Chapter 119 A Crushing Realization
#Finished
Northerest University–the dream of millions, the pinnacle of academic excellence, Countless students fought for a place, many failing along the way.
Yet Lauren, the sister he had always misunderstood, rejected, and despised, had secured an offer from that prestigious university..
Elliot’s hand reached uncontrollably for the acceptance letter, as if touching something both precious and fragile.
The moment his fingers brushed the paper, a jolt ran through his body, as like he had been struck by a surge of electricity.
Memories flooded his mind.
His disbelief in her.
The way he let their family’s accusations pile onto her
Her shock in court when he testified against her.
flis cold indifference while she rotted in prison.
Each memory was a blade, stabbing deep into his heart
His breath came in quick, chest rising and falling rapidly like a drowning man gasping for air.
Dizziness overtook him, his vision growing blurry as his eyes reddened.
“I ruined her… I destroyed her life with my own hands. His voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. tears welling up and spilling over, trickling down his checks and dripping onto the letter, staining the crisp
paper.
Regret and guilt were all over his face, his body sagged into the chair, drained of all strength. He stared ahead, lost, as if the world had collapsed around him. Guilt weighed down on him, heavier than he had ever imagined.
The certificates, the acceptance letter–each one was a stark reminder of what he had stolen from her, irrefutable evidence of the harm he could never undo.
His hands trembled violently. A wave of darkness clouded his vision, threatening to pull him under.
Elliot inhaled heavily, forcing himself to stay conscious and keep from collapsing..
He took a long time to steady his breathing. Finally, he wiped away the tears on his face with the back of his hand, his fingers still shaking.
As he moved to place the acceptance letter back into the drawer. In the corner, partially hidden beneath some papers, was a small, worn diary.
His hand hovered over it. He was caught in a moment of intense conflict.
A voice in his mind told him to stop.
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Chapter 119 A Crushing Realization
Reading it would only bring more pain, more regret.
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But another voice–one filled with desperate curiosity, with the need to understand Lauren, to finally see what he had never cared to before–pushed him forward.
his hand seemed to have its own’s mind as it uncontrollably picked up the notebook.
Flipping it open, the first thing he saw was a family photo tucked inside.
In the picture, his parents sat in the center, smiling. His mother held Berry, their beloved dog, who had lived for eighteen years before passing away.
When Berry died, the family was engulfed in sadness and even held a special funeral for him.
So deep was their sorrow that they never got another pet.
Even now, Berry’s room remained untouched, preserved with all his favorite toys.
Beside their parents, Elliot stood on one side, while Willow clung to their mother’s arm on the other.
The perfect family, four of them looked so happy together.
And Lauren…
She stood off to the side, separated from him by an empty space.
His mind flashed back to that day.
It had been Labor Day. The weather was perfect, the garden in full bloom.
Willow had suggested they take a family photo in the backyard.
They were all set up, ready to pose, when she suddenly remembered Berry wasn’t there.
She called out for him.
It was Lauren who brought the dog over, holding him carefully in her arms. She hesitated before asking. “Elliot, what are you doing?”
He had responded very perfunctorily, “Taking a family photo.”
Her eyes had lit up. She had thought that she would also be included in the family photo.
She stepped closer, standing beside him.
At the time, he had a strict rule that no woman could get too close to him except Willow.
Lauren’s presence made him uncomfortable. Without thinking, he had pushed her away.
He hadn’t even noticed the flicker of sadness in her eyes.
Afterward, Willow suggested a family trip.
None of them hesitated. Bags were packed, plans made. The four of them–and their dog–left for a
meating that lasted until the venir bet dau of the holiday
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Chapter 119 A Crushing Realization
Elliot remembered that night vividly.
For the first time in their lives, Lauren had confronted them.
“Why didn’t you take me with you?”
He had been exhausted from traveling, irritated by her sudden confrontation.
“You’re not really a Bennett,” he snapped. “Why would we bring you?”
A dog had been given the central spot in their family photo.
A dog had a room of its own, kept spotless by housekeepers.
And yet Lauren, his own sister, had been left behind.
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20:18 Fri, Mar 28 BB
The Heiress Revived from the Ashes
