The Heiress He Underestimated novel Chapter 144

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Chapter 144 The Weight Of Knowing

Elera thought about it. Her father had drugged her, used her and threatened her. He’d destroyed Sarah’s life and then manipulated that destruction into a weapon against Elera herself. He’d killed people and slept soundly at night. He’d gone on television and cried fake tears about his daughter while plotting to steal her company.

“I’m going to talk to Sarah,” she said. “She deserves to know the truth. And maybe, just maybe, if she knows what really happened, we can end this war before anyone else gets hurt.”

“That’s dangerous,” Frost said immediately. “Sarah is unstable. She’s working with Valdris and your father to destroy you. Telling her the truth could backfire spectacularly.”

“Or it could free her,” Elera countered. “She’s spent five years thinking she’s a monster. Imagine living with that. Imagine believing you killed your own parents. If I can give her the truth, if I can show her she’s not a murderer, maybe she’ll stop trying to destroy me and start trying to destroy the person who actually deserves it.”

“And if she doesn’t believe you?” Drakonius asked.

“Then at least I tried. At least I gave her the option of truth over lies.” Elera stood up. “I’m not my father. I’m not going to keep destroying people to protect myself. I’m going to tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may.”

“That’s very noble,” Clara said. “Also potentially suicidal, but noble.”

“I’ll go with you,” Drakonius said immediately. “You’re not meeting Sarah alone.”

“I’ll have Frost send a security team,” Frost added. “You’ll be covered from every angle.”

“And I’ll stay here and stress eat pastries,” Clara said, eyeing the display case. “Someone has to keep the economy running.”

They left the coffee shop as a group, Frost’s team materializing around them like protective shadows. In the car, Elera pulled out her phone and did something she’d been avoiding.

She called Xan.

He answered on the third ring. “Elera? This is unexpected.”

“We need to talk. It’s about Sarah and it’s connected to that night five years ago.”

There was a long pause. “What about it?”

“I have some information. Big information that changes everything. But I need to talk to Sarah first. Can you arrange a meeting?”

“Why would I do that? You’re the enemy, remember? You’re the woman we’re trying to destroy.”

“Because,” Elera said, choosing her words carefully, “if what I tell her is true, and I can prove it’s true, then you’ve been destroying the wrong person. You’ve been avenging someone who doesn’t need avenging. And the person who actually deserves your rage has been playing you both like puppets.”

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Chapter 144 The Weight Of Knowing

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Another long pause. “That’s a big claim.”

“I have evidence. Witness testimony, video footage and documentation. I’m not asking you to trust me, Xan. I’m asking you to let Sarah hear the truth and decide for herself.”

She could hear him breathing on the other end, processing. When he spoke again, his voice was different,

it was less hostile and more uncertain.

“Tomorrow, I will send you the location to a offeeshop. I’ll bring Sarah and you will bring your evidence. And Elera? If this is some kind of trap, if you’re trying to hurt her more than she’s already been hurt, I will destroy you in ways you can’t imagine.”

“It’s not a trap. I’m just trying to free her. And maybe end this war before anyone else gets hurt.”

After she hung up, Drakonius took her hand. “That was very brave of you, probably stupid but definitely brave.”

“Stupid and brave is kind of my brand at this point.”

“It really is.”

That evening, back at the house, Elera found herself in her lab. It wasn’t because she had work to do, but because the sterile quiet of the space helped her think. She was staring at a blank computer screen when Clara appeared in the doorway.

“Frost told me what you’re doing tomorrow. With Sarah.”

“And?”

“And I think you’re either the bravest person I know or the most self destructive. I haven’t decided which.”

“Can’t it be both?”

Clara came and sat on the counter next to where Elera was standing. “You know there’s a chance this goes really, really badly, right? Sarah is damaged. She’s been living in a delusion for five years. Shattering that delusion could break her completely.”

“What’s the alternative? Let her keep living a lie? Let my father keep using her pain as a weapon?”

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