Chapter 2: The Fall That Never Happened
The next morning, I woke up before sunrise.
I barely slept.
Eleanor’s words replayed in my mind over and over.
Sometimes accidents happen.
I told myself I was being paranoid.
Pregnancy made everything feel bigger.
Every emotion.
Every fear.
Every doubt.
But when I walked downstairs and saw Eleanor waiting in the foyer, I knew my instincts had been right.
She stood beneath the balcony.
The exact place where she had destroyed my ultrasound.
“Good morning,” she said.
Her voice was sweet.
Too sweet.
I stopped halfway down the staircase.
“Where is Alexander?””
“He left early.””
“For work?””
Eleanor smiled.
“He needed space.””
My heart sank.
Space.
That was the word Eleanor always used when she wanted to create distance between us.
“He didn’t tell me.””
“He didn’t need to.””
The answer hurt more than I expected.
I reached the bottom step and looked around.
Thomas was nowhere.
Neither were the maids.
The mansion felt strangely empty.
“Where is everyone?””
“Busy.””
I stared at her.
“You planned this.””
Eleanor laughed.
“You always think you’re smarter than everyone else.””
“No. I think you’re hiding something.””
Her expression changed slightly.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“You should be careful with accusations.””
“And you should be careful with threats.””
The silence between us became heavy.
Then Eleanor walked toward the staircase.
“You know what your problem is, Sarah?””
I didn’t answer.
“You think kindness protects you.””
She touched the railing.
“But this world belongs to people who understand power.””
I stepped away.
“Alexander will know what you’ve done.””
“Will he?””
Her question froze me.
“What does that mean?””
Eleanor smiled.
“Your husband has always loved his family.””
I felt my throat tighten.
“He loves me too.””
“Does he?””
The way she said it made my heart ache.
Because suddenly, I remembered every missed call.
Every canceled dinner.
Every time Alexander defended his stepmother instead of asking what happened.
I looked toward the front doors.
“I’m calling him.””
Eleanor moved quickly.
Not toward me.
Toward the small table beside the staircase.
A folder sat there.
My name was written across the front.
I froze.
“What is that?””
She picked it up.
“Something you should have signed yesterday.””
I didn’t move.
“What is it?””
“A separation agreement.””
My face went cold.
“You’re trying to make me leave Alexander?””
“I’m trying to prevent embarrassment.””
“For who?””
Eleanor looked directly at my stomach.
“For everyone.””
Before I could respond, the front doors opened.
Thomas entered.
His eyes immediately moved from Eleanor to the folder.
Then to me.
His expression changed.
“Mrs. Sarah.””
His voice was urgent.
“Please step away from the stairs.””
Eleanor slowly turned.
“Thomas.””
The warning in her voice was clear.
But Thomas ignored it.
“Now.””
I looked between them.
“Why?””
Thomas didn’t answer immediately.
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone.
“I need to make a call.””
Eleanor’s face changed.
Not anger.
Fear.
A tiny crack in her confidence.
“You wouldn’t.””
Thomas looked at her calmly.
“I already have.””
The mansion went silent.
Then Eleanor moved toward him.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.””
Thomas held up the phone.
“I know exactly what I’m doing.””
A second later, a sound came from outside.
A distant siren.
My blood ran cold.
“Thomas…”
He looked at me.
“I am sorry you had to discover the truth this way.””
“What truth?””
Before he could answer, Eleanor suddenly stepped toward me.
Her face was no longer pretending.
All the elegance disappeared.
All the kindness disappeared.
Only rage remained.
“You ruined everything.””
I stepped back.
“Eleanor, stop.””
She kept coming.
Thomas moved instantly.
“Mrs. Vance!””
The next few seconds happened too quickly.
My foot slipped on the polished marble near the balcony entrance.
The world tilted.
I reached for something.
Anything.
And as my body lost balance, I saw Eleanor standing in front of me.
Watching.
Not shocked.
Not surprised.
Waiting.
Then a pair of strong arms caught me from behind.
Thomas.
He pulled me safely away from the edge and held me steady.
The sirens grew louder outside.
Eleanor stared at him in disbelief.
“You caught her.””
Thomas calmly released me and stepped between us.
“Yes, Mrs. Vance.””
His eyes were cold.
“And now the police are coming.””
For the first time, Eleanor looked afraid.
But before anyone entered the mansion, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Her face changed.
Because the name appearing on it was not Alexander.
It was someone else.
Someone who knew exactly what she had planned.
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And when Eleanor answered, the voice on the other end said one sentence that made her lose all color in her face.
“Eleanor, we need to talk about what happened the night Sarah’s first ultrasound disappeared.””
