Chapter 2: New starting

Elara’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen. It was a message from her stepmother, Vivienne.

"Elara, come to the house. We need to discuss some family matters. Important."

She frowned, reading it again. Her stepmother always sounded sweet and polite in her messages, but Elara knew better.

Family matters. That usually meant money, manipulation, or something to test her patience.

Elara took a deep breath. She remembered everything. Every trick. Every trap. Every moment that had caused her pain in the past life. Every time Vivienne had pretended to care while slowly taking what belonged to her. Every time Selina had smiled at her like a sister while secretly wishing she would fail.

No. Not this time.

She typed a quick reply. "I have other matters to attend to but alright.”

She knew what was she doing

Her heart beat steadily, not from fear, but from determination. She had been weak once. She had trusted them once. She had allowed them to control her life, to toy with her happiness and her husband’s life. Never again.

Even now, she remembered the kidnappers from her past life. How dangerous it had been, how close she had come to losing everything.

She remembered the tiny hints, the whispers she had ignored, the moments that now, in hindsight, clearly pointed to her stepfamily. The traps, the fake calls, the deliveries that had ended in ambushes—they had all been planned. All of them.

Her lips curled slightly. She did not say a word about it, not yet. Let them think she was still naive. Let them think she could be fooled. But in her mind, she was already ten steps ahead.

Elara put her phone down and walked to her closet. She dressed simply but elegantly. Today wasn’t about appearances; it was about clarity. She didn’t need Vivienne, Selina, or Damian. She didn’t need their money, their approval, or their schemes. She had herself. She had her mind, her skills, and the knowledge of what was to come. That was enough.

This time, she thought, I will be the one in control.

She remembered the past life again—how Lucien had died, how the stress had drained him, how he had tried to carry everything on his own while she had been too blind to stop it. She would not let that happen again. She would protect him. And she would protect herself.

She imagined Vivienne smiling sweetly as she read her refusal. The stepmother probably thought she could still manipulate her. She imagined Selina rolling her eyes, thinking Elara would come running. And Damian, quiet and calculating, probably plotting some hidden move even now.

Elara smiled faintly. Let them plan. Let them scheme.

Because she already knew. She knew their weaknesses, their greed, their jealousy, and their desires. She remembered every small move from before, every detail she had once ignored. She could predict them before they even acted.

And she would.

She left her house, stepping out into the warm sunlight. She walked with confidence, her heels clicking against the pavement. She only needed her and her confidence and that was enough to survive anything .

Today, she decided, was the first day of her new life. A life where she would not be fooled. A life where she would not be weak. A life where she would protect Lucien—and herself—at all costs.

The past had tried to break her. The stepfamily had tried to manipulate her. The world had tried to take everything she loved.

But this time, Elara Voss was ready.

She would not be trapped again. She would not be a pawn. She would not let anyone control her destiny.

And deep down, she knew one thing clearly: the game had just begun.

Elara arrived at the grand house her stepmother had called her to. The driveway was polished, the cars lined perfectly, and the guards saluted her as she walked past. She didn’t bother with a smile or greetings. Everything here belonged to appearances, and she had no interest in playing along.

Vivienne was waiting in the living room, perched elegantly on a velvet sofa, her smile as sweet as poison. Selina sat nearby, legs crossed, pretending to read a magazine but glancing at Elara constantly. Damian leaned against the wall, hands folded, studying her with calculating eyes.

“Elara,” Vivienne said, her voice soft and warm, “we wanted to talk about some… family matters. You know, your inheritance. It’s time we discuss your future, dear.”

Elara raised an eyebrow, her gaze steady. She didn’t sit. She didn’t let the casual tone fool her. “I’m not interested,” she said simply.

Vivienne’s smile faltered slightly, just enough for Elara to notice. “Not interested? Your inheritance, Elara… this is your family’s legacy. Surely you understand—”

“I understand perfectly,” Elara interrupted, her voice calm but sharp. “But I do not need it. I will handle my life myself. I don’t need you, Selina, or Damian or father interfering in any way. Stay away from me. From now on, I am done with this family. I had only came to cut off ties.”

The room went quiet. Selina’s jaw tightened, her fingers tapping the magazine nervously. Damian’s smirk disappeared for a fraction of a second, replaced by something unreadable. Vivienne’s hands clenched lightly in her lap, but she still tried to maintain composure.

“You can’t just—” Vivienne started, but Elara cut her off again.

“I can, and I will and I just did. I do not owe you anything. I do not need your approval, your money, or your schemes. Any attempt to manipulate me, or to touch what belongs to me, will fail. You are done.”

For the first time, the stepmother looked almost human, almost like a woman facing defeat. Selina stood up abruptly, slamming the magazine on the table. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” she spat.

Elara didn’t flinch. She stepped forward, her eyes cold and sharp. “I know exactly who you are. I know everything the fake calls, the traps. All of it came from you. All of it. I kept quiet before, but not anymore. You will not manipulate me, not now, not ever.”

Damian finally spoke, his voice low and smooth. “Careful, Elara. You’re young. You can’t possibly understand how the world works yet. You might regret—”

“I will not,” she said, cutting him off. “I make my own decisions. My life is mine. And anyone trying to take it from me will find me ready.”

The room was tense. The air was thick with unspoken threats and anger, but Elara didn’t move. She didn’t need to. Her words alone were enough to show them she had changed.

Vivienne opened her mouth, as if to argue, but stopped. Selina’s hands shook slightly as she crossed her arms, trying to hide it. Damian’s eyes narrowed, but even he realized she wasn’t the same girl they had tried to control before.

Elara turned toward the door, her coat sweeping behind her. “This conversation is over. Do not contact me again. I will not be drawn into your games.”

She walked out without looking back, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. The three of them were left standing in silence, their schemes crumbling before their eyes.

Outside, Elara took a deep breath and felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time—freedom. She had cut off the stepfamily completely. No more traps, no more manipulations. From this moment on, she would rely on herself and her abilities alone.

And if they tried anything, they would regret it.

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