Chapter 4 The Decision

• ELORA’S POV
• As Elora ran into the mansion, she bumped into another hard chest. All the blood drained from her body when she raised her head and noticed who it was. Tears were still falling from her eyes, and she had to use the handkerchief Zade had offered her, wiping aggressively against her eyes as she took several steps back.
• Her heart pounded in her chest as she shook her head in fear. This could not be happening.
• Tony Emmerson grabbed Elora's arm, ignoring her protests and dragging her to the storage room close to the kitchen. He locked the door shut and backed her up against the wall.
• Tony Emmerson had been a disgusting creep towards Elora ever since she started living with the Emmersons two years ago. It started with him stealing little glances at her, and then he started to touch her inappropriately. He disgusted her more than anyone else she had ever met. Every time he was close to her, she felt like she wanted to jump out of her skin, she felt like she wanted to put a gun to her head and pull the trigger if that meant the torment he put her through would end.
• "What's the matter, sweet pea?" She hated it when he called her that. "Aren't you happy to see me?"
• He closed the distance between them, and Elora pushed her back against the wall, hoping the thick concrete would swallow her whole. She whimpered as more tears escaped her eyes. He brought his face so close to her neck that she could feel his warm and disgusting hot breath on her skin. She wanted to scream and shout. She wanted to tell someone that Tony had been harassing her for the past two years, but she knew what she was up against. Everyone in this house hated her. They would think she was trying to sully the name of the heir to the Emmerson fortune.
• It would be his word against hers, and she was just a nobody. No one would believe her. The only person she was certain would believe her was Granny, but she could never be so selfish as to worry her granny with her problems. Granny had already done enough for her.
• "W-what are you doing here?" Elora asked him, her voice coming out weaker than she expected. She wanted to stand up to him. She wanted to slap and kick him and fight to defend her own dignity, but the last time she tried to fight back against Tony, she ended up with a slap to her face. She had to hide the bruise with makeup for about a week, and he threatened he would do worse to her if she ever told anyone about their encounters.
• What else could she do except tolerate him and turn a blind eye to everything he did to her?
• "I don't think I need to remind you that this is my house, you filthy little slut!" He smirked at her. "Besides, Father announced something very interesting to me. Apparently, he's selling you off to Zade Dominic's father."
• He laughed as if it was the funniest revelation in the world.
• "You wouldn't mind giving me a taste of what you have under that pretty little skirt of yours before my father sells you off, will you?"
• He grinned amusedly at the scowl on Elora's face. "Don't pretend that you've never had your legs wide open for someone before. I know you're nothing but a whore."
• Elora almost threw up at the words coming out of his mouth. Tony always called her all of these degrading names, but she had never mentioned to him that she was a virgin. She had never denied the claims he threw at her about her being a whore because, for some reason, she thought revealing to him that she had never been with anyone before would only make him harass her more.
• "You're disgusting!" She snapped at him. "I'm your sister! You shouldn't be saying all these things to me. Please, Tony... just stop all this!"
• "How many times do I have to tell you, Elora?" He closed the distance between them, suffocating her with his presence.
• He pushed a lock of hair behind her ears. "You're not my fucking sister. Just because my grandmother took pity on you and brought you to this house doesn't mean we share the same blood. You want me to feel guilty for wanting you, but I don't. You're so fucking sexy, Elora, and I trust me, one day I'll have my way with you. I guarantee that once you get a taste of this cock, you'll come crawling back to me for more..."
• Something came over Elora in that very instant. A blinding rage that she could not seem to control, and for a second, all she saw was red. She did not think as she kicked Tony right in the groin. His groan of pain filled the storage room as she seized the opportunity to open the door, not wasting any time to run out of the room and away from him. Her heart was pounding as she rushed up the stairs and into her room.
• She slammed the door shut behind her, breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath.
• Elora gasped in surprise as she heard her grandmother's voice.
• "You look like you've seen a monster, Elora!" The older woman exclaimed, sitting on Elora's bed as if she had been waiting for her to return home for some time now. A sob escaped Elora's lips and she rushed over to her grandmother, sitting on the bed and resting her head on the older woman's lap. Her grandmother brushed Elora's hair lightly with her hand as Elora cried.
• "You've been ignoring me, sweet child. Tell me what's wrong," Granny said, her voice soothing but tinged with sadness. She had always hated seeing Elora cry.
• "I have no choice, Granny," Elora told her. "I have to do what Father wants. I have to marry Ambrose Dominic."
• "Elora, if there is anything I have taught you after all these years, it is that you always have a choice. You can choose to fight. Ambrose Dominic is as old as I am. He could be your grandfather! Don't make such a drastic decision, child. Don't let Peter control you like this. I won't allow it," Granny argued.
• Elora wiped her tears and raised her head from her grandmother's lap. "It is my decision, Granny."
• Granny stood up abruptly, furrowing her brows at Elora in confusion. "What has come over you, Elora? Did Peter threaten you? Is that what is going on? You know you can always tell me anything."
• Elora shook her head aggressively. "No, Granny. No one threatened me. I just..." She wanted to tell her grandmother about the conversation she had with Peter Emmerson, about his threats and her biological parents, and about Tony's harassment, but the fear in her heart was greater than her will to expose the truth.
• Instead of crying more, Elora wiped the tears from her face and gave her grandmother a cold look. "No one threatened me. I thought about the offer and I realized that this would be a good opportunity for me. Ambrose Dominic is the richest man in the nation, and I would have a lot of opportunities as his wife. The children I will bear for him will never lack anything. No one is forcing me to do anything. I want to do this. I've already made my decision."
• Elora watched as a frown took over granny’s features. The old woman took a step back, as if she didn't even recognize the person standing in front of her. "This isn't you, Elora. You don't really expect me to believe a word coming out of your mouth, do you? I can help you, sweetheart. Just tell me what's wrong?"
• Granny tried to close the distance between them, but Elora stepped backwards, holding her hand up and stopping her in her tracks. "With all due respect, Granny, I am not a child anymore. I don't need your protection. I can take care of myself now. I have made my decision to marry Ambrose Dominic. Please respect it."
• Elora didn't wait for her grandmother to say anything before rushing towards the bathroom, leaving the older woman standing in the middle of the room with a shocked look on her face. It is only when Elora heard the door to her room slam shut, that she fell to her knees on the floor and cried her eyes out.