The night air was thick with tension as Elliot and Elise stepped out of the hospital. The media frenzy outside the hospital was deafening — flashbulbs popped relentlessly, capturing every angle of their departure. Reporters, desperate for a scoop, shouted questions at them, their words almost lost in the chaotic noise.
"Elliot! How does it feel to be free of your wife, Lily?!"
"Elise! How are you handling the rumors that Lily's in a coma? Was that a staged accident?!"
"Did you have anything to do with her condition?!"
Elliot flinched as one camera flashed directly into his eyes. His polished dark suit looked impeccable, but his face was anything but calm. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes darted nervously, betraying the façade of confidence he tried so hard to project. He had spent the last few days in meetings, working on damage control, trying to spin the narrative his way. But he hadn't expected this — not the public humiliation, not the guilt gnawing at his insides.
Elise, however, seemed completely unfazed. The blonde bombshell stood tall beside him, her crimson satin dress shimmering as she posed for the cameras. Her blonde hair was styled perfectly, cascading in soft waves over her shoulders. She was the picture of a calm, collected woman, completely in control of the situation, or at least, that was the image she wanted to project.
"Everyone, please!" Elise called out with a forced smile, raising her hand like a model at a photo shoot.
"Lily is in my thoughts. I am deeply sorry for what happened. It was all so sudden, and I never imagined things would turn out this way."
The reporters swarmed, bombarding them with a fresh volley of questions, but Elliot quickly stepped in front of Elise, trying to shield her from the barrage of inquiries.
"Lily is in stable condition now, and we're doing everything we can to support her." Elliot's voice was tense but firm, his words rehearsed, almost robotic. "It's a tragic situation, and we are all hoping for her recovery."
Elise placed her hand on his arm, giving a soft, sympathetic look toward the cameras.
"It's just so heartbreaking," she said, her voice dripping with feigned sorrow. "I never wanted this to happen. Lily was always like a sister to me, and I feel so guilty about the way things have turned out."
The cameras clicked rapidly, capturing every perfect angle, every fake tear she managed to force out. It was all a show — a well-rehearsed performance for the world to see. The media ate it up, but Lily's memory gnawed at Elliot's conscience, even as he plastered a smile on his face.
But as they finally made their way to the car, the farce began to slip.
The moment they climbed into the backseat, the tension between them became palpable. The reporters were still shouting outside, but the doors slammed shut, cutting them off from the world.
Elise immediately dropped her concerned façade. Her lips curled into a smug grin as she glanced at Elliot. "Well, that was a performance."
Elliot sighed, his posture slumping as he leaned back against the seat, his fingers running through his hair.
"I don't like this, Elise." His voice was low, tinged with anxiety. "Lily's still in a coma. I… I don't know if I can keep lying to the press."
Elise's laugh was light, almost too light, as if she were unaffected by the situation.
"Oh please, Eliot. The public will buy anything." She waved her hand dismissively. "We made sure the narrative was good enough. They'll never know the truth."
Elliot's eyes flashed with discomfort.
"But what if she wakes up? What if she remembers everything? What if she finds out what we—"
"Don't be so dramatic," Elise interrupted, her voice almost condescending. "She'll never know. By the time she wakes up, everything will have settled down. We'll be living the life we deserve."
Elliot nodded, but his brow furrowed. He couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him. Despite the lies, despite the performance, something felt off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. The guilt that had been eating him since he first betrayed Lily was not something he could easily silence.
As the car lurched forward, Elise turned to him, her voice softening.
"Don't worry, darling. You'll have everything you've ever wanted. You'll be free from the burden of Lily. And I'll be by your side."
Her hand lightly brushed against his, but Elliot barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere—on the mess he had created. His eyes drifted toward the window, but instead of seeing the bright city lights, all he could see was the image of Lily, her face pale and bruised, her body broken, lying in that hospital bed. A sense of dread washed over him again.
But before he could voice his concerns, the car slowed, and they turned into a dark alley.
It was then that Elliot noticed something strange - the man driving the car. The driver's skin was deathly pale. His face was sharp, his features almost too perfect, with high cheekbones and a suffocating stillness about him.
The driver's eyes flicked toward the rearview mirror, catching Elliot's gaze for a brief moment. There was something unsettling about the darkness in his eyes—something that made Elliot's stomach twist.
"Is everything okay, driver?" Elise asked, her voice light and flirtatious, not sensing anything unusual.
The driver didn't answer immediately. There was a long, eerie pause before he finally spoke in a low, almost hushed tone.
"Everything is fine, miss. We're almost there." His voice was smooth, but it lacked warmth, and sent a chill down Elliot's spine.
Elise, however, didn't seem to notice. She was still basking in her victory, her smile wide and satisfied.
"We did it, Eliot. She's out of the picture for good." Her eyes glittered with triumph. "Now we can finally be together without any more complications."
Elliot didn't respond right away. His mind was still reeling, the weight of everything pressing down on him. Was this really the life he wanted? Was this truly the path he wanted to walk?
But before he could speak, the car turned sharply, and the pale-skinned driver pulled into a secluded driveway. The lights of the city were now far behind them, replaced by a heavy, foreboding darkness.
Elliot glanced at Elise, her face glowing with satisfaction, but his gut twisted again. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
But Elise, oblivious to his internal struggle, continued to talk, her voice light as a feather. "This is just the beginning, Eliot. We'll have everything. Together."
The car slowed to a stop in front of Eliot's mansion. The driver turned off the engine, the sound of the idling car the only noise in the oppressive silence.
Elliot opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the door clicked open, and the driver gestured toward his building ahead with a faint, emotionless smile before hurrying off.