Chapter 6 A Life Of Quiet Suffering

Eleanor donned her protective suit, gathered her dissection tools, and, with a quick swipe of her badge, entered the morgue.

Moving with practiced precision, she located the young woman's body and made a careful incision.

After a few moments of searching, her fingers brushed against something-a memory card, slick with blood.

Gently, she extracted it, stitched the body back up, and returned everything to its original order.

Clutching the memory card tightly, she left the morgue, heart pounding.

Given how thoroughly it was soaked, she could only hope it would still work.

With no time to check it at the station, she headed straight home.

By the time she reached home, dawn had begun to streak the sky.

She stepped inside, exhausted, and was immediately met with a sudden flood of light. She raised a hand, shielding her eyes against the harsh glare.

As Eleanor's eyes adjusted to the light, she lowered her hand to see her stepmother, Shelly Harvey, approaching with her biological daughter's support.

Shelly's gaze swept over Eleanor's disheveled appearance, lingering on her tear-stained eyes. A sneer crept across her face. "Where have you been messing around this time?"

Eleanor had grown used to Shelly's sharp remarks, yet each one still struck a nerve.

Back when her father was still alive, Shelly had been kind and nurturing and she had genuinely cared for Shelly, too. Now, the warmth was long gone.

Seeing Eleanor's silence, Shelly seemed uninterested in pursuing the topic.

"If Harvey Group doesn't receive new funding soon, we'll be bankrupt," Shelly sighed dramatically.

She paused, her eyes sharpening as she continued, "The Ferguson family just sent a proposal. Becker has expressed interest in you. If you marry him, the Ferguson Group will provide the funds to revive your father's company."

Eleanor's eyes widened, shock rippling through her.

Becker Ferguson? He was infamous in Krixsas- rumors swirled about his violent streak, claiming the lives of three previous wives.

Marrying him would be like walking into a death sentence.

Without a second thought, Eleanor said, "I won't marry him."

"Excuse me!"

Shelly let out a harsh, mocking laugh, her eyes gleaming with disdain.

"Do you still think you're some treasured heiress of the Harvey family?"

She stepped forward, her heels clicking sharply, and gripped Eleanor's chin, her nails pressing painfully into her skin.

"Let me spell it out for you: your father is gone, and I'm in charge now. You will marry into the Ferguson family."

Eleanor's eyes flashed with defiance, hatred simmering just beneath the surface.

She could see it clearly now-Shelly was determined to throw her into the jaws of danger, all for the sake of family wealth.

Just then, Yvette Archer, Shelly's daughter, sauntered over, her voice dripping with insincere warmth. "Eleanor, the Fergusons are a respected family in Krixsas. Marrying into their ranks would bring you wealth and honor beyond measure. Why resist?"

Eleanor's glare hardened. "If the Fergusons are so wonderful, why don't you marry Becker yourself?"

Yvette's pleasant facade cracked, revealing the cold calculation beneath.

She grabbed a fistful of Eleanor's hair, leaning in close. "I have far better prospects than marrying a man known for domestic violence."

Eleanor let out a bitter laugh.

After her father's death, Shelly had seized control of the Harvey family, relegating Eleanor, the rightful heiress, to a life of quiet suffering.

"Yvette, have a few years of luxury made you forget who you really are? Or where you came from?"

Eleanor's words hit their mark, and Yvette's face went pale, a flicker of her past vulnerabilities flashing in her eyes.

Shelly's expression twisted in anger. She quickly moved to shield Yvette, her scowl directed at Eleanor. Turning to the nearby bodyguards, she shouted, "What are you waiting for? Restrain her and take her to the Fergusons'. Now."