Chapter 213
The tinted windows of the sleek black car muted the chaos outside, turning the world into a blur of flashing cameras and hungry voices. To the reporters swarming the courthouse steps, Eliana Bennett and Rafael Vexley were just another headline waiting to happen. But inside the car, shielded from the frenzy, the silence between them pulsed—thick, fragile, and bruised with everything they hadn’t said soon enough.
Eliana still had her hand in Rafael’s, though now her fingers rested against his palm with no strength at all, as if the weight of his confession had siphoned the last of her fire. But it wasn’t gone. It wasn’t even dim. Beneath her stillness, beneath the tremble in her breathing and the shimmer of leftover tears, something powerful churned—a storm she was holding steady by sheer force of will.
Rafael watched her, searching her face as though the right words might be hiding there. His steel eyes—still masked behind those useless contact lenses—were no longer calculating, no longer cold. They were wide with regret, raw with fear, desperate in a way that made his usually unshakable presence look almost breakable. “Eliana,” he murmured, voice cracking just enough to betray him. “Please… say something. Anything. I meant every word—I don’t want this if you don’t p>
Slowly, she slipped her hand from his. Not harshly. Not in anger. But with a quiet certainty that sent a shiver down his spine. Her honey eyes rose to meet his, and in them he saw something fierce—unyielding, honest, and impossibly strong.
“We’re still getting married today, Rafael p>
The words hit him like a physical blow. His jaw slackened, his breath stuttered, and for a moment he forgot how to move. He leaned back against the leather seat, muscles going rigid beneath his tailored suit. “What? Eliana—why? I just told you the truth. You don’t have to do this anymore. The evidence is enough. You’re free. You don’t need this marriage. So why p>
Eliana took a slow, steady breath. The late sun streamed through the tinted glass and kissed the edges of her simple ivory gown—James’s last-minute miracle for the marriage—creating warm light over the lace that traced her figure with effortless grace. Her long curls spilled over her shoulder, flowing like silk shadows, framing a face that had seen far too much for someone so young… yet refused to break.
Her smile was soft but aching, a curve born of pain, resolve, and something far deeper.
“Because ten to fifteen years isn’t enough, Rafael p>
His eyes searched hers, confusion twisting in his expression.
She looked down at her hands for a beat, gathering strength, then lifted her gaze again—steady now, sharpened by purpose. “Not for what she’s done. Not for the years she carved out of my life… or the ones she stole from my father. Not for putting him in a coma. Not for threatening me, threatening my child, threatening my friend.” Her voice thickened, but she didn’t waver. “A decade in prison? She’d survive it. She’d slither her way out, rebrand herself, rebuild her empire, and then she’d come for us again p>
Eliana’s fingers curled into the fabric of her dress, steadying herself.
“I want this marriage because it gives me something she can’t twist, can’t manipulate, can’t escape from. It gives me something I don’t have now. It give me power. I want her buried so deep she never sees daylight again. I want evidence so solid it snaps every one of her exit routes in half. I want her gone for life, Rafael. That’s the only justice left p>
Rafael’s brow furrowed, his dark wavy hair falling slightly over his forehead as he shook his head in disbelief. His voice cracked with a mix of hope and confusion. “But… we don’t have that yet. The driver’s testimony is a start, but you’re right—it’s not airtight for a life sentence. Embezzlement, attempted murder… we need more. Witnesses who won’t flip, financial trails that can’t be erased. It could take months, years even p>
“Exactly,” Eliana replied, her tone sharpening like a blade honed by betrayal. She leaned forward, her warm brown skin glowing faintly in the dim light filtering through the windows, her expressive eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made his breath hitch. “We don’t have it now. And until we do, my family needs protection. Real protection. The kind only you can provide—the resources, the security, the influence. That’s why I’m marrying you today. For the shield your name offers. For the walls you can build around us while we gather what we need to end her p>
Rafael’s piercing eyes widened, a storm of emotions swirling within them—relief warring with hurt, love clashing against the cold reality of her words. He reached for her again, his large hand hovering uncertainly. “Eliana, this… this doesn’t have to be just protection. We can make it real. I love you. I’ve laid everything bare. No more secrets, no more p>
She cut him off, her voice firm but laced with a quiet sorrow that tugged at his heart. “No, Rafael. This marriage is still a business transaction. Nothing more. You’ve broken my trust too many times. I can’t let my heart lead me into another trap. Not yet. Maybe not ever p>
He opened his mouth to argue, his sarcastic wit failing him for once, replaced by a raw plea. “But p>
Before he could finish, Eliana turned toward the window, her soft heart-shaped face resolute. She pressed the button to lower the glass just enough, the cool breeze from outside carrying the distant clamor of reporters. James still stood sentinel by the door, his posture straight as he guarded their privacy. “James,” Eliana called out in a gentle, melodic tone that belied the turmoil within her, “could you please come help Rafael out of the car? We’re done talking. It’s time to get married p>
James’s eyes widened in surprise, his usually composed features flickering with shock as he glanced between Eliana’s determined smile and Rafael’s stunned expression. Rafael sat frozen, his commanding presence reduced to speechless bewilderment, his mouth agape as if the words had been stolen from him. “Eliana, wait p>
But James, ever the professional, nodded swiftly. “Of course, Miss Bennett.” He opened the door with a soft click, the outside world intruding in a rush of camera flashes and murmured questions. With practiced efficiency, he unfolded Rafael’s wheelchair from the trunk—a prop in the elaborate facade Rafael had maintained for so long—and wheeled it to the side. Rafael, still reeling, allowed James to assist him, his tall frame settling into the chair with a reluctant grace. His crisp designer suit, tailored to perfection, rumpled slightly as he gripped the armrests, his mind racing.
Eliana stepped out first, her heels clicking softly on the pavement. She smoothed her gown once more, standing tall beside Rafael’s wheelchair, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder—a gesture that looked affectionate to the outside world but felt like a chain to him. The reporters descended like a swarm, microphones thrusting forward, cameras clicking in a frenzy.
“Mr. Vexley! Is it true this is a whirlwind romance p>
“Mr Vexley, how does it feel to tie the knot for the first time p>
“Miss Bennett, any words on your rags-to-riches story p>
To be continued p>