Chapter 4 Get out

Cloe stood there, her entire world unraveling before her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Tears welled up, spilling down her cheeks in silent streams as her breath came in shallow gasps. Her voice cracked as she choked out, "Where is Ethan? I want to meet with him... I need to hear this from him."

The room felt as though it was closing in, and for a brief moment, Sofia and Elizabeth exchanged a look of panic. If Cloe saw Ethan-if they spoke-there was no way Ethan would let her go. The fear in Sofia's eyes was palpable as she shifted uncomfortably, her hands trembling. Elizabeth, however, stiffened, her anger growing sharper by the second. She clenched her teeth, eyes burning with fury.

"Ethan is not interested in meeting with you," Elizabeth snapped.

Cloe's heart lurched, her mind reeling. That couldn't be true. It just couldn't be possible. Ethan loved her. He had always loved her. She shook her head in disbelief, her voice barely a whisper, "No... That can't be."

Elizabeth's face twisted with rage. Her voice rose, venom dripping from every word. "Do you think I'm lying to you? Do you dare call me a liar?"

Cloe stumbled backward, her eyes wide with shock, "No... no, I didn't mean-"

But Elizabeth wasn't listening. Her anger boiled over as she took a step forward, towering over Cloe, her voice shaking the room. "You orphan girl! I showed you mercy, took you in, and raised you when your parents died! I paid for your education, gave you everything, and now you have the nerve to question me?"

Cloe stood frozen, her body trembling as Elizabeth's words hit her like physical blows. The weight of her past, the years of being indebted to the Taylors, pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't mean it, Elizabeth. I just-"

Elizabeth's roar cut her off, shaking the very walls of the mansion. "Get out of my house right now!"

The words were like a knife plunging into Cloe's heart. She felt the world tilt beneath her as her breath caught in her throat. **Get out?** She couldn't comprehend it. The place that had been her home, the place where she had built every dream she had-she was being thrown out, just like that. Her heart stopped, her legs weak beneath her, as she looked at Elizabeth in utter disbelief.

Her whole life had just been torn apart. And there was nothing she could do.

Cloe's voice trembled as she looked up at Elizabeth, her hands clenching her chest as if to hold herself together. "Where will I go, Elizabeth? You know I have nowhere to go..."

Elizabeth's eyes flashed with anger, her voice rising, cutting through the air like a blade. "That is none of my business. You've grown up. Now find your way."

Cloe's heart shattered, the weight of those words hitting her like a punch to the gut. She could feel the gazes of the maids around her, their eyes filled with sorrow and helplessness. None of them dared move or speak, but their sympathy was palpable. Even in their silence, Cloe could sense their unease-Elizabeth's cruelty was something none of them could ignore.

Sofia stepped forward, her lips curling into a venomous smile. "Soon I'm going to be Ethan's wife. And you wish to stay here? Right in front of my eyes?"

Cloe's breath caught in her throat. The very thought of Ethan with Sofia, of their life together, felt like a knife twisting inside her. Her body couldn't take it-the betrayal, the pain-it all became too much. Her knees gave way beneath her, and with a soft, broken gasp, she collapsed onto the cold, unforgiving floor. The marble felt like ice against her skin, but the agony inside was worse. She stared blankly at the ground, the image of Ethan and Sofia together haunting her mind, tearing her apart from the inside.

Elizabeth's voice boomed through the hall, filled with irritation. "Stop this drama! And get out, now!"

Cloe lifted her head, eyes wide with helplessness, tears spilling over her cheeks. Her voice cracked, barely more than a whisper, "I have no place to go... Please, let me meet with Ethan... I beg you."

She was on her knees, completely broken, pleading with the very people who once called her family. Every inch of her was trembling, her body a vessel for the pain that felt like it would never stop. She glanced around, desperate, searching for anyone to help her, but the maids stood still, afraid to interfere. Cloe was utterly alone.

Sofia stood behind Elizabeth, her face twisted with smug satisfaction, her hand resting protectively over her stomach, as if to remind Cloe of the life she claimed to carry. Cloe's gaze fell on Sofia, her chest tightening as the reality set in-Ethan, the man she loved, was slipping through her fingers, and there was nothing she could do.

Elizabeth's fury didn't relent, her voice a cruel echo through the hall. "You are no longer welcome here, Cloe. Leave."

Cloe's tears fell harder, her breath coming in short, painful gasps as she stared up at Elizabeth, hoping for some sign of mercy. But there was none. All that remained was a crushing silence and the unforgiving glare of the woman who had once been her guardian, now her enemy. The world she knew was crumbling before her, and with it, her last hope.