking. “Who gave you the right to cremate Bianca without my permission?”
Elisa didn’t flinch. “She entrusted her posthumous matters to me. Not you.”
Erick’s fists clenched at his sides, his body trembling with rage. “She’s my wife!”
Elisa’s laugh was cold and sharp. “Was your wife. Or did you forget? You divorced her, Erick. You betrayed her. And now, you want to play the grieving husband? Spare me.”
The incinerator door creaked open and a staff member carefully removed a black wooden urn. Erick’s vision blurred as tears. welled in his eyes, but he forced himself forward, reaching for the urn.
“Bianca,” he whispered, his voice raw. “I’m
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taking you home.”
But Elisa stepped in his path, her gaze like steel. “Home? She never had a home with you. And you? You have no right to her anymore.”
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