Chapter 76: Veil of Deceptions
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Felicia’s knees felt weak, her mind spinning as the figure from her past stepped closer, his boots crunching softly against the gravel. The firelight illuminated his face—a face she hadn’t seen since she was barely more than a girl.
“Elliot,” she whispered, the name trembling on her lips like a ghost come to haunt her.
Nelson’s grip on his sword tightened, his gaze darting between Felicia and the man she had just named. “You know him?”
Elliot’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Oh, she knows me quite well.” His voice was rich and smooth, carrying the faintest hint of bitterness. “Though, it seems you’ve traded one gilded cage for another, Felicia.”
Nelson’s eyes darkened, his jaw clenching. “I suggest you tread carefully.”
Felicia found her voice, though it was laced with unease. “What are you doing here, Elliot? The last I heard, you had fled the continent.”
Elliot chuckled, a low, almost mocking sound. “Fled? Is that what you were told? No, my dear, I was *banished*—a consequence of a deal gone sour, thanks to your father.”
The mention of her father sent a pang of discomfort through her, but she held her ground. “That was years ago. Whatever happened between you and my family is in the past.”
“Not for me,” Elliot said, his voice hardening. He turned to Nelson, his expression inscrutable. “And I assume this is the husband I’ve been hearing so much about? The infamous Nelson Bianchi.”
Nelson stepped protectively closer to Felicia, his eyes locked on Elliot. “You heard right. And I’m not one for reunions, so if you have something to say, make it quick.”
Elliot’s gaze lingered on Felicia, his expression softening for a moment before turning steely. “I came here for her. Not for war, not for bloodshed—just her.”
The air between them grew heavy, charged with tension that had nothing to do with the battle outside the gates.
Felicia’s heart thundered in her chest. “What are you talking about?”
Elliot’s lips curled into a wry smile. “You don’t know, do you? Your father didn’t tell you everything.”
Nelson’s patience snapped. “Enough of this cryptic nonsense,” he growled. “If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, you can leave the way you came.”
Elliot tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “Very well. I’ll make it simple. Felicia’s father owed me a great deal more than money. And as collateral, he promised me something far more valuable.”
Felicia’s stomach sank, dread pooling in her veins. “No,” she breathed, shaking her head. “He wouldn’t—”
“Oh, but he did,” Elliot said sharply, cutting her off. “You, Felicia. He promised me *you.*”
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The words hung in the air like a noose, suffocating in their weight. Felicia felt her knees threatening to buckle, but Nelson’s hand on her arm steadied her.
“This is absurd,” Nelson spat, his voice like steel. “She’s not property to be bargained for or traded.”
Elliot’s gaze flicked at Nelson, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. “And yet, here she is—sold to you to pay off another of her father’s debts. Tell me, does that make you any different from me?”
Felicia’s breath hitched, the accusation cutting deeper than she expected. She turned to Nelson, her voice trembling. “This isn’t true, is it?”
Nelson looked at her, his expression unreadable. “Felicia—”
“Answer me!” she demanded, her voice rising.
He hesitated, just long enough for doubt to creep into her mind.
Elliot seized the moment, his voice smooth and insidious. “He knew, didn’t he? He knew exactly what your father had done, but it didn’t matter to him. He saw an opportunity and took it.”
“Stop,” Nelson barked, his eyes blazing. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” Elliot countered, his tone mocking. “I know the kind of man you are, Bianchi. You build empires on the backs of the broken, disguising it as benevolence. But the truth? You’re just as ruthless as the rest of us.”
Felicia took a step back, her mind spinning with confusion and anger. “Is that true, Nelson? Did you know?”
Nelson’s face softened, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed him. “I didn’t know about Elliot,” he admitted. “But yes, I knew your father’s debts extended beyond money. I didn’t want to tell you—I didn’t want to hurt you.”
Felicia’s heart ached at his words, but it wasn’t enough to quell the storm brewing inside her. “So you *did* see me as part of the deal,” she said quietly, her voice laced with hurt.
“No,” Nelson said firmly, stepping closer to her. “You’re my wife, Felicia. Not because of some deal, but because I chose you. Because I love you.”
The words hung between them, raw and vulnerable. But Felicia’s mind was too clouded to fully grasp them.
“You can’t trust him,” Elliot said, his voice a low murmur that seemed to slither into her thoughts. “He’s no different from your father. They both saw you as a pawn.”
“That’s enough!” Nelson snapped, his hand moving to his sword.
Elliot raised his hands in mock surrender, a smirk playing at his lips. “Touchy, aren’t we?”
Felicia’s voice cut through the tension. “Both of you, stop.” She looked between them, her gaze hard and unyielding. “I am not a prize to be won or a pawn to be used. I decide my fate.”
Elliot’s expression softened, but his eyes remained sharp. “Then decide, Felicia. Come with me. Let me give you the freedom you’ve always deserved.”
Nelson’s jaw tightened. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”
“Let her speak,” Elliot said, his voice calm but commanding. “It’s her choice, isn’t it?”
Felicia’s chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath. The weight of their gazes, the echoes of Elliot’s words, and the truth Nelson had withheld—it was all too much.
“I need time,” she said finally, her voice trembling but resolute. “I can’t make this decision now.”
Nelson’s eyes softened, but there was a flicker of pain in them. “Take all the time you need,” he said, his voice low.
Elliot stepped back, a satisfied smile on his face. “I’ll be waiting, Felicia.”
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That night, Felicia sat alone in the garden, the cool breeze doing little to calm her racing thoughts. Nelson had given her space, though she knew it must have cost him dearly.
Her hands drifted to her abdomen, where the faintest swell of her pregnancy had begun to show. The life growing inside her was a reminder of the love she and Nelson shared, but it also complicated everything.
She wanted to believe him—to believe that he truly loved her, that their marriage wasn’t built on a foundation of lies and transactions. But Elliot’s words had planted a seed of doubt, one that was growing faster than she could control.
The sound of footsteps pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Nelson standing a few feet away, his expression guarded but hopeful.
“May I?” he asked, gesturing to the bench beside her.
She nodded, and he sat down, the silence stretching between them like a chasm.
“I know you’re angry,” he said softly, breaking the silence. “And you have every right to be. But I need you to know that I didn’t marry you out of obligation or convenience. I married you because I couldn’t imagine my life without you.”
Felicia swallowed hard, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. “But you kept the truth from me. How can I trust you, Nelson?”
He looked down, his hands clasped tightly together. “I kept it from you because I was afraid. Afraid that if you knew, you’d see me the way you’re seeing me now—as someone no different from the man who hurt you.”
Her heart ached at the raw vulnerability in his voice. She wanted to reach for him, to comfort him, but the wound was still too fresh.
Before she could respond, a rustling sound from the shadows made them both freeze. Nelson was on his feet in an instant, his hand on his sword.
“Who’s there?” he demanded, his voice cold and sharp.
A figure stepped into the light, his face obscured by a hood.
“Forgive the intrusion,” the stranger said, his voice low and gravelly. “But I bring a message. One that cannot wait.”
Felicia’s blood ran cold as the figure pulled a dagger from his cloak—not to attack, but to offer. The blade glinted in the moonlight, its hilt engraved with a symbol she didn’t recognize.
“What is this?” Nelson asked, his tone laced with suspicion.
The stranger’s hood fell back, revealing
A face lined with scars and eyes that burned with intensity.
“It’s a warning,” they said, their gaze locking onto Felicia. “For her.”
Felicia’s breath hitched. “What do you mean?”
The stranger’s eyes darkened. “Your past is catching up with you, Lady Bianchi. And it won’t be long before it consumes you.”
Before she could ask what they meant, the stranger vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only the dagger and a sense of foreboding that clawed at her chest...
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