Chapter 5

On the day of my birthday party, Landon came to pick me up himself.

He was alone in the car.

"Not bringing your Ava today?" I asked calmly.

He frowned slightly. "From now on, I'll try to keep you two from crossing paths. That way you won't always get upset."

I curled my lips faintly, a cold laugh echoing inside.

He wasn't worried about me being upset. He was afraid I would "bully" his precious Ava again.

In his eyes, I had already become the villain.

The party was extravagant. Landon held my hand the entire time, gifting me expensive jewelry, rare paintings. He even leaned close and murmured, almost coaxing, "This should make you happy now, right?"

I looked at him and suddenly thought of the past.

Whenever he upset me, he used to lower himself just like this to appease me. And I had always softened easily, forgiving him without hesitation.

But this time... it was different.

He had used my father's life as leverage. He had crushed my dignity and publicly desecrated everything I had prayed for.

Even if he laid the entire world at my feet, it would never make up for it.

I was about to speak when the doors to the ballroom were suddenly pushed open—

Ava walked in, dressed in a pure white gown, standing timidly at the entrance.

Landon's expression changed instantly. "Didn't I tell you to stay at the villa?"

Her eyes reddened, looking fragile and pitiful. "I... I just wanted to come wish Eleanor a happy birthday. I even brought a gift..."

"I don't want to see you," I said coldly.

But Landon had already gestured for a server to arrange a seat for her. Then he leaned close to me and said quietly, "She came with good intentions. Let's just forget what happened before."

At my own birthday party, his attention was entirely on Ava.

When the band started playing, he had already taken my hand. But the moment he caught sight of Ava's teary eyes, he let go and walked toward her.

I stood alone in the corner, watching them embrace and dance at the center of the floor. My heart felt completely numb.

After the dance, Ava complained that her heels were hurting.

Landon immediately went downstairs himself to fetch her backup flats from the car.

Taking advantage of the moment, she walked up to me and waved her phone with a smug smile.

"Eleanor, you probably don't know this, but all those birthday gifts Landon gave you? I picked them first and rejected them."

"To even attend your party, he has to keep reporting to me. He texts me every few minutes..." She showed me their chat. "Look—'Baby, just hang on a bit longer. I'll come back to you soon.'"

My heart was already dead. "What exactly do you want?"

"I want you to give up your position as Mrs. Blackwood."

"Soon," I said calmly, meeting her gaze. "I'll give it to you completely."

Ava narrowed her eyes, studying me. Just when I thought she believed me, the next second—She suddenly grabbed my hand and used it to slap herself hard across the face.

Smack.

The sharp sound echoed across the entire room.

When Landon rushed over, he saw Ava clutching her cheek, tears streaming down her face.

"Eleanor!" he roared in fury. "You bullied her again?!"

"I didn't."

"I saw it with my own eyes!" He grabbed my wrist, his grip nearly crushing it. "Wasn't the last lesson enough? I told you—whatever you do to Ava, I'll make you pay back tenfold!"

Ava sobbed and shook her head. "Forget it... it's okay..."

"With me here, what are you afraid of?" Landon wiped her tears tenderly. "I told you, you can do whatever you want. Even if you tear the sky apart, it doesn't matter."

"Stop being so timid. That's why people bully you."

Then he ordered the bodyguards to hold me down and turned to Ava. "However she hit you just now, hit her back ten times."

Ava pretended to hesitate. "I... I can't..."

"I'll show you."

He took her hand and swung it hard across my face.

Smack.

"This one is to teach you how to fight back."

Smack.

"This one is to teach you not to be so weak."

Smack.

The third, the fourth...

Pain exploded in my head. My vision blurred. I tasted blood at the corner of my lips. My ears rang violently, but I clenched my teeth and made no sound.

Only after the tenth slap did Landon finally stop.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

"Mrs. Blackwood is so pitiful... it's her birthday today..."

"She deserves it. She started it."

Landon gently held Ava's hand, blowing on it with concern. "Does it hurt? I'll take you to get it treated."

Then he lifted her into his arms and walked away without looking back.

The bodyguards released me. I collapsed onto the floor, my cheeks burning with pain.

But my heart hurt even more.

Landon Blackwood...

I regret it.

I regret ever loving you.

I truly... regret it.