Reborn at Eighteen The Billionaire's Second Chance novel Chapter 171

Chapter 171

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Elara

Sloane moved closer, one hand still resting protectively on her belly,

her expression the perfect picture of sympathetic understanding. “I

know this must be hard for you. You’ve had feelings for Julian for such

a long time, and now you’re seeing him move on with his life. It’s

natural to feel hurt. But trying to destroy his sister’s reputation,

making these wild accusations… that’s not going to change anything.

Julian and I are building a life together. We’re having a baby. And no

matter how much you try to sabotage us, that’s not going to change.”

The crowd shifted uncomfortably. I could see it in their faces–the way the sympathy that had been building for me was starting to drain away, replaced by doubt and judgment. Because Sloane was good at this. She was so good at playing the victim while twisting the knife, at

making herself look reasonable while painting me as the jealous,

unstable girl who couldn’t let go.

And suddenly I understood. This was her real talent–not art, but this.

The ability to manipulate a room full of people, to control the

narrative, to make herself the heroine and me the villain. She’d been

doing it for years, and she’d gotten away with it because she was

beautiful and charming and came from the right family.

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Chapter 171

But I’d learned a few things too. I’d learned that sometimes the only

way to survive was to play by their rules, to use their own weapons

against them.

So I did something I never thought I’d do. Something that made me

hate myself even as I did it.

I let my voice break. I let my shoulders slump. I let tears well up in

my eyes and spill down my cheeks, and I didn’t try to wipe them

away.

“You’re right,” I said, my voice small and trembling. It was the voice

I’d used as a child when I was trying to make the Vanes like me, when

I was desperate for any scrap of affection or approval. It was the voice

of a girl who’d been broken down and taught to be grateful for

crumbs. And I hated how easily it came back to me, how natural it felt

to slip into that role again.

But it worked. I could see it in the way the crowd’s expression shifted,

the way even Sloane’s perfect mask flickered with uncertainty.

“You’re right,” I said again, louder this time. “I did love Julian. I loved

him for years. I loved him from the moment I came to this house,

when I was fifteen and lost and scared, and he was the only one who

was kind to me.”

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Chapter 171

I looked at Julian then, and I let him see the tears streaming down my

face. “You were so good to me back then. You brought me warm milk

when I couldn’t sleep. You stood up for me when the other kids at

school were cruel. You taught me how to navigate this world that felt

so foreign and frightening. And I… I fell in love with you. How could I

not?”

My voice was shaking now, and I wasn’t sure if it was from the

performance or from the truth of what I was saying. Because even

though I was using these words as weapons, they were still true. I had

loved him. I had loved him with everything I had, and it had

destroyed me.

“I know I was just a kid,” I continued, my voice barely above a

whisper. “I know I shouldn’t have had those feelings. You were my

guardian’s grandson, and I was just the daughter of your family’s dead

employee. But I couldn’t help it. I thought… I thought if I was good

enough, if I worked hard enough, if I was talented enough… maybe I

could be worthy of you.”

The crowd was completely silent now, hanging on every word. I could

see women dabbing at their eyes, could see the men shifting

uncomfortably. Even Victoria had stopped looking triumphant, her

face pale and uncertain.

“But I know better now,” I said, and this time I looked directly at Sloane. “I know that was all just a fantasy. A stupid, childish fantasy.

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Chapter 171

Because you’re right–Julian has moved on. He’s building a life with

you, and he’s going to have a baby with you, and that’s… that’s how it

should be.”

I turned back to the crowd, my voice growing stronger even as the

tears continued to fall. “So when Victoria says I’m jealous, she’s not

entirely wrong. I am jealous. I’m jealous of what you have, Sloane. I’m

jealous that you get to be with him, that you get to build a family

with him, that you get to have the life I used to dream about.”

I paused, letting that sink in. Letting them see me as the heartbroken

girl who’d finally accepted defeat. And then I turned to Victoria.

“But that doesn’t excuse what you did to me,” I said, my voice quiet

but firm. “I may have been wrong to love Julian. I may have been

foolish to think I could ever be part of this family. But that doesn’t

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