The Ex-Wife They Begged To Keep - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Eliza returned to Powell Villa and started putting on a show of packing her things.
She opened the closet and tossed a few expensive evening dresses and pieces of jewelry into her suitcase without care. Then her eyes landed on a delicate photo frame—it held a picture of her and Victor together.
Eliza picked it up, her fingers gently brushing over Victor's face in the photo, the corners of her lips curling into a smug smile.
She threw the last piece of clothing into the suitcase and snapped it shut with a loud click. The sound rang out like a declaration of her victory.
"Mommy, where are we going?" asked Oliver, who was standing at the door in his Spider-Man pajamas, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"Oliver, we're going home," Eliza said, squatting down and softly running her fingers through his hair.
Just then, Leon walked by and saw them. "Ellie, where are you going? Don't leave me behind."
Eliza pretended to look heartbroken. "Leon, I'm not leaving you behind. I'm just taking Oliver home."
"No. Ellie, don't go," Leon cried, wrapping his arms tightly around Eliza. His face turned red from sobbing.
"Leon, be good. I'll still come visit you," she replied gently.
"I don't want that. Why are you leaving, Ellie? I want to play with Ollie," Leon wailed even louder, his face streaked with tears and snot.
"Leon, even if Ollie and I move out, we can still play together," Eliza said, trying to stay patient.
But Leon wouldn't listen. He cried and screamed, refusing to let them leave. As he watched Eliza and Oliver walk away, Leon turned and ran to find Victor. "Dad, Ellie and Ollie are leaving."
Victor was in the study working on some documents when he heard Leon's cries. He instantly dropped everything and rushed out. "Ellie, what are you doing?"
Eliza turned around with a hurt expression. "Vic, I think it's best if I move out with Oliver."
"Why? Everything was fine. What happened?" Victor asked.
Eliza bit her lip, hesitating. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Vic, as long as I stay here, Mrs. Powell will never come back. I've already caused enough trouble for you," she sobbed.
Victor pulled her into his arms, full of distress. He thought, 'It has to be Serena. She's behind this, making things difficult for Eliza on purpose.
'Serena is always so jealous, never able to tolerate anyone else. And now she's pushed Ellie to the point of moving out. I won't let Serena get away with this.'
Victor said, "Ellie, don't do this. Did Serena say something to you again? Just tell me."
"It's all that wretch's fault," Leon cried breathlessly. "Dad, please don't let Ellie leave."
Eliza leaned against Victor's chest. "No, it wasn't Mrs. Powell. It's my fault."
"Ellie, don't go. I'll go talk to Serena and make her apologize to you," Victor remarked.
Eliza shook her head and gently pushed him away, turning to continue packing.
Victor grabbed her hand. "Ellie, listen to me. Stay. I'll make things right."
Eliza tried to pull her hand free. "Vic, don't do this. I don't want to come between you two. Leaving with Oliver is the best for everyone."
Victor held her hand tightly. "Ellie, please stay."
Eliza forcefully yanked her hand away and kept dragging her suitcase toward the door.
"We're going. I'm taking you to see Serena," Victor said, grabbing her wrist without giving her a chance to argue.
Eliza stumbled a few steps and almost fell. But inside, she was thrilled. She lowered her gaze, hiding the glint in her eyes, and gently bit her lower lip, making herself look even more pitiful.
Eliza thought, 'Victor still cares about me. Serena, just wait and see.'
Victor dragged Eliza along, storming into Serena's hotel with fury. "Serena, get out here."
Serena was organizing the closet when the sudden loud noise startled her. The clothes in her hands slipped to the floor. She opened the door, and her face darkened when she saw who it was.
"Victor, what are you doing?" Serena asked, trying to stay calm.
"What am I doing? You seriously have the nerve to ask me that? What did you say to Ellie?" Victor pointed at her, his voice raised with anger.
Serena's expression turned cold. "What exactly did I do?"
"Ellie's packing up to move out with Oliver, and you're saying you didn't do anything?" Victor glared at her.
Eliza gently tugged on Victor's sleeve and said softly, "Vic, it's not Mrs. Powell's fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have stayed and caused you trouble."
Victor replied, "Ellie, stop defending her. She did it on purpose. She can't stand seeing you happy."
Eliza spoke, "Vic, don't say that. Mrs. Powell really didn't do anything to me. I made this decision myself."
Watching the scene in front of her, Serena could only feel how ridiculous it all was. The man she once thought she knew so well was now so easily fooled by Eliza, not even willing to give Serena a shred of trust.
Serena looked at Victor in disappointment and thought, 'So all these years meant nothing? All it took was a few words from Eliza, and everything crumbled. Is this really the kind of person Victor thinks I am?'
Serena looked at Eliza's pitiful act and felt a wave of disgust. "Eliza, are you done putting on your little show?"
Eliza responded, "Mrs. Powell, how could you say that about me? I really—"
She tried to keep pretending, but Serena cut in, "Drop the act. You think I don't know what you're after?" Serena's eyes turned sharp as they locked onto Eliza.
"Mrs. Powell, I swear I didn't mean anything by it. I just didn't want Vic and you to keep having misunderstandings because of me. That's the only reason I wanted to move out," Eliza sobbed, choking back tears.
"Misunderstandings? Yeah, right. Eliza, do you really think I'm that stupid?" Serena scoffed, furious. She wasn't going to hold back anymore. If Eliza loved playing the victim so much, Serena would help her complete the act.
A crisp slap rang through the room. Red finger marks instantly bloomed across Eliza's delicate cheek. Eliza clutched her face, her eyes welling with tears, her body trembling slightly. She stared at Serena like she couldn't believe what had just happened.
That slap only made Serena look more arrogant and aggressive in Victor's eyes—and made him even more protective of Eliza.
"Serena, what the hell is wrong with you?" Victor rushed forward and pulled Eliza into his arms, checking her face with deep concern. "Ellie, are you okay? Does it hurt?"
Eliza gently shook her head. "Vic, I'm fine. Please don't blame Mrs. Powell."
Victor snapped, "Serena, that was out of line. I don't care if you're jealous of Ellie, but you can't hit her."
Serena sneered, "Jealous? What am I supposed to be jealous of? Her hypocrisy? Her manipulative little games?"
Victor shouted, "That's enough. Apologize to Ellie. Right now."
Serena scoffed. She couldn't, for the life of her, understand how she ever fell in love with a man like this.
Victor yelled, "What right do you have to hit Ellie? You're nothing more than her stand-in—a tool I used to fill the emptiness."
"A stand-in?" Serena asked. She thought, 'That's right. That's all I've ever been. No matter how much I've done over the years, he never once saw it.'
She fought back the bitterness rising in her throat. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, her nails digging into her palms, but none of it compared to the pain in her chest. "Victor, you make me sick."