Chapter 88

Ella

“And did you know that it’s rude to cheat on people. Especially if you love them. Face it, you’re just jealous that Dylan moved on and you haven’t.”

Watching her face as shock began to rise does a small wave of satisfaction begin to rise. Rage rising within her as she moves to talk back to me once again. “Why you little bitch, how dare you say that to me.”

A hand soon moving to slap me across the face. The slap just hard enough to leave a bruise against my cheek. My hand soon moving to cup my face as I move to watch her with shock.

My own hand now moving to slap her across the face as well. The two of us now fighting like two feral cats who were fighting over their food or in this case my brother, Dylan.

Both of us soon throwing punches at the other. My body quick to dodge anything that could possibly harm me or my child. A child I wasn’t sure I even had until I got myself in to see my primary care doctor.

A doctor I really needed to see. Hannah soon grabbing me by the arms in an attempt to shove me. My body now trying to get her off.

“Let go of me you psycho.”

“No. Not until you give up your claim over Dylan. He’s mine” cries Hannah. Her eyes now feral as if she was trying to claim Dylan for herself.

“No. He’s mine. Each of them are. Now let go of me before I tell Dylan on you”

Upon hearing that does Hannah move to cry out in anguish while she continued to hold me. Her grip over me strong while I continued to struggle. The two of us soon toppling into the pool.

Hannah clearly having planned that as she magically floats within the water while I on the other hand sank like a rock. My heart racing as I tried to stay afloat. My eyes locked on hers as Hannah smirked at all my troubles.

Panic now rising within me the longer I struggled within my gown. Having been scared of drowning ever since I was little. Having only been 7 at the time, my mother had just moved us into my stepfathers home and where my 3 new stepbrothers lived when I ventured too close to the pool. The area wet as I accidentally slipped and fell right in. My tiny body struggling much like I was now. Fear gripping my lungs as I move to cry out for the one person who I knew could help me. Or at least hoped he could, providing he heard me.

“REECE”

My body submerging once again only for me to hear a voice. A males voice. A voice I knew well. Reece. “ELLA” catching a splash, it’s the last thing I hear right before I sink once more. My dress weighing me down by the fabric and the material.

A pair of strong arms soon wrapping themselves around me as they move to pull me up and out of the water. My body now trying to cough up water once back on dry land.

My ears ringing as my heart races. Reece moving to speak to Hannah. A conversation I couldn’t seem to hear. My body in shock. A towel soon making it’s way around my body until strong arms move to scoop me up before carrying me back inside and away from the pool.

\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reece

I was only gone for maybe 10 seconds. Having gone back to get Ella and I something to drink and to place a bid for the pink star diamond, a ring I wanted to gift Ella as an engagement ring. A ring that shined just as brightly as her.

A ring that would show Ella just how much we loved her. A happy smile now upon my face as I move to make my way back to Ella. Two glasses of champagne now in tow until suddenly I hear it. A voice filled with panic as it reaches my ears.

“REECE”

My feet suddenly stopping as I instantly see Hannah and Ella both within the pool. Hannah having been the school’s top performer when it came down to swim and the Captain of our swim team. Hannah clearly knowing how to handle herself within the water while Ella on the other hand struggled to stay afloat. Her body in a fight or flight mode.

A piece of me remembering back to when Ella was 7. To a time she and her mother had just moved in with us when Ella decided to explore the outside. The pool catching her eyes. Unbeknownst to her that the pool area was wet, which caused her to slip and fall in.

Luckily though me along with my brothers had been home that day as our mother and father had left to run some errands and decided to leave us in charge of Ella.

My body quick to throw the drinks to the ground along with my jacket. My feet now rushing for the pool and to where Ella was. My body quick to dive in after her. Ella having gone under the second I reached the pool. My arms now moving to grab her as I move to pull her closer to me as I move to swim us back towards the pools edge.

Ella soon coughing up water as I move to climb out next to her. My eyes now on Hannah’s. Hannah only a few feet away from us as people from all over had come to see what was happening out here.

Someone quick in bringing her a towel. A towel in which I take as I move to wrap her within it while the other goes to Hannah. Rage boiling within me as I move to approach her carefully. Hannah now trying to give me her infamous puppy dog eyes as she move to speak up.

“Reece…”

“Save it Hannah. Consider this your last and final warning. Stay away from me and stay away from Ella, including Dylan and Caleb. Touch us again and I’ll see to it that you never step close to a 10ft radius. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal…”

“Good. See to it that you do”

Then, with that said do I move to turn back around and over to Ella. Ella shivering as she moves to clutch the towel. Her once beautiful dress now wet as I move to pick her up. My legs soon carrying her back inside the estate. The need to get her someplace warm now rising for while it wasn’t exactly cold outside, the water was enough to send her into shock.

Her mind on replay as she tries to calm her racing heart. My hand soon trying to run soothing circles along her back in an attempt to calm her down. Ella still clinging to me as I move to take her upstairs and to one of the many vacant rooms. Unaware I was being followed.

The need to take care of Ella my main concern. “Hold on baby, I’ll get you warm soon. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you. I didn’t stop to think that she could have possibly been here.”

Guilt now rising within me as I move to enter a room. My hands quick to undo her soaking wet dress before setting her down upon the bed. My hands soon grabbing the blanket upon the bed as I move to cover her up.

Ella quick to touch my cheek. “Not your fault. You couldn’t have known that she’d be here”

Sighing I move to nuzzle her hand. My lips quick to kiss her palm. “I know baby. I know. But I should have. Now please, rest. I’ll call Caleb and Dylan and have them bring us some dryer clothes.”

Nodding her head does Ella move to lay against the bed, giving me the space I needed to work while calling my brothers.