My Boyfriend Sold Me to Bellandi—Too Bad I Was Bellandi’s Heiress Chapter 07

My Boyfriend Sold Me to Bellandi—Too Bad I Was Bellandi’s Heiress Chapter 07

Days later, my voice had mostly come back.

I could hold a conversation without wincing, though a rasp still clung to every word.

The splint had to stay on for a few more weeks, but the pain had faded to a dull ache.

Dr. Hayes said the hairline fracture was healing ahead of schedule – I’d be on my feet again soon enough.

I was stretching in my room that afternoon – gently, nothing that would test my leg – when my uncle knocked and let himself in.

“Elena, someone’s asking to see you.

“Who?”

“Ethan.”

My uncle’s face said everything his voice didn’t.

“Wouldn’t stop begging on the way to the freight yards. Says he wants to apologize before they ship him

out.”

I went still.

An apology.

Now he wanted to apologize.

“Do you want to see him?”

“Say the word and he’s gone.”

I thought about it for a beat.

“Let him in.”

I wanted to see what was left of him.

My uncle nodded.

“I’ll be right outside.”

He stepped out and closed the door behind him.

A few minutes later, two soldiers brought him in.

One week, and Ethan looked like someone else.

His hair was matted, bruises yellowing across his jaw, eyes swollen and red-rimmed.

The suit he wore looked like he’d slept in it for days.

Everything about him reeked of defeat.

Something flickered in his eyes when he saw me – hope, maybe — but it died just as fast.

“Elena…”

His voice was shot.

“I came to apologize.”

I said nothing.

Just watched him.

“I’m sorry. I know what I did was wrong.”

Ethan dropped to his knees.

–

“I shouldn’t have done any of it. I don’t know what I was thinking-”

“Please, Elena. Three years together. That has to mean something. I’m begging you.”

“Three years?”

I finally opened my mouth.

The rasp in my voice made every word land harder.

“Tell me something, Ethan. In three years, was there even one day you actually loved me?”

He couldn’t answer.

That was answer enough.

“You came after me because of my face. Because I look like her.”

I kept my voice level.

“That was the plan from the start, wasn’t it?”

“Every nice thing you ever did for me, every word out of your mouth – all of it was so you could hand me

over like cash when the bill came due.”

“No!”

“That’s not – I swear, I did start to care about you-”

“Cared about me?”

I almost laughed.

“Is that what you call it? Slipping me a roofie – that was caring?”

“Hitting me? Grinding your heel into my leg? That was love?”

“Standing there while Marco snapped my finger – was that you caring about me, too?”

Every trace of color left Ethan’s face.

He had nothing.

“You know what the worst part is, Ethan?”

“You couldn’t even sell me out without playing the boyfriend.”

“Telling me you’d make it up to me. Calling it a win-win.”

“While you were handing me over to be used.”

I gripped the edge of the bed and pulled myself to my feet.

Walked to him slowly, one careful step at a time.

“I didn’t see it then.”

“I see it now.”

I lowered myself to his level and looked him dead in the eye.

“I’m the one who won.”

“Because I got to see exactly who you were and watch you get dragged out of my life.”

“You’re the one who lost.”

“You and your whole family are going to rot in those quarries.”

What little color he had left drained out of him.

“No – Elena, you can’t do this-”

He threw himself forward and grabbed at my leg.

“I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Just give me one more chance – I’ll change, I swear-”

I pulled free.

“A chance?”

My lip curled.

“I gave you a chance that night.”

“I told you no.

“I said I’d call the cops.”

“And what did you do?”

“You hit me. Crushed my leg under your foot. Tried to rip my clothes off so you could offer me up to the

Boss.”

“Some things you don’t get to take back, Ethan.”

I straightened up and looked toward the soldiers at the door.

“We’re done here.”

“No! Elena, wait-listen to me!”

The soldiers hauled him to his feet and dragged him toward the door.

He fought them every step of the way.

“I love you! I mean it, Elena, I love you!”

“One chance that’s all I’m asking-”

His voice thinned out down the corridor and then was gone.

I stood there and let the silence fill the room.

Took one long breath.

Three years, over.

No three years of lies, finally buried.