Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do - Chapter 10: Chapter 10
You are reading Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do, Chapter 10: Chapter 10. Read more chapters of Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do.
Elise's POV
Louis pressed the cold blade of a knife against my throat from behind, his voice eerily calm.
"Elise, don't be scared. I won't hurt you. I just need to talk. I know I messed up, and I swore I'd fix things. So why won't you forgive me?"
His words tumbled out in a desperate rush, like he was trying to convince himself as much as me.
"I love you. Even if you took credit for saving me—even if you stole that from Nicole—I can't bring myself to leave you. You have no idea what these past six months have done to me..."
His gaze locked onto mine through the rearview mirror, searching, pleading for any flicker of hesitation.
I didn't give him one. Instead, my fingers inched toward the emergency button.
A firm press. The car slowed, pulling to the shoulder.
Louis misread my move entirely. His face lit up, hope flashing in his eyes.
"Elise, I knew you still cared. When I said I didn't want kids, it was because I couldn't stand the thought of you suffering through childbirth. I was going to adopt Nicole's baby under your name—but then she got knocked up by someone else and still tried to pin it on me."
He set the knife down, fumbling for his phone.
With a few taps, he turned the screen toward me. "Look. I locked Nicole up. I've been making her pay—for you."
The video made my stomach twist.
Nicole, bound and bruised, ropes digging into her skin. Every few seconds, a shadowy figure stepped into frame, delivering another blow.
She stared into the camera, tears streaking her dirtied face, voice shredded from screaming.
"I'm sorry, Louis. Elise... I'm not asking for forgiveness. Just send me to prison. Please, I can't take anymore—Elise, if you're watching... just let me go! AH—"
The scream jolted through me. I recoiled.
Louis muted it instantly, patting my head like I was some spooked animal.
"Don't be afraid. I'd never do this to you. Nicole earned every second of this. She poisoned us. Almost made me lose you. But I found you again."
Then he leaned in—too close, too fast. I braced, muscles locking.
Before he could touch me, the car door flew open.
Steven.
He hauled Louis out by the collar and slammed a fist into his jaw.
"Louis," he snarled, "you really thought you could put your hands on my woman? Cops are on their way. Save your excuses for them."
Louis staggered, staring at me like I'd gutted him. "Elise... you called him? You set me up? Why? You promised—"
I stepped out of the car, looking down at him, voice steel. "I told you I'd never forgive you. If you hadn't held a knife to my throat, I'd have kicked you out miles ago."
The wail of sirens cut off his reply. The police swarmed in, dragging him away.
My statement led them to Nicole—broken, barely breathing—in the Andersons' private dungeon.
Louis was convicted. Prison broke him fast.
Within weeks, he was transferred to a psychiatric ward. Whatever hell awaited him there, he deserved every second.
One Month Later
Jefferson Group's IPO celebration glittered around us. Steven raised his glass, that familiar smirk playing on his lips.
"Elise, what do you say we upgrade this fake relationship to the real deal?"
I clinked my glass against his, smiling. "Steven, allies last longer. And that's exactly what I need you to be."
For a second, something flickered in his eyes—disappointment, maybe. But he nodded. He understood.
This was where he belonged. Not as a lover. As a partner.
My world had shifted.
Love and betrayal no longer defined me. There was more—so much more—beyond Louis and his lies.
No more rose-tinted delusions.
The sky was wide open.
And it was mine.
The End.
Louis pressed the cold blade of a knife against my throat from behind, his voice eerily calm.
"Elise, don't be scared. I won't hurt you. I just need to talk. I know I messed up, and I swore I'd fix things. So why won't you forgive me?"
His words tumbled out in a desperate rush, like he was trying to convince himself as much as me.
"I love you. Even if you took credit for saving me—even if you stole that from Nicole—I can't bring myself to leave you. You have no idea what these past six months have done to me..."
His gaze locked onto mine through the rearview mirror, searching, pleading for any flicker of hesitation.
I didn't give him one. Instead, my fingers inched toward the emergency button.
A firm press. The car slowed, pulling to the shoulder.
Louis misread my move entirely. His face lit up, hope flashing in his eyes.
"Elise, I knew you still cared. When I said I didn't want kids, it was because I couldn't stand the thought of you suffering through childbirth. I was going to adopt Nicole's baby under your name—but then she got knocked up by someone else and still tried to pin it on me."
He set the knife down, fumbling for his phone.
With a few taps, he turned the screen toward me. "Look. I locked Nicole up. I've been making her pay—for you."
The video made my stomach twist.
Nicole, bound and bruised, ropes digging into her skin. Every few seconds, a shadowy figure stepped into frame, delivering another blow.
She stared into the camera, tears streaking her dirtied face, voice shredded from screaming.
"I'm sorry, Louis. Elise... I'm not asking for forgiveness. Just send me to prison. Please, I can't take anymore—Elise, if you're watching... just let me go! AH—"
The scream jolted through me. I recoiled.
Louis muted it instantly, patting my head like I was some spooked animal.
"Don't be afraid. I'd never do this to you. Nicole earned every second of this. She poisoned us. Almost made me lose you. But I found you again."
Then he leaned in—too close, too fast. I braced, muscles locking.
Before he could touch me, the car door flew open.
Steven.
He hauled Louis out by the collar and slammed a fist into his jaw.
"Louis," he snarled, "you really thought you could put your hands on my woman? Cops are on their way. Save your excuses for them."
Louis staggered, staring at me like I'd gutted him. "Elise... you called him? You set me up? Why? You promised—"
I stepped out of the car, looking down at him, voice steel. "I told you I'd never forgive you. If you hadn't held a knife to my throat, I'd have kicked you out miles ago."
The wail of sirens cut off his reply. The police swarmed in, dragging him away.
My statement led them to Nicole—broken, barely breathing—in the Andersons' private dungeon.
Louis was convicted. Prison broke him fast.
Within weeks, he was transferred to a psychiatric ward. Whatever hell awaited him there, he deserved every second.
One Month Later
Jefferson Group's IPO celebration glittered around us. Steven raised his glass, that familiar smirk playing on his lips.
"Elise, what do you say we upgrade this fake relationship to the real deal?"
I clinked my glass against his, smiling. "Steven, allies last longer. And that's exactly what I need you to be."
For a second, something flickered in his eyes—disappointment, maybe. But he nodded. He understood.
This was where he belonged. Not as a lover. As a partner.
My world had shifted.
Love and betrayal no longer defined me. There was more—so much more—beyond Louis and his lies.
No more rose-tinted delusions.
The sky was wide open.
And it was mine.
The End.
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