Chapter 1 With The Same Man
Elaine Valentine and her sister Stacy Valentine had fallen in love with the same man.
Cordell Decker.
Now, he was her brother–in–law.
When she first heard that her sister, Stacy, was going to marry Cordell, she made a firm decision to leave the country.
Her eyes reflected a sense of defeat and despair. “I’m never coming back, and I won’t bless you both.”
After leaving for abroad, she cut off all contact with everyone, even avoiding logging into WhatsApp for a long time.
That was, until one day when she suddenly called Marcelo Valentine, asking for a large sum of money. That was the first time she’d reached out to her family.
As she stepped out of the airport, Rubin Krueger, who had come to pick her up, immediately spotted her. He hurried over and took the suitcase from her hands. “Ms. Valentine.”
She glanced around. Aside from Rubin, there was no one else to greet her. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
At home, Stacy came forward to greet her. “Elaine, you’ve finally come back.”
Three years had passed, and Stacy, now married, was even more beautiful than before.
She wore a light blue dress, with delicate butterfly embroidery at the collar. The high slit revealed her long, flawless legs.
Her hair, once long, had been cut short. The ends curled slightly, dyed a soft chestnut brown, accentuating her fair skin. She looked
effortlessly chic and stunning.
She descended the stairs slowly, exuding the calm elegance of a wealthy young woman.
“Stacy,” Elaine called softly, her voice lacking the usual softness and coquettish tone.
Stacy reached the bottom of the stairs and took in Elaine’s appearance, noting how much thinner she had become. She looked almost skeletal.
Stacy’s heart ached. “Was life in Drego that tough?”
“It wasn’t tough. Everything’s fine,” Elaine replied, always sticking to
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her default answer when asked about Drego-“Fine.”
Stacy knew Elaine’s stubbornness. If Elaine didn’t want to share, asking was pointless.
Noticing the fatigue in Elaine’s eyes, she suggested, “Why don’t you rest upstairs for a while? After you wake up, I’ll have the servants make your favorite dishes.”
“Okay,” Elaine murmured, too tired to argue. She nodded and went upstairs, familiar with the house and making her way to the guest room with ease.
After a hot shower, she dried her hair a her eyes.
lay down on the bed, closing
But her sleep wasn’t peaceful. As usual, her dreams were strange and unsettling.
When she woke up, the
evening had already settled in. She reached for her phone on the nightstand—it was already 9:30 PM.
She hadn’t eaten much on the plane, and now she was starting to feel hungry.
She changed clothes and decided to head downstairs. As she stepped out of the guest room, she glanced down the hallway.
Stacy was on the sofa, watching a variety show, while the maid had placed a fruit platter on the coffee table.
Just as Elaine took a few steps down, she saw Cordell walking back inside. A servant quickly went to take his shoes and place them at his feet.
Her footsteps froze. She gripped the golden handrail tightly, her fingers curling into a fist.
Compared to three years ago, he was even more mature and charismatic, wearing a well–tailored dark suit and a white shirt, exuding a cold, clean aura.
He was bent over at the entrance, changing his shoes, and hadn’t noticed her on the stairs.
She hesitated, wondering if she should continue down. She thought it would be awkward for all three of them, and just as she was about to turn back to her room, she heard Stacy’s voice calling her name. “Elaine.”
Her body stiffened. She instinctively bit her lip, her nails digging into her palm, the sharp pain spreading through her hand.
After a long pause, she turned around, her expression returning to its usual calm, with no hint of emotion.
Stacy was sitting on the sofa, looking at her, while Cordell, still at the entrance, had also turned his attention toward her.
She glanced at him briefly before subtly shifting her gaze, walking down the stairs. “Stacy, I’m hungry.”
4
Stacy smiled warmly and called out, “Janine.
”
Janine Zavala emerged from the kitchen, and upon seeing Elaine walking down the stairs, she cheerfully greeted her, “Ms. Valentine.”
Before Stacy married Cordell, Elaine used to visit the Decker family frequently, so the household staff all knew her.
Elaine had never been haughty, despite being from a wealthy family. She used to call Janine sweetly, and the maid had a good impression of her.
Cordell entered the living room, and Stacy effortlessly took his coat, hanging it up in the cloakroom. The way they interacted felt like an old married couple.
Elaine couldn’t help but feel a sharp pang in her chest, as if a blade was cutting through her heart, leaving a painful, aching tightness.
Janine brought out the food prepared for her, and Elaine walked to the dining room. She casually asked, “Where’s Annie?”
Annie Ortiz was an old servant of the Decker family who had always been very fond of Elaine. Whenever she visited, Annie would prepare her favorite dishes and fruits.
Stacy, noticing the faint smell of alcohol on Cordell, asked the servant to prepare some coffee. Hearing Elaine’s question, she replied, “Annie’s grandson is sick, so she took the day off.”
Cordell, looking tired, leaned back on the sofa. He glanced over at the dining table, where Elaine sat. Her face had lost its youthful roundness. The white dress she wore made her skin look porcelain–smooth, and her features were sharp and delicate.
She had lost a lot of weight, the baby fat completely gone. Her sharp chin made her eyes appear even larger and more striking. They were still as dark and bright as before.
Elaine wasn’t eating much. She took only a few bites before setting her fork down.
Noticing the uneaten food, Janine asked, “Ms. Valentine, isn’t the food to your liking?”
It shouldn’t be the case, as everything was prepared just as she liked it.
Before Elaine could respond, Cordell spoke up, “You shouldn’t eat too much at night.”
As soon as he said that, Elaine looked up and met his gaze.
10
