Dear Ex-wife Marry Me novel (Maja) novel Chapter 2157

Elsa had never envied anyone in her life—except Athena. Now, with nothing left to lose, she figured if she could drag Athena down with her, it would count as revenge for Kerwin. After all, Athena’s foster father was a real piece of work—one not easily dealt with.

Athena was beautiful, everyone knew that. Who could say she wouldn’t end up just like Elsa once did, locked in a basement and tormented by her own foster father?

The memories made Elsa’s face go pale. She watched the car pull away, a manic urge to laugh bubbling up inside her.

Athena, sitting in the back seat, had no idea what Elsa was plotting. She simply gazed out the window, watching the world slip by in reverse.

Elsa’s childhood home was three hours outside the city, a small county town. Athena followed the address Elsa had given her and arrived at a crumbling apartment block.

She grabbed a bowl of noodles at a nearby diner, and while eating, learned that hardly anyone lived in the building anymore. Rumor had it that, years ago, two women had died there—one had jumped from the roof, the other was murdered. The killer was never found.

Athena asked about Elsa, and the owner’s face instantly clouded over.

“Elsa? Her mother’s the one who jumped. The poor woman married three times. The last husband was a brute—used to beat her. She couldn’t take it anymore and jumped, left Elsa behind at just fourteen. That girl never came back, except for one time a few years ago, to renew her ID. Her stepdad tried to hold her there, accused her of being promiscuous and sneaking around with men. Elsa called the police, got her ID, and left in a hurry. Never saw her again after that.”

These days, you didn’t need to go back to your hometown to renew your ID, so Elsa had no reason to return.

Athena spent the whole day in the diner, keeping an eye on the apartment across the street. Late in the afternoon, she finally saw Elsa’s stepfather. He was a big, hulking man with a mean, hard face—exactly the kind you’d expect to have a history of violence.

Athena called the police first, then made her way over.

“Hi, I’m a friend of Elsa’s from school. She left something at home and asked me to pick it up for her.”

The man looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her youthful face. A sly excitement flashed across his features.

“Oh, you’re one of Elsa’s friends? Sure, no problem. Come on, I’ll show you up. I’ll help you find whatever she forgot.”

She followed him through the battered doorway. The building was in terrible shape—mold crept across the walls, and everything reeked of damp and neglect.

Elsa’s old place was on the ground floor. Her stepfather unlocked the door.

“Come in, sweetheart. Wouldn’t want anyone to say I’m a poor host.”

Just as Athena stepped outside, the police arrived.

It unfolded as she’d expected—the man wasn’t badly injured, and neighbors had seen him bring her inside. After confirming with Elsa that Athena was there to fetch her belongings, the police let her go.

Elsa never dreamed that tricking Athena into visiting would end up putting her own scumbag stepfather behind bars. She’d imagined Athena locked away in that damp basement, suffering the same fate she had.

Now, she was too afraid to contact Athena again. No matter how shameless Athena might be, she was with Tyler now, and if Tyler ever decided to settle the score, Elsa would have nowhere to hide.

So she blocked Athena’s number, vowing never to speak to her again.

Athena sat on the curb outside, the photo album heavy in her hands.

Inside were dozens of secret snapshots of Kerwin—so clear, so vivid. She’d never imagined that, after all these years, his face would return to her like this.

She turned each page with trembling fingers, sometimes laughing, sometimes breaking down in tears.