CHAPTER 2 : Into The Darkness

Elaine stared at the face of the woman standing in front of her and she loved what she saw.

She watched as the maid, Priscilla covered her mouth in disbelief as those words tumbled out of her lips before focusing her gaze on her mother-in-law once again…

Margaret's eyes widened in raw shock and her lips were slightly open. Elaine could tell that she had hit the right spot and she was pleased with her little moment of victory.

She had put up with this harsh and terrible woman for a long time just because she was the mother of the man she loved but not anymore. At least, not at this moment!

Before Elaine could blink, Margaret rushed forward and grabbed the front of her dress, holding it tightly, her other hand clenched in a fist.

"How d–dare you? You fool!"

Maid Priscilla ran forward immediately "Mrs Margaret, please restrain yourself. It wouldn't be good if Mr Alexander comes home to see this a—"

"Move aside, you piece of trash!" Margaret yelled at the maid and focused her attention on Elaine again.

Elaine glared at Margaret, remembering what she said about her parents. She had no right to talk about them like that. Her parents were not poor because they were lazy. They had worked so hard for years but life just wasn't fair.

"You are so triggered, my dear mother-in-law…" Elaine muttered, her voice filled with sarcasm. "....you are only proving that the rumour is true"

Margaret's hands tightened on her dress "You disgust me"

"You disgust me even more" Elaine replied calmly "I used to think you were respectful and elegant but as I got to know you….from the way you talk to the way you treat people, even your own maids, I have realized there isn't even a drop of elegance and self-respect in you."

"Just because you finally married into the Rogers family, you think you can talk to me anyhow" Margaret released Elaine's dress and stepped away, a sly smile on her lips "I see you get comfortable in places you do not belong too fast."

"Can you hear yourself?" Elaine laughed and leaned against the wall as a surge of weakness hit her tired body. "You do not belong here too and you have gotten too comfortable over the years just because Mr Frederick covered up the fact that you're even from a poorer background than I am—"

"Shut your mouth!"

"You think too highly of yourself, Mrs Margaret. Your case is even worse than mine and yet you think you have the right to call me a peasant! You have no shame! At the end of the d—"

"I said shut it!!"

"At the end of the day, you are the real peasant. No, you are worse than a peasant. I wonder how all your elite rich friends would feel if they get to know your real past and how you've lied to them for so many years. That would be very interesting, don't you think?"

Margaret scoffed and smacked her lips. Her left eye twitched in anger. "A–are you threatening me?"

Elaine remained silent, glaring at her.

Margaret laughed, a cunning smile at the edge of her lips. "Go on. I'll like to see you try to hurt me. I don't care about the rumours of my past one bit but don't forget that I can ruin you and bring you to your knees if I want to with just the snap of my fingers. One thing I have that you can never have is money. Lots of it. I'll like to see what you want to do"

Elaine rolled her eyes. "You hype yourself more than you should. Anyway, I have decided to stay with Alexander and I am going to do just th—."

"I dare you! I see that I have been too calm so far…." Margaret cut her off. "....I am going to make sure I get rid of you from my family but not just that, I will make sure you are alive to see my son get married to the woman I want for him, Suzy Bernard. I don't need to give you reasons why she is a better choice for Alexander than you will ever be"

"I am already married to your son legally. Alex will never allow that to ha—"

"Don't be a fool, Elaine! Can't you see that at the end of everything, he will choose me over you? You are an outsider! It's always family first."

"You know nothing about your own son. He is not like that."

Margaret's voice went low, an unreadable expression on her face. "Don't tempt me, Elaine. You still have time to quietly leave this marriage before the white wedding. Don't push me to the wall. I can be nasty, very nasty when I am determined to get somethi—"

Elaine felt the hair on her neck rise. "What will you do?"

Margaret chuckled "Who knows? If that's what it takes to bring you down, I could go as far as hurting the most precious people to you. You know, like your bubbly friend, Jessica, the one whose an upcoming writer or those people who raised you this far…."

Elaine's eyes widened and she flared up in red hot anger at the mention of her friend and parents. These people were so precious to her. The thought of them being harmed made her boil with rage….

"Coward! You are nothing but a delusional, wicked old hag and you will be punished soo—"

Margaret raised her hand and smacked Elaine's right cheek so hard and before she could understand what just happened, Margaret smacked her other cheek harder.

Elaine felt blood rush to her head and her legs suddenly felt too light to carry her weak body. She staggered backwards till her back hit the wall behind her and then fell to the ground, her body going limp.

Margaret laughed at the sight in front of her "Watch your disgusting mouth, you imbecile! I've taken enough disrespect from you and i will make you pay f—"

The sound of the main door leading to the hallway opening made Margaret pause. She turned around and blinked in shock as her husband, Frederick and Alexander walked in laughing and smiling at each other.

Elaine flipped her tired eyes open the moment she heard Alexander's voice. She slowly stretched her weak hand forward, reaching for him on the cold floor where her body lay.

Alexander stood still the moment his eyes met his mother, a confused frown appeared on his forehead "What is going on h—? Elaine!!"

His eyes widened in fear as he saw her body on the floor, waves of shock hitting him instantly.

Elaine pressed her hot cheek against the cold tiled floor and smiled as he ran towards her immediately he set his eyes on her….

But before Alexander could get to her side, her exhausted body shut down and she slipped into the darkness.