The truth remains elusive as accusations fly and a hidden past is dragged into the light. Just as Elina finds refuge in an unexpected sanctuary, a desperate cry for help over a phone call changes everything. Who is the mysterious girl on the line, and what dark secret is she about to reveal?
With eyes brimming with tears and a gaze full of hatred, Elina looked at David and spoke sharply to the officers. "Take this man away... and ensure he receives the harshest punishment possible."
David stepped toward her, his voice trembling. "Elina, I haven't done anything to you. Please, don't look at me with such loathing."
"Please, arrest him!" Elina pleaded with the police again.
However, the police asked for evidence, and Elina had none to give. Without proof, they couldn't take David into custody. They informed the family that they would investigate the matter thoroughly and then left the mansion.
Devastated, Elina collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Jack moved to comfort her, gently leading her toward her room to escape the prying eyes of the crowd.
Anger flared in David as he shoved Jack away, separating him from Elina. With tears in his eyes, he pleaded, "I didn't do this, Elina! I love you beyond measure. I could never even dream of hurting you, let alone doing something so horrific."
David's mother sneered at Elina. "Are you just putting on a performance to ruin my son's life?"
Lara, Elina's mother, immediately intervened. "Silence! How can you, as a woman, say something so vile? Look at Elina—the marks on her face and the state of her clothes make it clear she has been brutalized. She would never lie about this."
"Why are you defending her so much, Lara?" David's mother snapped. "Wasn't she the one trying to break your daughter Sarlin's marriage?"
"I have committed many sins in my past," Lara replied firmly. "But today, as a mother, I will not stand by and watch an injustice happen to my child."
David's mother was stunned. "Your child? What on earth are you talking about?"
"Yes, my child!" Lara shouted. "Elina is my daughter... my own blood. Years ago, driven by greed, I abandoned her and Salina to marry Sarlin's father. They were twins, and they are mine. I will never leave Elina alone again, no matter what the world says."
David's grandmother and mother exchanged looks of disbelief. "We thought Elina was a good girl," they mocked. "But she's just clever. First, she trapped David, and when that didn't work, she set her sights on Jack. Now she's using this rape accusation to extort money from us. Tell us, how much do you want? Name your price, but stop dragging my David's name through the mud."
Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice boomed from the doorway.
"Enough!"
Everyone froze as Mr. Louis entered. Elina ran to her grandfather and hugged him, her sobs echoing in the room.
David, blinded by rage, turned on Mr. Louis. "Stay away from her! I suspect you're the one behind all this. You're an old man with no shame, using a girl young enough to be your daughter to trap us for money."
Enraged by his words, Lara slapped David across the face. "Watch your tongue! Do you even know who you are talking to?"
David's mother and grandmother turned pale, looking at each other in terror.
"Who is he?" David demanded. "I've already canceled all deals with his company!"
"Mr. Louis is Elina's grandfather... he is my father," Lara revealed. "And if you want to talk about greed, listen well—Elina is wealthy enough to buy your company a hundred times over. She is Elina Thomas, the owner of 'The First Impressions' company."
The room fell into a shocked silence as the truth of Elina's success settled over them.
Mr. Louis spoke up, his voice heavy with pride and pain. "My child is far too principled to ever do anything wrong. She doesn't have a greedy bone in her body. And David, don't brag about your family. Your 'dear' grandmother is the one who burned my company to ashes and left us on the streets years ago. From zero, Elina built her empire to heights you could never reach.
"Lara called and told me what happened. I will make sure you face a punishment you'll remember for the rest of your life. We already lost one daughter, Suza, because of people like you. But I am standing by Elina. This time, your family won't get away with hurting my child."
Jack stepped forward, looking at the old man. "Grandfather... do you think ill of me too?"
"No, Jack," Mr. Louis replied gently. "I know you left your home for Suza. You are the only one in this house with a good heart."
"Grandfather," Jack said, "I truly want to marry Elina. Would you give us your blessing?"
Tears filled Mr. Louis's eyes as he embraced Jack. "Thank you, son, for reaching out to her. Please, never let her be in pain again. I give you my full support."
Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice boomed from the doorway.
"Enough!"
Everyone froze as Mr. Louis entered. Elina ran to her grandfather and hugged him, her sobs echoing in the room.
David, blinded by rage, turned on Mr. Louis. "Stay away from her! I suspect you're the one behind all this. You're an old man with no shame, using a girl young enough to be your daughter to trap us for money."
Enraged by his words, Lara slapped David across the face. "Watch your tongue! Do you even know who you are talking to?"
David's mother and grandmother turned pale, looking at each other in terror.
"Who is he?" David demanded. "I've already canceled all deals with his company!"
"Mr. Louis is Elina's grandfather... he is my father," Lara revealed. "And if you want to talk about greed, listen well—Elina is wealthy enough to buy your company a hundred times over. She is Elina Thomas, the owner of 'The First Impressions' company."
The room fell into a shocked silence as the truth of Elina's success settled over them.
Mr. Louis spoke up, his voice heavy with pride and pain. "My child is far too principled to ever do anything wrong. She doesn't have a greedy bone in her body. And David, don't brag about your family. Your 'dear' grandmother is the one who burned my company to ashes and left us on the streets years ago. From zero, Elina built her empire to heights you could never reach.
"Lara called and told me what happened. I will make sure you face a punishment you'll remember for the rest of your life. We already lost one daughter, Suza, because of people like you. But I am standing by Elina. This time, your family won't get away with hurting my child."
Jack stepped forward, looking at the old man. "Grandfather... do you think ill of me too?"
"No, Jack," Mr. Louis replied gently. "I know you left your home for Suza. You are the only one in this house with a good heart."
"Grandfather," Jack said, "I truly want to marry Elina. Would you give us your blessing?"
Tears filled Mr. Louis's eyes as he embraced Jack. "Thank you, son, for reaching out to her. Please, never let her be in pain again. I give you my full support."
Jack then addressed the room. "There are CCTV cameras all over this house. The footage will prove whether David is telling the truth or not. I will bring this rapist to justice very soon."
However, when Jack went to check the system, he discovered that every single camera in the house had been turned off. "It doesn't matter," Jack muttered. "We will find another way." With that, he took Elina and Mr. Louis away from the mansion and brought them to his own private bungalow.
Years ago, Jack had started a personal business that had become incredibly successful, earning him even more wealth than David. Elina began living at Jack's house from that day on.
A week later, a restless and troubled David met with his friend Nikhil. They had studied together abroad and were very close. David began pouring his heart out to Nikhil in a restaurant. As they finished their meal and headed toward their car, David's phone rang from an unknown number.
"Hello?" David answered.
On the other end, a girl's voice cried out in terror. "Save me, David! Please, save me... he's going to kill me!"
David gasped. "Who is this? Who are you?"
Who is the mysterious girl calling David? Did David truly commit the crime against Elina, or is there another predator hiding in plain sight? To find the answers to these burning questions, keep reading "Beneath The Truth," only on Webnovel.