The Substitute Heiress Leaves For Good

Chapter 5

Word Count: 794 | Released on: Today at 14:58

to hail a cab. Her mind was a blank, blessedly empty of Preston, of the party, of e

t empty space. Her keys. Her car keys were still in

, careless things. The thought of going back into tha

e party's energy seemed to have recovered from the drama. The music was loud again, people were la

curious respect, but she ignored them. Her only

st there whe

ched only by his family's fortune, had Vanessa cornered near the

rred, his voice oily. "Just one

ce a mask of distress. "Harrison, pl

aching out to grab her

e part that was still raw and bleeding, felt a grim, ironic satisf

she saw

ich had been aimlessly scanning the crowd, locked onto

his face morphed in

rn. He crossed the room in five long strides, grabbed the whi

the music like a gunshot. The party scre

on't you ever touch her," he snarled, his voice low and guttur

nd stroking her hair. He buried his face in her shoulder, shielding her from the world. "It's okay," h

solute. It was a declaration. He

e tableau: the shattered glass on the floor, the stunned faces of the guests, a

e would stand between her and the world, a fierce, un

was se

n in his arm

e had been doubt, accusation, a demand to apologize. For Vanessa, t

finally, completely extinguished. There was no pain left. No anger. Just a vas

cally searched the crowd. He was looking for her. He wanted her

s, the woman who felt nothing at all, who simply turned, her

hum. In the rearview mirror, she could see the bright lig

into the stream of traffic, melting into

Chapter End

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The Substitute Heiress Leaves For Good

Leanora Tanouye Modern

“For three years, Eleonore was the perfect, understanding girlfriend to Preston Sterling, supporting the wealthy finance heir through every family crisis and business deal. But at a glamorous rooftop party, she accidentally overheard a conversation that shattered her world. Preston casually confessed to his best friend that he was only using Eleonore as a convenient, comfortable substitute because she looked a bit like his ex-girlfriend, Vanessa, who had just returned to the city. When Vanessa officially appeared, Preston's friends publicly humiliated Eleonore, mocking her as a cheap imitation and a pathetic social climber. Instead of defending the woman who had stood by him, Preston fiercely protected his ex, holding her close while demanding Eleonore apologize to his friends to make the scene go away. Worse still, he later tracked Eleonore down and arrogantly offered to keep her as a secret mistress. He claimed he couldn't abandon his fragile ex right now, but promised to buy Eleonore a new place and whatever she wanted. Three years of quiet devotion were treated as a sordid transaction. She watched him play the noble hero to his ex while treating her like a disposable prop, and felt a chilling, desolate calm replace her heartbreak. Without shedding a single tear, she packed her bags, walked out of their shared apartment forever, and pulled out a long-forgotten marriage alliance proposal. She calmly sent a text to Ford Trevino, the ruthless CEO of a rival billionaire family. "Mr. Trevino, I agree to the engagement."”