After I Left, They All Regretted It

Three hours later, I stood before the towering iron gates of Bennett Manor.

For twenty years, these sprawling grounds had been my entire world. I knew every crack in the cobblestone driveway, every rosebush lining the path. Tonight, the massive estate felt as foreign as a hotel lobby.

Valets rushed past me, taking the keys to luxury cars. The ballroom doors stood wide open, spilling golden light and the loud chatter of New York’s high society onto the front lawn.

I stepped inside. Crystal chandeliers cast a blinding glare over the crowd.

Grandfather Edward spotted me from across the room. He handed his cane to an assistant and navigated through a cluster of wealthy investors.

"You actually came," he said.

He reached out, resting a heavy, warm hand on my shoulder.

"I said I would," I replied.

"Three years is a long time to stay away from your family, Evelyn." His wrinkled face softened into a genuine smile. "Good to have you back."

"Happy eightieth, Grandfather." I offered a small nod, ignoring the ache in my chest. "I brought the vintage pocket watch you asked for."

"Keep it for now. We will talk properly after the toast." He squeezed my shoulder once more before turning back to his guests.

I watched him walk away.

"Sister."

The soft, wavering voice came from directly behind me.

I turned. Chloe Bennett glided across the polished marble floor. She wore a pristine, custom-fitted white gown. Diamonds sparkled at her throat, but it was her wide, innocent eyes that commanded attention. She looked exactly like the fragile, pure-hearted girl everyone adored.

Tears already pooled in her eyes. "Welcome back."

I kept my arms strictly at my sides. "Happy birthday is for Grandfather, not for you."

Chloe flinched. A single tear spilled over her lashes, tracing a perfect line down her cheek. She bit her bottom lip and shrank back, wrapping her arms around her own waist.

"I just wanted to say hello," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I missed you."

Heavy footsteps hurried toward us.

Sebastian stepped sharply in front of Chloe, shielding her from my view. He wore the same tailored suit from the airport, but his relaxed demeanor was entirely gone.

"Evelyn, why do you target her the second you return?" My brother glared at me, his fists clenched.

Nathaniel and Daniel flanked them a second later. Three loyal guards rushing to defend a weeping princess.

"Are you proud of yourself?" Nathan demanded. He pointed a finger at my face. "She spent all day making sure your favorite lilies were in the centerpieces. She begged us to be nice to you."

I scanned their furious faces. A dry laugh escaped my throat.

"So if she cries, it's my fault?" I asked.

"You are the only one standing here insulting her," Daniel shot back. He crossed his arms, disgust written across his features.

"I stated a fact," I said, keeping my tone perfectly even. "It is Grandfather's birthday. Not hers. If she chooses to weep over a basic truth, that is her problem."

"You are unbelievable," Daniel scoffed.

"She cried when she was born," I continued, tilting my head. "Was that my doing too? Do you want to blame me for the weather outside as well?"

Nathaniel’s jaw clenched tight enough to snap bone. "When did you become like this?"

"Become like what, Nathan?"

"Bitter. Cruel." He shook his head. "You used to have a heart."

I stared at the engagement ring still resting on his left hand. The sight of it made my stomach turn.

"My heart is fine," I told him. "I just stopped wasting it on people who don't matter."

I didn't wait for his response. I turned my back on my fiancé and walked away, leaving the four of them standing in the center of the room.

The string quartet shifted into a lively waltz. The banquet officially began. Guests moved toward the dining area, their laughter echoing off the vaulted ceilings.

A waiter passed by holding a silver tray.

I reached out and picked up a crystal glass filled with dark red wine. My throat felt like sandpaper. I needed something to wash away the bitter taste of that conversation.

I took a long sip.

The liquid burned on the way down.

Almost instantly, a strange, suffocating heat bloomed in the center of my chest. My pulse hammered against my ribs.

I took another step, but my heel caught on the floor. The ballroom abruptly tilted. The chandelier lights smeared into long, blinding streaks of white and gold.

"Miss?" a passing guest asked. "Are you alright?"

I tried to answer, but my tongue felt swollen. A violent wave of dizziness crashed over me. The music warped into a distorted, echoing buzz in my ears. The chatter of the guests sounded like it was coming from underwater. I tried to focus on the ice sculpture in the center of the room, but its edges blurred into a watery mess.

My fingers went entirely numb.

The crystal glass slipped from my grip.

It shattered violently against the marble floor. Crimson liquid exploded outward, splashing directly across Chloe’s immaculate white dress. She had followed me.

Chloe unleashed a piercing scream.

She scrambled backward, clutching the ruined, blood-red silk. "My dress!" she sobbed, her voice echoing over the music.

The entire ballroom went dead silent. The string quartet stopped playing. Hundreds of eyes snapped toward us.

Fingers clamped around my wrist like a steel vice. Nathan yanked me forward, his grip bruising my skin.

"Evelyn, when will you stop causing a scene?" he roared.

I swayed on my feet. I pressed my free hand to my throbbing forehead, trying to steady the spinning room.

"The wine," I stammered. My voice sounded weak, foreign. "Someone... someone drugged it."

Nathan scoffed. He dropped my arm in pure disgust, letting me stumble backward. "A drug? Are you insane?"

"Look at her," Daniel sneered, stepping up beside Chloe to inspect the ruined dress. "She is just pretending to be drunk so she can get away with ruining Chloe's night."

"I didn't," I whispered. My knees buckled, and I hit the marble floor hard. The cold stone sent a shockwave through my bones, but the burning in my veins only grew hotter.

Sebastian marched over. He didn't even look at me on the floor. He kept his eyes fixed on the gathered crowd, his face pale with embarrassment.

"Enough of these lies," Sebastian said, his voice cold and authoritative. "You ruined her dress on purpose because you are jealous. You always have been."

"Sebastian, please," I gasped, clutching my chest. "I need a doctor."

He ignored me. He turned to the household staff standing frozen by the walls.

"Take her upstairs," Sebastian ordered a pair of maids. "Put her in the guest room and lock the door. Do not let her out until the guests have gone home."

"Yes, sir."

Two maids rushed forward. They grabbed my arms, hauling me off the floor. My legs dragged uselessly beneath me. I couldn't fight them. All my strength had vanished.

"Nathan," I tried one last time, looking at the man I was supposed to marry.

He turned his back on me and wrapped his jacket around Chloe's shivering shoulders.

The maids dragged me away from the crowd, pulling me toward the grand staircase.

Through my fading vision, I caught Chloe watching me over Nathan's shoulder. Her tears were completely gone. A cold, triumphant smile stretched across her lips.

The maids hauled me up the stairs and shoved me into a dark bedroom.

The heavy wooden door slammed shut. The lock clicked.

I collapsed onto the carpet, my skin burning with an unnatural fire. As the heat pooled lower in my stomach, clouding my mind with a desperate, feverish need, I realized the drug in my veins wasn't just meant to make me dizzy.

Someone was coming to this room.