Capítulo 7: Chapter 7: Eleanor
As Eleanor walked up the winding footpath to the grand Marshall mansion, a sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. The looming structure seemed to cast a shadow over her, as if warning her to turn back. But she knew her mother, Elena, would not be easily deterred. She would find Eleanor, no matter where she tried to hide.
The door swung open, revealing the warm and welcoming face of Stephanie, Richard's sister and Eleanor's beloved aunt. "Oh, Stephanie!" Eleanor exclaimed, rushing into her aunt's embrace. The familiar scent of lavender and vanilla enveloped her, offering a fleeting sense of comfort.
"I thought you wouldn't come," Stephanie said, holding Eleanor at arm's length to admire her. Her eyes sparkled with warmth, and her silver hair shone in the soft light.
Eleanor sighed, feeling a mix of emotions: guilt, anxiety, and a hint of resentment. "I didn't have a choice," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Stephanie nodded sympathetically, her expression understanding. She took Eleanor's hand, leading her into the mansion's opulent interior. "Everyone's here," she confirmed, as Eleanor had feared.
As they entered the family room, Eleanor's eyes widened at the gathering before her. Her grandmother, uncles, cousins, and even Peter, her ex, mingled and chatted, their laughter and conversation filling the air. Her heart rose to her throat as she spotted Peter laughing with her father, no doubt convinced by her mother to attend in hopes of rekindling their relationship.
Eleanor felt like an outsider, observing the scene before her with a sense of detachment. She had made an effort with her appearance tonight, wearing a elegant white satin top and brown skirt, her hair styled in a neat bun. But now, she felt like shrinking into the background, escaping the scrutiny and expectations that came with being a Marshall.
As Randy's voice cut through the living room, "Oi, Elly!", Eleanor felt a surge of anxiety. All eyes turned to her, and she gulped, feeling like a specimen under a microscope. She began exchanging pleasantries with her relatives, moving from one person to another, each acting like they hadn't seen her in ages, despite gathering just last month. The familiarity of the scene was suffocating, and she longed to escape.
After greeting her uncles, she made her way to her cousins, trying to muster some enthusiasm. There were only a few: Randy and Lilith, children of Uncle Oliver; Carter, son of Uncle Steve, and her favorite cousin; Connor, Aunt Stephanie's son. Connor, a few years older, pecked her cheeks, and she remembered her childhood crush on him. She had idolized him, but now, she saw him as just another cousin.
Randy, the flirt, grabbed her hand, placing a lingering kiss on it. "As beautiful as always, Lady Eleanor," he sweet-talked, making her uncomfortable. She pulled her hand away, offering a forced smile, trying to hide her annoyance. Carter waved, and Lilith ignored her, no surprise given her close friendship with Samantha. Eleanor had expected Lilith to have outgrown her childish animosity, but apparently, some things never changed.
Her mother, Elena, appeared, taking her arm in a painful grasp. "Excuse us," she said, dragging Eleanor to a corner, her voice low and menacing. "You're late," she hissed, her eyes blazing with disapproval. Eleanor retorted, "I'm not," but her mother narrowed her eyes, her grip tightening. "Everyone arrived before you did." Eleanor scanned the room, pointing out, "I don't see Samantha here." Her mother glared, defending, "Samantha's busy." Eleanor murmured, "Busy wrecking relationships." Her mother asked sharply, "What was that?" Eleanor rolled her eyes, replying, "Nothing," trying to deflect her mother's anger.
The arrival of Samantha freed Eleanor from her mother's nagging. The family continued to mingle, and Eleanor kept her distance from her mother, Samantha, her stepfather, Richard, and Peter who stuck close to Richard, perhaps hoping she'd approach them and give him an opportunity to talk to her. She had no intention of falling into that trap.
As the butler announced dinner, Eleanor knew what was coming - the inquisition. She called it the "seat of hell," where questions would be thrown and answers demanded. She spotted Peter lingering behind her, hoping to sit beside her, and quickly claimed the empty chair between Randy and Lilith. Randy grinned, and Lilith made a sound of discomfort, but Eleanor didn't care. She'd rather sit between her annoying cousins than next to Peter.
As the meal began, everyone ate quietly, but Lilith soon threw the first question, directed at Eleanor. "So, Eleanor," she drawled with a sickly sweet smile, "I couldn't help but notice the distance between you and Peter. You guys are fine, right?" Eleanor returned the fake smile, "I'm fine," before turning to Peter and asking, "Peter, are you fine?" He affirmed, and Eleanor sassed, "Peter says he's fine, I'm also fine. We're fine." Randy chuckled, but Lilith fumed, "Oh, cut it out, Eleanor! You know what I mean - are you two still together?" Everyone gasped, and Lilith's mother, Anne, scolded, "Lily!"
Lilith continued, "What, Mom? We all noticed it. They're usually inseparable, but they didn't speak to each other tonight, and look, they're not even sitting together like they always do." She pointed to Peter, who sat a good distance away from Eleanor. Richard frowned, looking between the two of them, clearly unaware of the breakup.
Eleanor realized her mother hadn't told her stepdad about the split. "Soooooo?" Lilith pressed, eager for answers.
"We're fine," Peter said, but Eleanor simultaneously blurted out, "We broke up." The room fell silent, with Elena's gaze shooting a look of disbelief and anger at Eleanor.
Everyone exchanged shocked expressions, and Lilith was about to ask another question when her father intervened, "Lily, no more." The table went silent once more.
But then, Richard asked the question on everyone's mind: "Why?" Peter was about to explain when Eleanor cut in, "He cheated." Her gaze settled on Samantha's, the revelation hanging in the air like a challenge.
The silence was deafening, with even loudmouthed Randy stunned into silence. The weight of Eleanor's words hung heavy over the table, a bombshell that left everyone reeling.
"Eleanor!" Elena exclaimed, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Cheat? Surely you must have misunderstood the situation. Peter would never do that, not when he loves you so much."
Eleanor's chuckle was laced with bitterness. "Misunderstood? Did you just say I misunderstood? How do you misunderstand catching him in bed with..." Her eyes locked onto Samantha, who wore a panicked expression, but Eleanor couldn't bring herself to say the words. She had no concrete evidence, and no one would believe her.
"With who?" her mother pressed, her voice firm but laced with a hint of desperation.
Eleanor took a deep breath, her composure slipping. She rose from her seat, her eyes welling up with tears. "I apologize for the ruined dinner, but I must be on my way. It's getting late." Without waiting for permission to leave, she rushed out of the room, desperate to escape the suffocating tension and the prying eyes of her family.
As she fled, she could feel the weight of their gazes upon her, the unspoken questions and accusations hanging in the air like a challenge. She knew she had to get out, to escape the toxic atmosphere before it consumed her completely.
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