The morning sun barely pierced through the curtains, but Ella was already awake. Her mind raced faster than her heart. Last night's revelations had left a fire burning inside her. She couldn't trust Jasper anymore. She couldn't trust Rita either. And yet, Ben,her heart ached for him.
She paced her room, hands gripping the edge of the table. "I need to act… before things get worse," she muttered. Her eyes fell on her phone. She dialed Ben's number, pausing before he could answer. "No… he's probably still angry." She hung up, deciding to go to him instead.
Ben was in his study, staring at the papers on his desk, though he wasn't reading them. His mind replayed every word, every lie, every fake tear from Rita. When Ella appeared at the door, he looked up, startled.
"Ella…" he whispered, his voice thick with emotions he didn't want to show.
"I'm here," she said softly, stepping closer. "I need you to listen."
He leaned back, arms crossed, eyes wary. "Go on."
Ella took a deep breath. "Rita… it was all fake. The miscarriage, the injuries… everything. The maid told me." She paused, letting it sink in. Ben's eyes widened slightly. Relief and anger battled within him.
"I knew it!" he said, voice low but firm. "That woman… I can't believe I ever—" He cut himself off, breathing heavily. "I should have known."
Ella reached for his hand. "Ben, we need to be careful. She won't give up easily. She'll try to use anything she can to manipulate you."
Ben nodded slowly. "I won't let her. Not again." His jaw tightened, and his eyes hardened. He stood up, walking toward the window. "But first… I need to make sure she doesn't hurt anyone else."
Meanwhile, Rita sat in her room, unaware of the storm brewing outside. She smiled faintly, confident in her schemes, but a small voice inside her whispered doubts. Not enough to shake her, not yet, but enough to make her restless.
Ella and Ben left the room together, moving as one through the quiet halls. Every step felt deliberate, every glance shared. They didn't need to speak; they understood the stakes.
"Where should we start?" Ella asked, her voice steady despite the tension.
"By cutting her off," Ben replied. "No lies, no distractions. We expose everything. She won't have a chance to manipulate again."
A chill ran down Rita's spine when she suddenly felt the house shift, the air heavy with determination. She didn't see Ella and Ben approaching, moving with quiet precision, but she could sense the danger coming.
Later that evening, they confronted Rita in the living room. Ben's presence alone made her tremble. Ella stood beside him, calm, collected, and fierce.
"Enough games, Rita," Ben said, voice cold. "The lies stop today."
Rita tried to maintain her composure, her smile wavering. "What are you talking about?"
Ella stepped forward. "We know everything. The miscarriage, the fake injuries… your plans to keep Ben and manipulate him. It's over."
Rita's eyes darted between them, panic creeping in. "You… you can't—"
Ben cut her off. "Watch me. You don't control anything anymore."
Rita's shoulders slumped slightly. For the first time, fear replaced her arrogance. She realized the game she had played for so long was coming to an end.
Ella placed a hand on Ben's arm. "We do this together," she said softly. Ben nodded, a small smile breaking through the tension.
Outside, the night was quiet. Inside, a new determination burned in both Ella and Ben. The battle wasn't over yet, but for the first time, they faced it as one. And this time… they would not lose.