Chapter 16

Chapter16

In the end, Eleanor decided to keep the divorce papers tucked away.

The next morning, she drove herself to the Harrison estate without waiting for Nathaniel. The estate was nestled on the edge of downtown Silvercrest, a luxurious area known for its sprawling villas and manicured gardens.

As soon as Eleanor parked her car, a maid spotted her. Instead of greeting her, the maid hurried back into the house.

Eleanor noticed the maid scurrying inside but paid no mind. She stepped out of the car, carrying a few carefully chosen gifts. After all, she was there to apologize.

The moment Eleanor entered the house, the same maid who had rushed in earlier appeared with a polite smile. "Ms. Eleanor, you're here."

Eleanor nodded in acknowledgment.

"Eleanor!" Isabella's voice rang out as she descended the stairs in a flowing white dress, her curls bouncing over her shoulders. She looked radiant, her innocent demeanor perfectly intact.

Though Isabella called out to Eleanor, her eyes darted behind her, searching. A flicker of surprise crossed her face when she realized Eleanor had come alone. "Eleanor, did you drive here by yourself?"

"Yes," Eleanor replied, her gaze lingering on Isabella's arm. "How's your arm? Feeling better?"

"I'm fine..." Isabella quickly composed herself, then shifted the conversation. "Mom's upstairs. She's... still a bit upset. Do you want to see her?"

"Of course," Eleanor agreed without hesitation, catching Isabella off guard.

Before Isabella could say more, Eleanor had already walked past her.

Margaret was in the second-floor conservatory, arranging a bouquet of roses when Eleanor approached. "Mom." Margaret merely grunted in response.

"I brought you something. It's downstairs," Eleanor said, ignoring Margaret's cold demeanor. "I acted impulsively yesterday. But since I don't know the full story, I had someone retrieve the mall's security footage."

Isabella, who had followed closely behind, overheard Eleanor's words as she entered the conservatory. Her expression shifted, and she rushed to Eleanor's side. "Eleanor, why did you ask for the security footage?"

"You were hurt, weren't you? It's only right we get to the bottom of it."

"But I'm fine now. There's no need to make a big deal out of what happened yesterday," Isabella said, her eyes darting toward Margaret.

This time, Margaret didn't side with Isabella. She turned to Eleanor and asked, "Where's the footage?"

"They'll send it to me soon."

"Mom!" Isabella hurried over to Margaret. "Let's not make this a big thing. Look, I'm perfectly fine. I don't want to cause any trouble."

"It's no trouble at all," Eleanor interjected. "Getting the footage isn't a hassle."

Isabella fell silent, her gaze fixed on Eleanor. "Eleanor, do you suspect me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she pressed on. "You think I hurt myself on purpose, don't you?"

"I just want to know the truth. But the way you're reacting makes it seem like you're admitting to something."

Isabella didn't break eye contact. Suddenly, she took a deep breath and confessed, "You're right. I did hurt myself on purpose yesterday."

Her admission caught Eleanor off guard.

But Isabella quickly turned to Margaret, pleading, "Mom, yell at me if you want. I fell on purpose yesterday, but what choice did I have? Eleanor was arguing with Olivia. I couldn't stop either of them, and I was terrified someone would take photos and leak them to the media. That's why I did something so stupid. Mom, I was wrong."",