Chapter 144 Enemies for Life
Veyra held her grip tight on Eleanor’s frail wrist, feeling the sharp bone beneath her fingers. She looked down at the woman standing before her, the sunken eyes, the hollow cheeks, the dull hair hanging in messy strands.
This was the First Madam. Eleanor Thorne.
Just a week ago, Eleanor had been the one calling all the shots. She had orchestrated the kidnapping of little Lily, locked a defenseless child in a cold cage, and calculated every move to ruin Veyra’s life.
Her punishment had been swift and brutal: seven full days locked inside the meditation room. Seven long days without a speck of sunlight, without a single sound, and without any way to track the passing hours.
Veyra had honestly believed the isolation would break her. She thought Eleanor would walk out of that dark room crushed, humbled, or at least somewhat remorseful for what she had done.
She couldn’t have been more wrong.
Looking into Eleanor’s wild face, Veyra saw that the fire of her malice hadn’t been snuffed out at all. The malice was still very much alive, burning hotter than before.
Veyra let go of her wrist with a slight shove, causing Eleanor to stumble back a step.
"Seven days in total darkness," Veyra said, her tone steady and quiet. "And you haven’t learned a single thing."
Eleanor’s pale face contorted with anger, her thin lips twisting into a bitter sneer. "The only thing I learned is what kind of snake you really are. You slithered your way into this household and poisoned everyone against me."
Veyra tilted her head slightly, studying her like an unpleasant bug. "Is that really what you tell yourself?"
"I don’t need to tell myself anything. I know it."
Veyra shook her head with a faint, tired laugh. "Seven days with no light, no noise, and zero human contact, yet you came out the exact same bitter person who went in. It really makes me think the punishment was far too short."
The blood rushed to Eleanor’s face, turning her sickly skin a blotchy red. Her hands curled into tight fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white as her body shook with rage.
"How dare you speak to me like that—"
"I speak to you like this because I’m not afraid of you," Veyra cut in, her voice dropping into an icy register that made the surrounding air feel cold. "Look around you, Eleanor. You aren’t the one holding the power in this house anymore. I am."
Driven past her breaking point, Eleanor lunged forward again, raising her palm to deliver a hard slap across Veyra’s face.
Veyra didn’t flinch. She didn’t even bother to step back.
"Go ahead," Veyra said, looking her dead in the eye. "Hit me. There are security cameras right above us, and Leon is standing right here as a witness. Do you really want to turn around and walk straight back into that dark room?"
Eleanor’s hand froze mid-air, trembling violently as the threat registered.
"Think about what happens next," Veyra added in a soft, warning voice. "Think about your husband’s reaction, your public reputation, and whatever little freedom you have left. Is throwing one punch really worth losing all of it?"
Slowly, agonizingly, Eleanor lowered her arm back down. Her chest heaved as she fought for air, her face draining of color once again. The pure hatred in her eyes was practically vibrating, but the practical fear of returning to total darkness won out.
She couldn’t bring herself to strike.
Instead, Eleanor took a small step closer, her voice dropping to a harsh, raspy whisper that barely carried in the hallway.
"You think you’ve won this little game," Eleanor hissed. "You think you’re safe under this roof. But you aren’t."
Veyra remained completely silent, staring back without a single trace of emotion.
"I am going to get back at you," Eleanor continued, her eyes fixed on Veyra like a hawk. "I will make you pay for every single insult, every humiliation, and every agonizing minute I had to spend inside that room."
She leaned in even further, her warm, ragged breath brushing against the side of Veyra’s ear. "I swear to you, you will regret the day you ever crossed me."
Veyra didn’t flinch away. She just turned her head slightly and met her gaze. "I’ll be waiting."
Eleanor pulled back, her sharp eyes scanning Veyra’s face, searching desperately for any sign of fear, doubt, or hesitation.
She found absolute silence.
"There’s no middle ground for us," Veyra said, her voice completely even as she delivered her final word. "We can only ever be enemies. You made that choice the exact moment you locked Lily in a cage. There is no fixing this, and there is no going back."
Eleanor’s jaw clamped shut, her lips pressing into a thin, white line.
Without giving her another glance, Veyra turned around and walked calmly down the corridor, her footsteps echoing against the floorboards. Behind her, Eleanor stood completely alone in the empty hall, her fists balled up tightly as she watched Veyra walk away.