My move

Elara's POV

The gavel hit the desk, and the judge’s voice echoed through the courtroom: “Elara Stone you are hereby sentenced to fifteen years in prison for the murder of Liam Stone.”

My knees buckled as reality settled over me like a suffocating weight. I wanted to scream, to protest, but no words came.

The courtroom blurred as tears filled my eyes.

Victor, my childhood friend and Liam’s best friend, sat in the gallery, his face pale with disbelief and sorrow.

He looked like he wanted to storm the bench. But even his unwavering support couldn’t change this cruel twist of fate. I was being punished for a crime I didn’t commit, and no one believed me.

As I was escorted out of the courtroom in cuffs, my mind raced with questions. Who would frame me like this? How did it come to this?

The world outside seemed so far away now, and the only thing I could cling to was the faint hope that the truth would someday surface.

The ride to the prison was silent except for the hum of the vehicle. The officers spoke in low tones, ignoring me completely.

I stared out the window, trying to make sense of everything. It still felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

As the van pulled into the prison gates, my body felt heavy. The thought of being locked away from the world, from any chance of proving my innocence, was unbearable.

My chest tightened, and my vision blurred. Before I could process anything else, darkness consumed me.

I regained consciousness, the harsh fluorescent lights above me seared my eyes. A nurse stood by my side, jotting notes onto a clipboard.

“Where am I?” I said, my throat dry and my voice weak.

“Where do you think? Your mansion?” the nurse replied sarcastically, not even sparing me a glance as she rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.

Her words hit me like a slap. It wasn’t a dream. This was my new reality. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I swallowed them back. I couldn’t afford to break down now.

Moments later, a doctor walked in, holding a clipboard. “Ah, you’re awake,” he said, his tone neutral.

“Why am I here?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“You blacked out on your way in, and they brought you here for observation,” he explained.

“Yes, but where is this?” I pressed, hoping for a different answer.

“The prison hospital,” he replied matter-of-fact. His words shattered any lingering denial I had left.

I struggled to sit up, determined to leave, but the doctor gently held me back. “Take it easy. You need to be careful, especially in your condition.”

“What condition?” I asked, confused.

He hesitated, then looked me straight in the eye. “You’re pregnant.”

The words hung in the air like a bomb. “I’m what?” I stammered, certain I had misheard him.

“Twelve weeks along,” he confirmed.

Everything else he said faded into the background. Pregnant. With Liam’s child. My mind reeled as the weight of my situation doubled. I was carrying the child of a man I was accused of murdering, locked away in a place where hope seemed nonexistent.

---

Five Years Later

The sound of the cell door creaked open jolted me from my thoughts. The guard stood there, his face impassive as he spoke.

“You’re free to go.”

The words felt foreign, almost unreal. Slowly, I stepped out, the weight of five years in prison pressing down on my shoulders, blinking against the sunlight streaming through the windows.

“Here. Someone wanted you to have this.”

The guard handed me a business card without explanation.

“What’s this?” I asked, but the guard was already walking away.

I stared at the card in confusion but didn’t have time to dwell on it so i stuffed the card into my pocket

As I approached the prison gates, my eyes landed on Victor standing by his car, waiting for me with a smile.

He had been my anchor through the storm, the one person who never doubted me.

I ran to him, and he enveloped me in a tight hug. “You’re finally out,” he whispered.

The embrace was warm, familiar, and filled with unspoken gratitude.

Tears streamed down my face as I pulled back to look at him. “I don’t even know how to thank you,” I said, my voice breaking.

He smiled softly. “You don’t need to thank me, Elara. Let’s get you home.”

As we drove, I stared out the window, trying to process everything. Five years of my life had been stolen from me. Five years without my children.

“Victor,” I said hesitantly. “Where are my kids? Are they okay?”

He glanced at me briefly. “They’re fine. They are at the care center. I made sure they were well taken care of.”

Relief washed over me. “Thank you,” I whispered.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” he said, his tone suddenly serious.

I looked at him, my heart pounding. “What is it?”

“You need to stay calm because it’s a lot to take in,” he warned.

I took a deep breath. “Victor, after everything I’ve been through, I think I can handle it. Just tell me.”

He hesitated before speaking. “It’s about Liam.”

The mention of his name sent a shiver down my spine. “What about him?”

Victor’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “He’s not dead.”

I froze. “What?”

“He never died,” Victor continued. “He faked his death, Elara. It was all a setup to frame you, to destroy you. And... I believe he’s the one who killed your parents.”

My world exploded. “What?!” I screamed, my voice filled with a mixture of rage and disbelief.

The car swerved slightly as Victor tried to calm me down.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “That’s not possible. He’s dead. I saw his body.”

“You saw what he wanted you to see,” Victor countered. “He orchestrated everything. The accident, the evidence against you, even your parents’ deaths. It was all him.”

“Elara, please. I need you to stay calm,” Victor urged.

“How can I stay calm?!” I shouted. “He framed me, ruined my life, took my parents from me and now you’re telling me he’s alive?”

My world spun as his words sank in. “Why? Why would he do this to me?”

My hands balled into fists. As my chest heaved with fury, and my mind raced with thoughts of vengeance. The pain, the betrayal, the years lost in prison all of it fueled a fire within me.

“Then I’ll make my move next,” I said, my voice cold and determined. “Liam took everything from me. Now it’s my turn to take everything from him.”