Ring... ring... ring...
The phone kept ringing in the room.
Just then, the bathroom door opened.
Joseph came out and found Ally standing in front of him.
They looked at each other.
An awkward silence filled the room for several seconds.
Ally: I’ll get the phone.
Joseph: No... I’ll get it.
He had just started toward the phone when Ally gestured to him.
Ally: Please, sit down.
Joseph paused for a moment.
Then he decided it would be better to sit.
Meanwhile, Elena was on the phone.
Elena: Hello?
Joseph: Yeah, go ahead.
Elena: I need to talk to you about something very important.
Joseph’s expression turned serious.
Joseph: The hundred-million-rupee situation?
Elena was silent for a few moments.
Elena: Yes. I’m convinced now that Jason and my stepmother defrauded Alexander in my name.
Joseph: That’s what I think too.
Elena: But first, we need to find out how much money Jason has taken so far and where it’s going.
Joseph: And after that?
Anger entered Elena’s voice.
Elena: After that, we’ll trap him with his own scheme.
Joseph: Jason?
Elena: Yes.
Joseph: But how?
Elena was silent for a few seconds.
Then she said—
Elena: What’s his biggest weakness?
Joseph: Women.
Elena: Exactly.
Joseph: What do you mean?
Elena: He’s obsessed with women. He thinks every beautiful girl will chase after him. So why not take advantage of that weakness?
Joseph understood.
Joseph: You’re saying we should trap him through a woman?
Elena: Exactly.
Joseph: But what if he gets suspicious?
Elena: He won’t. He has too much confidence in himself.
Joseph let out a soft laugh.
Joseph: All right. Then this time, the hunter will become the hunted.
Elena smiled faintly too.
Elena: And he won’t even realize when the trap has been set.
Just then, Ally called out to Joseph.
Ally: Joseph!
Joseph pulled the phone away from his ear.
Joseph: Yeah, I’m coming. Okay, Elena, I’ll see you later.
Elena: All right. We’ll talk about the rest later.
Joseph: Take care.
The call ended.
Joseph got up and walked away.
Ally stood there watching him for a while.
There was concern on her face too.
She knew that after the step Elena had taken, going back would not be easy.
It was evening.
Elena and Alexander were sitting together, drinking tea on the balcony of Wilson Villa.
Alexander looked much better today.
His face no longer showed the exhaustion it once had.
Holding his teacup, he looked at Elena.
Alexander: Elena...
Elena: Yes?
Alexander: What if, instead of giving you a hundred million rupees every month, I transferred the entire property into your name?
The cup in Elena’s hand suddenly stopped moving.
Elena: What?
Alexander: I mean... after I’m gone, you won’t have to hold your hand out to anyone. You’ll be able to live your life comfortably.
Elena’s hand trembled.
The cup slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.
Crash!
Alexander panicked.
Alexander: Elena!
Elena: What... did you say?
Alexander: I said I could put my property in your name.
Elena: But when did I ever ask you for money?
Alexander stared at her in shock.
Alexander: What?
Elena: I’ve never asked you for a hundred million rupees.
Alexander’s expression changed.
Alexander: But Jason and your mother take that money every month.
The ground seemed to drop out from under Elena.
Elena: What?
Alexander: They said you made it a condition of the marriage.
Elena: I did?
Alexander: Yes.
Elena: They told you I asked for a hundred million rupees?
Alexander: Every month.
Elena couldn’t say a word.
Alexander continued—
Alexander: They took a suitcase with them yesterday too.
Elena’s eyes widened.
She immediately remembered that black suitcase.
Elena: Oh my God...
She put a hand to her head.
Elena: This is such a huge fraud!
Alexander took her hand.
Alexander: Elena, what happened?
Elena: They lied to you.
Alexander: But why?
Elena: Because I haven’t asked you for even a single rupee. I’ve never even brought up money.
Alexander fell silent.
Fire burned in Elena’s eyes.
Elena: They’re taking advantage of your illness.
Alexander: But they convinced me that you had made this condition yourself.
Elena: Lies!
Elena’s voice trembled.
Elena: They used my marriage to extort money from you.
The two of them were silent for a few moments.
Then Elena suddenly asked—
Elena: Alexander, when did you first meet me?
Alexander thought for a moment.
Alexander: At the waterfall cafe.
Elena’s expression changed.
She remembered everything.
That day...
Jason forcing her to come out of the house...
Telling her to come to the cafe just once...
And then running into Alexander there.
Elena closed her eyes.
Elena: So it had all been planned from the beginning...
Alexander: What?
Elena: Nothing. Go on. What happened next?
Alexander said—
Alexander: That day, Jason told me that your family was discussing your marriage. But he didn’t want to marry you. He had a girl named Kaylee on the side. Then he told me,
Elena: What did he say?
Alexander: He said that if I liked you, I should marry you, and he’d give me something to settle the matter. Then Mrs. Rosewood said that you had agreed.
A long time ago, I had told Jason that my grandfather wanted me to get married.
Elena listened silently.
Alexander: He wanted the family to have an heir after I was gone. It was very important to him.
Elena: And?
Alexander: I told Jason clearly that I wasn’t interested in marriage. I didn’t want to ruin some girl’s life.
Alexander fell silent for a moment.
Then he looked at Elena and smiled.
Alexander: But when Jason brought you in front of me...
Elena asked softly—
Elena: Then?
Alexander: Then, for the first time, I felt that maybe I could live too.
Elena’s eyes filled with tears.
Alexander: After you came into my life, I began to enjoy living. I started taking my medicine. I started going outside in the mornings. I started meeting people.
Elena remained silent.
Alexander took her hand.
Alexander: You taught me how to live.
Elena lowered her eyes.
Part of her heart ached for Alexander, while another part burned with anger toward Jason.
Then she asked—
Elena: How much money have you given them so far?
Alexander did a quick calculation.
Alexander: Two billion rupees.
Elena’s eyes widened.
Elena: Two billion rupees?
Alexander nodded.
Alexander: Yes.
Elena said nothing for several seconds.
Then she asked—
Elena: Does Grandfather know?
Alexander nodded.
Alexander: Yes. The money comes directly from his account.
The anger on Elena’s face was now unmistakable.
Elena: Then don’t give them another rupee.
Alexander: But what if they ask?
Elena: Just tell them that the agreement was tied to the wedding. The wedding happened. Now it’s over.
Alexander looked at her.
Elena: Now I’ll see what the two of them do.
Alexander: What are you going to do?
Elena smiled faintly.
But there was fire in her eyes.
Elena: Now their true faces will be exposed to everyone.
Alexander took her hand in his.
He lightly kissed her fingers.
Alexander: Oh, darling...
Elena looked at him.
Alexander smiled.
Alexander: My sweetheart.
Elena smiled faintly too.
But something else was running through her mind.
Jason and his stepmother still thought Elena knew nothing.
They believed a hundred million rupees would keep coming every month.
They had no idea that the flow of money had now been cut off.
And most importantly...
Elena had taken the first step against them.
Now she only had to wait for the right moment.
Meanwhile, that night, Jason sat in his room calculating the money.
He picked up his phone and called his stepmother.
Jason: Did yesterday’s job go through?
Stepmother: Yes.
Jason: The money?
Stepmother: We got it this time too.
Jason laughed.
Jason: See? I told you, getting Elena married was the most profitable deal we could make.
Meanwhile...
Someone was standing outside the door.
That person had heard everything they said.
They quietly slipped away.
But who was it?
And had they recorded everything?
Because this time, Elena hadn’t merely decided to take revenge... she had begun setting a trap for Jason, and once he fell into it, he would have no way out.
The End.