CHAPTER 54: RAISE A TOAST

Eleanor’s POV

I covered my nose with my hand, the stench was truly appalling. "How could this have happened?" I asked, my voice a perfect blend of shock and disgust.

All around us, phones that had been poised to capture my humiliation were now eagerly documenting the couple’s downfall. The tables had turned spectacularly.

"Stop it! Stop recording!" Priscilla shrieked, her voice cracking as she began to sob, the disgusting liquid streaking through her makeup.

Dickson, his face contorted with rage, pointed a trembling finger at me. "You did this! You tripped him on purpose, you psychotic—"

I cut him off, my voice rising in wounded indignation. "How can you accuse me? I was blindfolded! Wasn’t that bucket meant for me? Is this how you would have reacted if I was the one drenched in... whatever this is?" I gestured to the foul-smelling sludge dripping from his hair.

Dickson fell silent, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Dick-son!" Priscilla wailed, her face completely obscured by the mess.

Wedding staff rushed forward with towels, trying to contain the disaster. The MC was sputtering, "Well, folks, it seems things have, uh, gone a little haywire..."

I bent down and picked up the microphone someone had dropped. "If I may," I said, my voice calm and carrying through the hall. "Let’s not make this beautiful day any worse. What happened was clearly a terrible accident." I looked directly at the guests with their phones. "I can only hope everyone here will be respectful and not upload my sister’s humiliation to the public."

My plea, of course, had the opposite effect. I could see thumbs already working furiously on screens.

"And since it looks like the festivities will be on hold for a moment," I continued smoothly, "I’d like to use this opportunity to make a little speech. A toast, actually." I walked to the edge of the platform and smiled sweetly at a stunned waiter. "May I?"

He numbly handed me a full glass of champagne. I took it and turned back to the crowd, raising the flute.

"I just want to start by saying that I have the best sister in the world," I began, my tone dripping with saccharine sincerity. "A sister who has always wanted exactly what I have. She finds such value in other people’s things, you see, because she doesn’t see any value in herself. She’s delusional, thinking she’s some rare, precious element... when really, she’s just a common rock."

A wave of gasps and nervous titters rippled through the room.

"Which is why," I continued, my smile never wavering, "I’m not even mad that she wanted to have my fiancé, too. I’m just glad I was able to give her my happy ending." I looked directly at the drenched, fuming couple. "I truly hope you’ll take good care of all my non reusable items, Priscilla. Treat them well."

I raised my glass higher. "So, a toast! To the most wonderful sister in the world!"

I took a graceful sip of champagne and stepped down from the platform, the symphony of chaos a sweet victory in my ears. I approached Mira and Roxy, my two anchors in the storm.

Roxy was beaming, clapping her hands together softly. "Now that was amazing. A masterclass."

Mira let out a long, shaky breath, a mixture of relief and awe on her face. "If this is what you came here to do, I wouldn’t have wasted a second being worried. Why didn’t you tell me?"

I gave her a small, tired smile. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Okay, but there was just one thing missing," Roxy said, tapping her chin. "You should have added, ’And a special thanks to my friend Roxy, for having the impeccable taste to enjoy this train wreck live and in person.’ You know, really cap it off."

Before I could laugh, an angry voice cut through the din. "ELEANOR!"

I turned to see my parents storming toward me, their faces masks of pure fury. My mother reached me first. Her hand swung through the air, connecting with my cheek in a sharp, stinging slap.

"How dare you!" she shrieked. "You ruin everything! You will apologize to everyone here, and you will get on that platform and tell them it was all a joke to make sure Priscilla’s reputation isn’t ruined, or so help me, you will regret the day you were born!"

The sting on my cheek was nothing compared to the cold finality settling in my soul. I looked directly at her, my voice dangerously calm. "That, Mrs. Moore, will be the last time you ever slap me."

My father stepped forward, his face purple with rage. "How dare you disrespect your mother!" His own hand drew back to strike me.

My hand shot up, catching his wrist an inch from my face. I didn’t just stop him; I pushed his arm back, my newfound strength making the movement easy, decisive. He stumbled back a step, shock overriding his anger.

I looked from his stunned face to my mother’s horrified one. "I hope this gives you both the insight you need," I said. "I have fully cut ties with you. I no longer regard you as my family. Not by blood, and certainly not by name."

I turned my back on my parents’ sputtering fury and looked at Mira and Roxy. "Let’s go. I’m done here."

"You are not leaving!" my father bellowed, turning to the stunned guests. "Someone stop her!"

But no one moved. The guests were a sea of riveted faces, their phones held high, documenting every second of the Moore family’s meltdown.

The moment we stepped outside into the cool evening air, I let out a long, shaking breath. It wasn’t a breath of anxiety, but of release. A weight I had carried for a lifetime had finally been lifted.

This felt... satisfying. More than satisfying. It was cathartic.

I had finally made Priscilla feel a fraction of the humiliation she’d inflicted on me for years. And seeing Dickson’s face replaced by stunned, stinking fury, was a bonus I would cherish.

"Damn," Roxy whistled, looping her arm through mine. "So, where to now, boss?"

"We’re heading back to the apartment at The Queens estate."

Mira looked at me, her eyes searching mine. "Why?"

"To get the contract," I said, my voice firm with a newfound resolve. "We’re going to sign it and submit it to the Vexxon brothers."

Mira stopped walking. "Eleanor... does this mean...?"

"Yes," I said, meeting her gaze. "I’m going to train to be a racer with you both."

"Whoa, hold on," Mira said, holding up her hands. "Are you saying this because you’re still riding the high of what just happened in there? This is a huge decision. You can’t make it in the thrill of the moment."

"Hey," Roxy interjected, slinging an arm around Mira’s shoulders. "The girl just publicly disowned her family and verbally nuked her ex and her sister at their own wedding. I’d say she’s in her right senses." She then grinned, reached into her large tote bag, and pulled out the familiar file folder. "And luckily for us, I’m a planner. Brought the documents with me. No need to go back to the apartment."

She handed me the contract and a pen. Right there, with the distant sounds of wedding chaos behind me, I flipped to the last page. Without another moment of hesitation, I signed my name.

Roxy let out a triumphant whoop. "Now this calls for a celebration! The day Eleanor Blake finally stopped acting like a scared little mouse and started acting like the badass she is! We’re gonna be rich, bitches!"

Mira pinched the bridge of her nose, but a small, reluctant smile played on her lips. "Moon help me. I don’t know if I can cope with your particular brand of unhinged energy, Roxy."

"You’ll have to suck it up, sweetheart," Roxy said, throwing an arm around both of us. "We’re a pack now. Stuck with each other for a good, long while."

Inside my head, Beatrice let out a low, pleased rumble. You made the right decision. Standing up to the weak humans, and now this. Two correct choices in a row. That is the highest achievement you have ever reached.

Just you wait, I thought back to her, a new confidence threading through my spirit. I’m just getting started. You should be expecting a lot more achievements from now on.