Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do - Chapter 8: Chapter 8
You are reading Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do, Chapter 8: Chapter 8. Read more chapters of Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do.
I didn't waste a second. The moment I got the full picture, I had my men dig into it. I needed answers—yesterday.
And what they found? Crystal clear.
Nicole had been playing me the whole damn time, spinning lies while I swallowed every word like an idiot.
The realization hit me like a sucker punch. I'd been completely blindsided.
My fist slammed into the bed, frustration boiling over.
"Good. Real good, Nicole," I growled through clenched teeth, my voice low, barely containing the fury. The rage crashed over me in waves.
How had I been so stupid? So wrapped up in her deception that I missed what was right in front of me?
How the hell had I not seen it?
Elise's POV
It had been a month since I'd returned to the Jefferson Estate in Horizon City. A month since I left—and a month since I'd settled back into my old life.
Three years ago, the Jeffersons had pulled out of the capital entirely, relocating everything to Horizon City.
Now, I stood at the shoreline, scattering my mother's ashes into the ocean—her favorite place in the world.
When my grandparents found out what had happened to me, they were devastated. They swore vengeance against the Andersons, but I shut it down before they could even make plans.
"Louis refused to divorce me back then," I said quietly. "But he's already been punished by the curse. Living like this? That's his real sentence."
My grandparents saw the ice in my eyes and never brought it up again.
Over the next month, they tried everything to lift my spirits. But the truth was, I wasn't grieving anymore.
The moment Louis let my mother die because of Nicole, there was nothing left between us but hate.
I hated myself more—for being weak enough to cling to his love, to accept his proposal, to fall for his lies.
So I threw myself into the Jefferson Group, absorbing everything I could about running the company.
Grandpa assigned Steven Hoffman—the eldest son of the Hoffman family—to mentor me on projects.
The more time I spent with Steven, the further Louis faded from my mind.
The pain dulled. The memories lost their grip.
Then, one day after a meeting, I stepped into the underground parking garage.
The second the elevator doors opened, a hand shot out, blocking my path.
I never expected to see him again.
"Elise," Louis said, desperation thick in his voice. "I finally found you. I've been trying to reach you for six months—you've ghosted me completely. I know I was wrong. It's my fault for believing Nicole's lies, for thinking she was the one who saved me ten years ago. I treated you like some fraud stealing her credit. I hurt you—over and over."
He kept rambling, frantic. "It wasn't me who killed your mother—it was Nicole. She cut off the medication. I just wanted to scare you. I never meant—"
I checked my watch, my patience wearing thinner with every word.
"Save it," I cut in, my voice steady despite the storm inside. "My mother is dead because of you."
Locking eyes with him, I said, "Louis, we're divorced. Go away. I don't want to see you."
But he didn't budge, stubborn as ever.
"Elise, please—give me another chance. I'll do anything to make it right."
Then he rolled up his pant leg, revealing the prosthetic underneath.
"I believe in the Jefferson curse," he said, voice thick with regret. "Look—this is my punishment for betraying you. I accept it. Marry me again. If I ever hurt you, don't forgive me. I'll even die for you."
He begged, "Elise, please."
But all I felt was disgust.
"Louis, if you'd ever truly trusted or cared about me, you would've asked me yourself. Instead, you chose to believe Nicole's lies and destroyed everything. The truth is, your heart changed long ago—you just can't admit it."
With that, I shoved him back—hard.
Louis stumbled, losing his balance, his prosthetic clattering to the ground.
I stepped over it without a second glance and headed to my car.
"Elise!" His voice cracked behind me. "Don't leave me here—please! Just one more chance!"
I didn't look back.
Steven, already in the driver's seat, smirked as I climbed in.
"The always-punctual Elise Jefferson… late for once?"
And what they found? Crystal clear.
Nicole had been playing me the whole damn time, spinning lies while I swallowed every word like an idiot.
The realization hit me like a sucker punch. I'd been completely blindsided.
My fist slammed into the bed, frustration boiling over.
"Good. Real good, Nicole," I growled through clenched teeth, my voice low, barely containing the fury. The rage crashed over me in waves.
How had I been so stupid? So wrapped up in her deception that I missed what was right in front of me?
How the hell had I not seen it?
Elise's POV
It had been a month since I'd returned to the Jefferson Estate in Horizon City. A month since I left—and a month since I'd settled back into my old life.
Three years ago, the Jeffersons had pulled out of the capital entirely, relocating everything to Horizon City.
Now, I stood at the shoreline, scattering my mother's ashes into the ocean—her favorite place in the world.
When my grandparents found out what had happened to me, they were devastated. They swore vengeance against the Andersons, but I shut it down before they could even make plans.
"Louis refused to divorce me back then," I said quietly. "But he's already been punished by the curse. Living like this? That's his real sentence."
My grandparents saw the ice in my eyes and never brought it up again.
Over the next month, they tried everything to lift my spirits. But the truth was, I wasn't grieving anymore.
The moment Louis let my mother die because of Nicole, there was nothing left between us but hate.
I hated myself more—for being weak enough to cling to his love, to accept his proposal, to fall for his lies.
So I threw myself into the Jefferson Group, absorbing everything I could about running the company.
Grandpa assigned Steven Hoffman—the eldest son of the Hoffman family—to mentor me on projects.
The more time I spent with Steven, the further Louis faded from my mind.
The pain dulled. The memories lost their grip.
Then, one day after a meeting, I stepped into the underground parking garage.
The second the elevator doors opened, a hand shot out, blocking my path.
I never expected to see him again.
"Elise," Louis said, desperation thick in his voice. "I finally found you. I've been trying to reach you for six months—you've ghosted me completely. I know I was wrong. It's my fault for believing Nicole's lies, for thinking she was the one who saved me ten years ago. I treated you like some fraud stealing her credit. I hurt you—over and over."
He kept rambling, frantic. "It wasn't me who killed your mother—it was Nicole. She cut off the medication. I just wanted to scare you. I never meant—"
I checked my watch, my patience wearing thinner with every word.
"Save it," I cut in, my voice steady despite the storm inside. "My mother is dead because of you."
Locking eyes with him, I said, "Louis, we're divorced. Go away. I don't want to see you."
But he didn't budge, stubborn as ever.
"Elise, please—give me another chance. I'll do anything to make it right."
Then he rolled up his pant leg, revealing the prosthetic underneath.
"I believe in the Jefferson curse," he said, voice thick with regret. "Look—this is my punishment for betraying you. I accept it. Marry me again. If I ever hurt you, don't forgive me. I'll even die for you."
He begged, "Elise, please."
But all I felt was disgust.
"Louis, if you'd ever truly trusted or cared about me, you would've asked me yourself. Instead, you chose to believe Nicole's lies and destroyed everything. The truth is, your heart changed long ago—you just can't admit it."
With that, I shoved him back—hard.
Louis stumbled, losing his balance, his prosthetic clattering to the ground.
I stepped over it without a second glance and headed to my car.
"Elise!" His voice cracked behind me. "Don't leave me here—please! Just one more chance!"
I didn't look back.
Steven, already in the driver's seat, smirked as I climbed in.
"The always-punctual Elise Jefferson… late for once?"
End of Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do Chapter 8. Continue reading Chapter 9 or return to Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do book page.