Twenty-Six receipts of betrayal Novel novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The slap sent Nicholas reeling, stars exploding behind his eyes as he crashed into the wall.

Hearing the rage and heartbreak in his mother’s voice, he froze. He couldn’t bear to look at her.

In that moment, his silence said everything.

His mom had known something was off about Elara’s suicide. The whole thing felt wrong.

But she never imagined her own son was the reason.

She stared at him–at this man who wouldn’t even defend himself–and the anger in her eyes slowly burned out, replaced by crushing disappointment and disbelief.

Her whole body started shaking. Her voice came out sharp and broken.

“How could you? How could you do something so stupid? That was Elara! Have you forgotten she saved your life? Have you forgotten you were willing to get expelled just to be with her? You PROMISED me you’d take care of her. You swore you’d love her till the end. How am I supposed to face her parents now? How am I supposed to look them in the eye when I die?”

The accusation–coming from his own mother–was too much.

Nicholas felt every bit of strength drain out of him. His legs gave out and he slid down the wall, collapsing onto the floor.

If his soul had died the day he found out Elara was gone-

Then today, having his darkest secrets dragged into the light, was the moment he started rotting.

But his body? That had died long before.

The day he first accepted Valentina’s invitation.

All this time, he’d been walking around in nice clothes, hiding the decay underneath. Now it was all exposed. Out in the open,

And he deserved every bit of it.

The Sterlings and the Kingstons had been neighbors for eighteen years.

Nicholas’s mom had always wanted a daughter. So when the Kingstons moved in next door and she saw this bright, mischievous little girl, she

fell in love instantly.

She watched Elara and Nicholas grow closer. Knew they were sneaking around, dating behind everyone’s backs. But she never said anything,

and chose to look the other way.

Then Nicholas got written up at school for breaking curfew to see Elara, and suddenly everything was out in the open.

Both families sat down to talk about what to do.

Nicholas saw how serious everyone looked and thought they were going to force them apart. So he dropped to his knees right there and made a

VOW.

He said he and Elara had grown up together. They’d already chosen each other. They weren’t doing anything they shouldn’t. They’d work hard, get into the same college, do everything right.

16:30

Twenty Six Receipts of Betrayal: My Silence Was the Countdown to His Eternal Regret

Chapter 21

He was sixteen then–fearless in his youth, and naive to the cruel turns life could take.

Nicholas’s mom didn’t know if she should let them stay together.

In the end, it was Elara’s dad who convinced her. Said kids have to make their own choices. Let them figure it out

So she agreed.

Partly because she really did love Elara.

And partly because she believed her son. Believed that when he made a promise, he’d keep it.

Then the accident happened.

After the accident, Nicholas seemed to mature overnight, stepping up to shoulder his responsibility.

It broke her heart. But she was proud of him too.

After the wedding, after Elara’s parents died, Elara started fading.

Nicholas took care of her, holding their lives together even when everything was falling apart.

His mom thought he’d finally become strong enough to handle it all.

But she was wrong.

She never imagined that in the shadows, the son she raised could do such a thing.

Now her head was buzzing. She couldn’t find words.

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Twenty Six Receipts of Betrayal. My Silence Was the Countdown to