Transmigrated Into The True Heiress-Chapter 31: Just The Beginning

Eliot got out of his car, wondering who the people in the other car were. He stood outside, waiting, but not a second later, the back door of the front car opened, and a familiar female figure stepped out. She turned back and pulled out a bag and laptop, with three men standing behind her. One of them offered to help, but she declined, all the while, Eliot’s brows furrowed. Though he hadn’t seen her face yet, he knew it was Ephyra.

He was trying to understand how his daughter, Ephyra, knew all these people, why they brought her home, and why she was dressed in clothes she never wore. But remembering what Marianna and Myra said about her recent behavior, anger replaced his confusion. Just as he was about to yell her name, she was already running toward him.

"Father..." She wrapped her arms around him and started sobbing. "F-Father... I’ve missed you."

Eliot was surprised. Since childhood, Ephyra had never been the type to openly express herself. She preferred to stay silent and endure, never showing her feelings.

Ephyra, whose face was buried in Eliot’s arms, was crying, but there were no tears. "F-Father, why didn’t you come back home? Didn’t you know I almost died? I-I was so scared... It was so painful..." she stuttered, whimpering every now and then.

Eliot frowned and turned toward the three figures coming out of the mansion: his wife, his second daughter, and the old Nanny.

"Miss Ephyra..." Elma called out in a low voice, looking as if she were trying not to cry.

"What is happening here?" Eliot asked, tired of not understanding the situation. "Ephyra, what are you talking about?"

Ephyra didn’t reply. Instead, she cried louder.

"Sir Eliot, you see—" Elma started to explain, but Myra cut her off.

"Ephyra, what are you doing? Why are you crying like something happened to you? Are you doing this because you can’t explain to Father where you’ve been for the past two days, why you haven’t gone to school for three weeks, and your recent behavior? Is that why you’re putting on an act?" she asked, venom in her voice.

*Stupid bitch*, Eira thought as she unwrapped her arms and stepped back, wiping her dry eyes before glaring at Myra.

"You seem to have a lot of questions for me, Myra, but don’t worry, I’ll answer every one of them. To your first question: he’s my father, and I’m allowed to break down upon seeing him after almost losing my life and being in a coma for two weeks—"

"What?" Eliot stared at Ephyra in shock before turning to the three women. "Coma? What is she talking about?!"

Marianna stepped toward Eliot. "Darling, we don’t know what she’s talking about. She must be lying—"

"Yes, Father. Three weeks ago, I was hit by a car and rushed to the hospital, where they performed surgery on me. I died for a second but came back to life, then I was in a coma for two weeks. After another week, which was the day before yesterday, I was discharged," she continued, not letting anyone interrupt. "The hospital called my family members, but you couldn’t be reached. Marianna and Myra knew, but they didn’t show up. Only Elma came to the hospital."

"She is lying—" Marianna began, but Eliot ignored her and turned to Elma, who nodded.

"Yes, sir. I tried informing you, especially when the hospital asked for payment, but it was always your secretary who answered the call, giving one excuse after another. It was the doctor who performed the surgery on Ephyra that paid her hospital bills."

Eira glanced at Myra before turning back to Eliot. "As for why I didn’t come home yesterday, I was on my way when I was attacked by a group of armed men. I was saved—" she glanced at Han— "by their boss before they could seriously hurt me. I had already fainted, and because I had just been discharged from the hospital, I didn’t wake up until this morning."

Han stepped forward. "Yes, my boss saved Miss Ephyra from a group of men who tried to kill her. The men were interrogated, and we discovered that someone had sent them to kill your daughter, though we don’t know why. This is an image we captured from the CCTV when they surrounded her." He handed Eliot a tablet, who took it, staring at it with anger, while Marianna turned ghostly pale. "Perhaps you offended someone, and they wanted to kill your daughter for it, or maybe it was done by your business rivals. We’re not sure." Han shifted his gold-rimmed glasses. "My boss tasked me with bringing the young miss back home safely."

Eliot looked up at Marianna. "So you’re saying Ephyra was in an accident, in a coma, and discharged just a day ago, then was attacked yesterday and fainted? And, Marianna, why the hell did you and your daughter tell me that she ’hasn’t been around much lately, both at home and at school, that she’s been spending more time with some new friends, mostly guys, staying out late, and sometimes not coming home?’ Why?!" Eliot’s voice thundered, his face flushed with anger.

Marianna opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She stammered, visibly shaken by the turn of events. Myra, meanwhile, was paralyzed, her usual venomous confidence replaced with a fleeting sense of dread.

"Answer me, Marianna!" Eliot barked, his hands trembling as he gripped the tablet Han had handed him.

Myra took a step forward, her face twisted in defiance. "Father, she is lying! She’s trying to make us look bad. We didn’t lie to you! She hasn’t been herself lately, acting all strange and—"

"Enough!" Eliot cut her off, his voice sharp. "This isn’t some petty squabble, Myra! We’re talking about your sister’s life. She almost died, and you’re accusing her of lying?!" He looked at both Marianna and Myra with disgust. "I want to know the truth—all of it!"

Eira stood quietly beside him, her expression calm but her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she watched the two women squirm. She had anticipated this confrontation, and every word she had spoken was premeditated.

Elma stepped forward again, her voice soft but firm. "Sir Eliot, I saw everything with my own eyes. Miss Ephyra was indeed in a coma, and I visited her every day in the hospital. I tried my best to reach you, but..."

Eliot clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he turned to Marianna. "And you? You knew all of this, yet you did nothing? You let her suffer while feeding me lies?"

Marianna swallowed hard, her face drained of color. "Eliot, I... We didn’t know she was in an accident, and we weren’t lying. She had been acting that way before the accident."

Eira spoke, her voice steady. "Father, I know this is a lot to take in, but you deserve the truth. I’m not the same person I was before. I’ve learned a lot—about myself, about this family, and especially about how much they hate me." She looked directly at Marianna and Myra, her gaze cold. "You said you wanted to know the whole truth? One reason I got into the accident was because of Myra."

Myra’s eyes widened. "N-no—"

"Because I wrote a letter to Alan, Myra hired thugs to intercept me on my walk home and beat me up. Then she came, insulted, and threatened me with her friends." Eira pulled out her phone. "Since I know you won’t believe me, I have the CCTV footage."

Myra shook her head and stepped forward. "You bitch! She’s lying, Father! It’s all a lie! I didn’t—"

"Show me the video."

Eira handed her father the phone, her expression unflinching. Eliot took it with trembling hands, his face a mask of disbelief as he tapped to play the footage. The tension grew thick as the video began, the scene playing out clearly.

Eliot’s eyes narrowed, his face hardening as the video continued. Myra’s voice could be heard, spewing insults and threats. His grip on the phone tightened as the video ended, and he handed it back to Eira without a word. He turned to Myra, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Myra," he began slowly, his voice barely above a whisper but seething with anger, "you did this to your own sister?"

Myra stammered, her bravado crumbling. "I... I didn’t think it would go that far! It was just supposed to be a scare! I didn’t—"

Two slaps rang out, echoing across the courtyard as Eliot’s hand connected with Myra’s cheek. She stumbled back, shocked, holding her face, eyes wide with disbelief.

"You didn’t think?" Eliot’s voice was low, simmering with rage. "You thought it was acceptable to hire thugs to attack your own sister? To scare her? Are you out of your mind?"

Marianna rushed forward, her face pale with fear. "Eliot, please, this isn’t what you think. Myra didn’t mean for it to go this far. She’s just a child—"

"She’s no child!" Eliot roared, his glare cutting through Marianna’s plea. "She’s a vindictive woman who tried to harm her own sister! And you—how could you stand by and allow this?"

Marianna’s lips quivered as she looked helplessly between her husband and daughter. "I... I didn’t know, Eliot. I swear, I didn’t know the extent of it."

"Do you think I’m a fool, Marianna?"

Marianna shook her head, "N-no I –"

"Save it. Myra is going to punished and she is going to learn never to do this again."

Marianna’s eyes widened, "No! Please no! She’s won’t do it again, she won’t."

"Yes, father! Please forgive me! I swear I won’t do it again! Please don’t punish me! Please!" Myra cried as she knelt on the floor but Eliot’s expression didn’t soften.

"That is the reason why I will be punishing you, so you don’t do this again. From now on, you’re not allowed to leave this house, to use any electronic devices, and the maids will not assist you in any way." Eliot’s voice grew darker, colder. "But that’s not all. You will be confined to your room for the next six months. No social interactions, no luxuries. Your meals will be reduced to the bare minimum, and you will perform all the household chores. Every. Single. Day. I’ll make sure you learn what suffering is, since you seem to have no problem inflicting it on others."

Myra gasped, tears streaming down her face as she trembled at the severity of her father’s decree. "Father, please... I’m sorry... please don’t do this..."

Eliot’s face was hard as stone. "Your apology means nothing to me now. You’ll earn my forgiveness through your actions, not your words." He turned to Marianna who shrank in fear.

"And as for you, Marianna... this is on you as well. You’ve let this house become a breeding ground for hatred and jealousy. You’ve indulged Myra’s behavior."

Marianna’s face crumpled with shame and fear, but she remained silent, knowing there was nothing she could say to defend herself.

Eira, who had been watching everything unfold with silent satisfaction, stepped forward again. "Father, I’m not asking for revenge, but justice. I don’t want to be part of a family that treats me like an outsider. Myra hurt me countless times and Marianna turned a blind eye. I didn’t used to say anything but after I almost died, I realised that it was stupid of me to have kept quiet. Now I don’t want to suffer in silence anymore."

Eliot nodded, his face grim. "You’re right, Ephyra. Things are going to change around here." He turned to Han, his voice softening slightly. "Thank you for bringing her home safely. Tell your boss I’m grateful for what he’s done."

Han gave a small nod. "Of course, Sir Eliot. My boss takes his promises very seriously." He turned to leave, but not before giving Eira a respectful bow.

As the car pulled away, leaving Eliot, Eira, and the others in tense silence, Eliot spoke again, his voice heavy with finality. "My decision is final and I hope that you will learn your lesson through this."

Eira smiled inwardly. This was just the beginning.