Chapter 51: Elowen is innocent.

Soren stood rigidly.

Back then, he had assumed Elowen had drugged him to marry into the wealthy Vale family, knowing exactly who he was. He had never questioned that belief, let alone considered the possibility that he might have been wrong.

He had refused to look into the truth because deep down, he was afraid he couldn’t face the reality.

If she had not drugged him or willingly climbed onto his bed that night, she had been the one who had suffered the consequences of what happened. And he had been the one who had hurt her.

Unwilling to accept the possibility, he had built a world around himself, clinging to his own version of events to protect his pride. He had neglected Elowen for years, convincing himself that she had slept with him willingly to secure a place in the Vale family.

But now, he no longer believed Elowen was capable of such a thing. She wasn’t the gold digger he had once thought her to be.

He had already started looking into the incident that had happened seven years ago. He had not uncovered the truth yet. But he knew one thing certainly: Elowen was innocent.

"I misunderstood her," Soren said. "She didn’t drug me. I blamed her for something she never did."

"What?" Valora couldn’t believe it. She didn’t know what had changed Soren’s mind.

’Has Elowen somehow manipulated him into believing her lies?’ she wondered.

Her face tightened with irritation.

"What kind of spell has that woman cast on you?" she muttered. "You are taking her side?"

"I’m not taking anyone’s side," Soren shot back. "I’m stating a fact. And the truth is, she is innocent."

The silence that stretched after that was deafening.

Both Tahlia and Valora stared at him, shock and disbelief written on their faces.

"I’ve already started investigating what happened that night," Soren added. "I’ll soon find out who drugged me. And when I do, I’ll make sure that person pays for it."

Tahlia’s face paled at those words. She felt as though the carpet beneath her feet had been pulled away forcefully. Her legs shook, and she staggered backward, striking a decorative stand nearby.

The stand wobbled. A vase teetered dangerously on its edge before crashing onto the floor.

Soren and Valora turned toward her. Then their eyes landed on the broken pieces scattered across the floor.

"Tahlia?" Valora approached her, worry clouding her eyes. "Are you hurt?"

She took her hands and studied her carefully.

Tahlia shook her head, struggling to compose herself. "I’m fine. But the vase."

"Forget about that. You are unharmed, and that’s all that matters. Come and sit down."

Tahlia allowed herself to be led away to the sofa, her mind racing.

’He can’t find out. He must never find out what happened that night.’

Across the room, Soren watched Tahlia closely.

She was pale. She looked visibly disturbed.

’Why does she look nervous?’ he wondered with suspicion.

The moment he had mentioned investigating the incident, she had stumbled and nearly fallen over. It was too much of a coincidence.

Tahlia looked like she had been exposed.

’What is she hiding?’

A thought struck him, sending a chill through him.

’Could Tahlia have been the one who drugged me?’

He stared at her, recalling how she had behaved in his past life.

She had pretended to love him, earning his trust while secretly working against him. In the end, she had betrayed him, destroyed his family, and left him with nothing.

She had not stopped there. She had killed him mercilessly.

His expression grew stern. He didn’t dismiss his thought. He was certain it must be her.

The woman who had been capable of doing all that—why couldn’t she have drugged him seven years ago?

He wanted to expose her and kill her right there. But right now, he didn’t have proof against her.

’Tahlia, you destroyed my family. You destroyed me. And this time, I’ll make sure you lose everything.’

Soren cocked his head. "What is it, Tahlia? Why are you so pale? You look like you have been caught stealing something."

The words came out clipped and curt.

"What are you hiding?"

Valora glared at Soren. "You made her anxious," she accused. "Isn’t it obvious?"

"What?" Soren frowned, caught off guard momentarily.

"Tahlia has dreamed of marrying you since she was a child," Valora said angrily. "She grew up believing she would one day become your wife. But circumstances forced you to marry Elowen."

Her fingers curled at her sides.

"Yet Tahlia had not lost her patience. She never blamed you or this family. She waited patiently because she loved you. She never gave up on you, even when you were married to another woman."

Her face lost every trace of warmth.

"But even the most patient person has limits. Tahlia has waited long enough. It’s time you fulfil her wish. You should give her the title she has been waiting for such a long time."

Tahlia’s anxiety eased a little.

Valora trusted her blindly. She would support her, no matter what happened.

That thought steadied her nerves and chased away her worries.

Valora’s tone grew increasingly stern. "Instead, you said you wouldn’t divorce Elowen! What are you expecting her to react like?"

"Aunt, please don’t force him. Soren has been with Elowen for seven years."

Tahlia lowered her head, allowing tears to gather in her eyes.

"I understand he is not willing to end the marriage yet. I don’t blame him. But Soren..."

She looked at him with teary eyes. "I really love you. It’s getting harder and harder for me to stay away from you. Please think about me. Think about us."

In the past, those tears would have softened his heart.

Soren had been so blind in his previous life that he had believed her every word. He had sympathized with her, comforted her, and allowed her tears to cloud his judgment again and again.

But not anymore.

Now, as he watched her act pitiful, he could see through it clearly.

Those fake tears no longer moved him. Her pitiful act wouldn’t fool him again.

"There is no us," Soren said with finality in his tone. "I never promised I’d marry you. I never gave you any hope. If you have spent all those years imagining a future with me, that’s your choice. Your own making. It has nothing to do with me."

Tahlia’s breathing hitched. Her doubt that he had fallen for Elowen only deepened.

"Soren," Valora snapped. "How could you say such cruel things? You and Tahlia have loved each other since childhood. The Vale and the Blackwood families always wanted you to marry. And you said you have nothing to do with her?"

She rose to her feet, her face flushed with anger. "Don’t forget the debt we owed to the Blackwood family."

"I haven’t forgotten anything," Soren retaliated. "I remember every damn thing."

His gaze settled on Tahlia.

"I remember who ended our relationship in the first place. You were the one who didn’t want to be with me."