286 - Ella Carter

286 - Ella Carter
Ella Carter

The Chicago sky was covered by thick clouds that morning, mirroring the weight I felt as I returned to routine after days of celebration and love. We had just left the Walker headquarters, and Bear, always alert, was accompanying me to college. His eyes scanned the parking lot, analyzing every movement, every face that passed by our car.

My thoughts were still on the conversation I had with my grandfather. They know practically nothing about the business the Carter family is involved in. Maybe they’re aware of a few of the legal ventures, but knowing that over sixty percent of my husband’s family’s business is illegal, my choice became necessary.

I love my family, and I know they all imagined I would take my father’s place and, at some point, be here in Chicago to carry the company forward, or perhaps even in Paris alongside my brothers.

But the right thing to do is to distance myself and hope that nothing ever happens, and the mess doesn't fall on my family.

As I stepped out of the vehicle, the cold wind cut across my face, snapping me back to reality. I was ready to face another day at college with Lessie, or at least I thought I was.

"Miss Walker?" a familiar voice caught my attention.

I turned and saw the veterinarian who had treated Perninha months ago. I stopped, curious about what she wanted from me. The fact that she had referred to me as 'Miss' bothered me deeply.

Especially knowing that my parents and in-laws had asked the PR teams of both families to release a public note about our wedding on that Paradise Island. That irritated me, and noticing that with each step she came closer with an ironic smile on her lips, I understood she wanted to throw me off balance.

"I don’t understand how Leon could be taken with a girl who clearly doesn’t know how to please a man," she said with disdain.

Bear stepped forward, placing himself between us.

"I suggest you back off..." his voice was firm but controlled.

The woman laughed, ignoring the warning.

"Bitches like you think they can have it all just because they have an important last name."

I felt my blood boil. The training sessions with my mother-in-law Laís and even Helena were not just physical; they had taught me to control my emotions, to channel my energy, and to confront anyone who believed I wasn’t capable or worthy of fulfilling what my husband expected from me.

Without a second thought, I stepped forward and landed a quick punch to her face. She fell to the ground, surprised by my reaction and even more humiliated.

"Never speak to me like that again," I said, my voice firm and unwavering.

I lifted my chin and slowly approached her until I crouched down in front of her. I could see the anger in her eyes.

"My name is Ella Walker Carter. If you ever cross paths with us again, change your route, or you won’t live to see another day. Are we clear?" I asked, completely unfazed by everything happening around us.

Bear was watching me, surprised, but with a spark of approval in his eyes.

"Come on, Ella. You’ve got a class to attend!" he said, offering me his arm.

As we walked toward the college building, I felt a new kind of strength rising within me. It wasn’t just physical strength, which was improving by the day, but the certainty of who I was and what I meant to the people around me.

At that moment, in the college parking lot, I stopped being just the Walker heiress or Leon’s wife and became Ella Carter, a woman who refuses to be diminished by anyone.

And that was only the first of many battles I was ready to face.

Class had already started when I entered the room, adrenaline still coursing through my body. My hands were trembling, but my expression remained unshaken. The door closed behind me with a soft click, and all eyes briefly turned to me before going back to their notes. All except one. Lessie.

She was sitting in her usual spot near the window, her long red hair pulled back in a rushed bun. Her eyes met mine and lingered a little longer than usual. There was something in them, a shadow, maybe even exhaustion. But there was also relief. As if, somehow, she already knew what had happened, even before I said a word.

I approached and sat beside her.

"I need to tell you something," I whispered, still breathless. "Just now, in the parking lot."

She raised an eyebrow, keeping her eyes on the professor in front of us.

"Tell me after class," she replied in a gentle but firm tone. Something that didn’t match the restless glimmer in her eyes.

But I needed to speak. It wasn’t about ego. It was about liberation. And about showing her, my friend, that I was changing.

I leaned in a little closer and spoke softly, almost like a secret:

"She challenged me. That woman from the clinic insinuated that I was just a shadow, that I wasn’t worthy of being with Leon. I looked her in the eye. And I fought back."

Lessie slowly turned her head, her eyes so light they sometimes looked like liquid silver. She stared at me more attentively, not with surprise, but with pride, and maybe a little sadness. Both emotions danced silently between her lashes.

"You stood up to her?" she asked, still whispering.

"Yes. And I don’t regret it." I took a deep breath. "But there’s something different about you today. What is it?"

She blinked, looking away, turning back to the professor as if he had suddenly said something very interesting, which we both knew wasn’t the case.

"I’m fine, Ella."

"Lessie, you’re not. I know you. What happened?"

She shook her head, a faint smile forming on her lips, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

"We’ll talk later. I promise."

The class dragged on. My thoughts were torn between what I had done and what I had seen in Lessie. When the professor finally dismissed us, she quickly left the room, saying she had something to take care of on campus.

I stood there for a few seconds, feeling the bitter weight of losing something important. Or worse, someone important.

Night fell, and I returned to the apartment, feeling the burden of the entire day on my shoulders. I had barely closed the door when I saw Leon leaning against the kitchen counter with a small smile full of pride.

"I heard there was a little scene in the parking lot today..." he said, his eyes locked on me.

I let out a sigh and dropped my bag on the couch as I walked toward Perninha, who came running to me, while Lola was lying at Leon’s feet, both of them watching me closely.

"It was inevitable. I had to show that bitch who I am, Leon. I swear it was more for me than anything else," I said, feeling incredibly proud of myself.

He came closer, wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and pulled me in.

"I’m not just proud because you punched someone..." he said, his voice low, almost a whisper against my hair. "I’m proud because you did it while keeping your integrity. You stood up and showed that you’re becoming exactly who you’re meant to be."

I buried my face in his chest, absorbing the calm he gave me. But even there, in the warmth of our home, my heart was unsettled.

"Leon, I’m worried about Lessie."

"She doesn’t seem well?" he asked, gently pulling back to look into my eyes.

"No. And she’s shutting down. We’ve always been honest with each other. She’s Gavin’s future wife, right? She can’t carry a burden like that alone."

He ran his fingers through my hair, with a tenderness only someone who knows the depths of my soul could offer.

"Maybe she just needs time. Or maybe she needs you to push a little harder."

"I will. Because she’s more than a friend, she’s part of my family. And something inside me says that whatever she’s going through... it’s big. And it could change everything."

Leon looked at me seriously, his blue eyes diving into mine.

"Then promise me you won’t leave her alone, even when she says she wants to be."

I nodded. Because I already knew, Lessie was hiding a secret. And I wouldn’t rest until I found out what it was.