A Love Buried by Secrets

Chapter 1

The night of the family banquet, everyone but Serena Lorne and Elliot Lowell were present.

Unbeknownst to the others was that beyond a single door, the two were intimately entwined, lost in a passionate embrace.

As Elliot unbuckled his belt and sank into her entirely, he let out a low, sultry moan. Serena's back arched, and she had to bite down on her lip to stifle her own cries.

She pleaded softly, "Gently, Eli. Mom and Dad are right outside."

The door rattled violently as he planted another kiss on her neck. With a cynical smirk in his voice, he whispered hoarsely, "So what? If they ever find out, we'll just elope to Ezvora and get married."

Serena blushed in response and said no more. She couldn't hide the hopeful gleam in her eyes as she stared at the devastatingly charming man before her.

Her shyness caused Elliot's eyebrow to rise, and he deliberately thrust a little harder just to tease her.

"No response? You've devoured me clean, and now you don't want to take responsibility, huh?"

Her eyes shimmered with a thin film of tears. A few years ago, she would never have imagined being so wild. Look at her—sleeping with her stepbrother, especially when her presence was expected at a family banquet!

The infatuation in her eyes did not diminish at all as she choked back a whimper. "I'll take responsibility. I want to marry you, Eli."

The clock ticked on, round and round. After an unknown amount of time, they finally called it a day.

Elliot watched her limp toward the door. He couldn't help the smirk tugging at his lips. He scooped her up by the waist and teased, "Didn't you say you were meeting your friends today? Come on. It's almost time."

She snapped back to reality and tried to fumble to her feet. However, Elliot carried her straight into the bathroom instead.

The two ended up having another steamy session inside before Serena threw on an outfit and dashed out the door.

Fortunately for her, the family banquet had already ended by then. The living room was empty, and not a single soul was in sight.

As she exited the villa, she fished out her phone to call her friends and inform them of her lateness. All of a sudden, she heard a loud buzzing in her ears.

Looking up, she saw a car lose control and skid toward her. Her pupils shrank in terror as the distance between them diminished by the millisecond.

Before she could react, the car collided with her. The impact sent her flying several yards away before her body crashed heavily to the ground.

The pain ripped through her nerves, tearing through her like lightning. Blood gushed out and pooled beneath her.

With great effort, she pried her eyes open. ​​Through her fading consciousness, she saw Elliot running toward her frantically. "Rena!"

From there on, Serena's surroundings became distorted. Accompanied by the ringing in the background, footsteps and voices faded into a distant blur.

Sometime later, her mind briefly regained clarity amid being submerged in darkness. In the haze of unconsciousness, she overheard Elliot and his buddies talking.

"Eli, there's still a chance to save your stepsister's legs with surgery. Are you really forgoing the procedure? If not treated, she'll be disabled for life."

Elliot's voice that followed was colder than she'd ever heard. He sneered. "I arranged the accident myself. Why would I choose to save her? She's the daughter of the woman who wrecked my family. This is their karma. It's the payback they deserve."

"I get it. But she loves dancing. If she finds out she's crippled, she'll lose her mind. Come to think of it, you've dated her for five or six years now just to get back at them. You've slept with her all this time, and now you want to take her legs away, too? Can you be any crueler? Be honest. Do you really have no feelings for her?"

"Feelings?" Elliot cackled, amused. "All I want is for the two of them to suffer the pain my mom went through—ten times over. I could never fall for her. Cut the crap about feelings. Oh, do remember to pay the driver off. Make sure he takes this secret to his grave."

Every word struck Serena's heart like a lightning bolt.

She couldn't believe it. All these years, Elliot had been dating her not for love but for revenge.

When she was 15, her mother married into the Lowell family. Overnight, Serena became the stepsister of the most popular boy at Greenfield High School, Elliot Lowell.

At Greenfield High, there was a phrase that went around, saying, "You might not know the principal, but you're sure to know Elliot Lowell."

It was because all the girls in the school had a crush on him.

The statement wasn't at all exaggerated. Serena was also one of the girls who fell for his charms.

She quietly crushed on him and never fought for the chance to get close to him. When she learned they would be stepsiblings, she was dejected. Nevertheless, she still did everything to win his favor. Despite her efforts, he remained distant and indifferent.

On Elliot's graduation night—the year she turned 18—she went to pick him up only to find that he had been drugged.

She was going to send him to the hospital, but he pinned her down in the car.

That night, they were each other's firsts.

From then on, the wall between them started to crumble.

Elliot was insatiable, addicted, and unable to hold himself back. He was no longer cold and distant with her. Instead, he would often haul her into bed with him. He would call her his good girl as he made love to her.

The man she loved loved her back. Serena fell even harder than ever, giving her body and soul to him without any restraint.

The two dated secretly for six years, hiding from their families.

They would hold hands under the table, kiss in the living room and kitchen, and share late nights together.

But she now knew that it had all been a trap, a carefully laid scheme.

The pain consumed her. Her breathing grew erratic, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood before passing out again.

When she regained consciousness, she found that she was still in the hospital.

Elliot was at her bedside. As soon as he saw her open her eyes, he grabbed her hand. "Rena, I'm so sorry. I failed to protect you. It's my fault that you were hurt so badly and may never walk again. But don't be sad. I promise I'll do everything I can to fix it."

She would have believed his every word without hesitation if she were still in the past. She would have broken down instantly at such news.

However, she could only stare at him with empty, numb eyes, trembling as she watched him put on his performance.

His haggard appearance and bloodshot, teary eyes seemed almost flawless.

But to her, he looked like a stranger on second glance.

Elliot was quick to notice something amiss. He cooed, "Rena, why aren't you speaking? Does it hurt? You can tell me if it hurts."

Did it hurt? Of course it did. She was in so much pain.

Her silence sent him into a panic. He rushed out to call for the doctor.

It wasn't until he left the room that Serena clutched her chest tightly, overcome by grief and gloom. Tears streamed down her face as she gasped strenuously to catch her breath.

Six years. She had slept with him for six whole years. It had been six whole years of revenge.

As she waddled in the depths of her sorrow, Karen Foster came through the door. When she saw her daughter strewn with bruises, tears filled her eyes.

"Mom!" At the sight of her mother, all of Serena's walls collapsed. She threw herself into Karen's warm embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.

The two cried in each other's arms for a long time before Karen finally calmed down enough to speak. "Don't worry, Rena. Your legs aren't beyond hope! Do you remember Julian Simmond, your arranged marriage partner from childhood? He moved abroad over ten years ago. He studied medicine, graduated with a doctorate, and now specializes in orthopedics.

"I got in touch with him, and he said that there's a good chance he can heal your legs. I know you can't bear leaving your boyfriend and that you've always hated arranged marriages. But right now, your legs matter more than anything. Please just listen to me this once. What do you say?"

Hearing there was still a chance to save her legs, Serena felt as if she were in a dream. She wondered if her legs could truly be fixed.

She hastily wiped her tears. Her withered heart, long overshadowed by despair, began to see a glimmer of light.

"I'll go!"

Chapter 2

Karen hadn't expected Serena to agree so quickly. She said, "You might be gone for a while. Are you really sure?"

"As long as we can fix my legs, it doesn't matter how long I'm away," replied Serena firmly.

Karen felt the weight lift off her chest. She sprung to her feet, ready to start preparing for their visa application.

Just then, Serena called out to Karen. "Mom, don't tell Elliot about this just yet..."

A second later, the door swung open, and in walked Elliot.

"What is it you can't tell me?"

Karen hurried off, while Serena lowered her head to hide the redness around her eyes. "It's nothing. Just something about my grandma."

Fortunately, Elliot didn't suspect a thing. He brought in a dozen or so orthopedic specialists to carefully examine her injured leg.

After the doctors had examined her, they all sighed in unison. "It's not a fatal injury, but since the ideal window for treatment has closed, full recovery will be tricky."

Hearing this, Elliot pulled Serena into his arms, looking even more devastated than her, the actual patient. "Rena, even if you can't stand up again, I'll take care of you for the rest of your life. I'll always stay by your side no matter what happens to you. Be good and give me a little more time. I'll make our relationship public, and then we'll get married."

She had heard such promises countless times over the years. But this time, she felt nothing as she listened to his steady heartbeat against her ear. There was no emotion or warmth, just irony.

She no longer had the strength to play along with him. She closed her eyes to rest and said, "Eli, I'm tired."

Elliot didn't think much of it. He tucked her in and then poured her a glass of warm water. On the outside, he appeared to be taking care of her attentively.

A passing nurse happened to see the scene and couldn't help but exclaim, "What a rare sight—a tall, handsome man who knows how to take care of his girlfriend!"

Serena listened silently but couldn't stop the tears from falling again.

A man who would run over his girlfriend and break her legs was rare, too.

Throughout her five-day hospital stay, Elliot never left Serena's side.

From checkups to medication changes, from meals to daily care—he arranged everything for her meticulously.

Yet, on the day of her discharge, he was nowhere to be found.

Karen offered an explanation as she drove Serena home. "Rena, Vincent said they have guests visiting today, so Elliot went back early to host them. Don't blame him for not picking you up. He's not your real brother, after all. I'm grateful enough that he's accepted us into his family over the years.

Hearing this, Serena felt tears sting her eyes again.

Accepted?

That wasn't true. Elliot had never accepted them. Instead, he sought revenge. He manipulated her into a relationship, toyed with her, and crippled her legs to annihilate her.

She had been utterly deceived for six long years, never suspecting anything.

The pain was unbearable, but she didn't want her mother to notice. She swiftly wiped the tears away.

When they arrived home, Karen helped Serena into a wheelchair. While doing so, she updated her on the overseas treatment plan. "I've already started putting things together for your trip abroad. Your visa should be ready in about ten days. Rena, you'll get better—just hold on."

Even upon hearing this, Serena remained emotionless, like a soulless puppet.

That was until they entered the house, and she saw the woman sitting beside Elliot. Astonishment crept onto her face.

Vincent Lowell stood up to welcome them and introduce their guest. "Rena, you're back! This is Vanessa Sinclair. She's the daughter of a friend of mine. Eli and Vanessa grew up together. She's just moved back to Ardenburg for work, so she came to visit."

At one glance, Serena instantly recognized her.

After all, her photo had been displayed on Elliot's bedside table for years.

She had seen it numerous times and asked about it numerous times, only to receive the same response. "Just a childhood friend," was all he would say.

But now, seeing Vanessa with her own two eyes, she knew that Elliot had lied to her again.

His eyes were practically glued to Vanessa.

Unable to bear the scene, Serena pushed her wheelchair toward her room.

Before she could leave, though, Vanessa called out to her. "Ms. Lorne, I heard from Eli that you were in an accident recently. Was it serious? Is that why you're using a wheelchair?"

The atmosphere in the living room went dead silent.

Elliot's heart sank as he listened to Serena's calm but piercing response. With read eyes, she articulated, "I was in a car accident that left both my legs crippled. I can no longer stand."

Vanessa's expression flickered with sympathy. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll recover. I broke my leg while dancing when I was younger. It was Eli who carried me to the hospital and saved my life. At the time, he was terrified I'd never be able to shine onstage again. He was absolutely frantic. Vincent, do you remember this?"

Afraid of upsetting Serena, Vincent promptly chimed in, "Ah... yes, you two were inseparable as kids. You were basically one person. Your dad and I used to joke about arranging a marriage between you two. But then we moved back to Ardenburg, so that idea never went anywhere."

Just then, Elliot abruptly cut in, his voice firm. "Dad, let's eat."

Chapter 3

Serena subconsciously clenched her hands into fists.

She could tell that Vincent was trying to set up Vanessa and Elliot. After all, he was eager for his son to date, marry, and settle down as soon as possible.

She could also tell that Elliot fancied Vanessa not just in the past but now even.

If he didn't like her, he would have denied it outright with such a probing joke. A clear refusal would have been the best way to dismiss the suggestion of an unwanted match.

Yet, he neither admitted nor denied it.

That could only mean one thing—he still had feelings for Vanessa. However, to maintain his pretense of deep affection in front of Serena, he deflected the topic under the guise of having dinner.

At the dinner table, Elliot was seated beside Vanessa. "I told the housekeeper ahead of time that you don't like the taste of garlic. None of the dishes today have it. Try this. It's your favorite, poached shrimp. I picked them out myself this morning."

"You often mention that your housekeeper's cooking was to die for, Eli. For years, I've been looking forward to trying it. This is a dream come true! Oh, you even peeled the shrimps for me, just like when we were kids..."

Serena sat in silence, watching it all unfold.

When Vanessa stood up to bid her goodbyes, he got up to walk her out.

After watching them drive away, Serena wheeled herself into his study.

In the past, he used to pull her into secret kisses and indulgent touches in every corner when no one was around. This room, however, was the one place in the whole house she had never set foot in.

She didn't even know what his study looked like. She had never been allowed in.

She pushed open the door to find entire walls covered with photos and sketches of Vanessa.

Cabinets meticulously displayed gifts, each labeled with a year, occasion, and Vanessa's name.

His desk drawers held thousands of letters—half were from Vanessa while the other half were unsent love letters he had written to her. Each sentence brimmed with affection.

The diary on the desk revealed another side—a darker one—filled with a venomous, secret hatred.

"Today, I ate the food that her mom made. It was so disgusting that I threw up until 3:00 am. She even went out in the rain to buy me medicine in the middle of the night. She then ran a 104-degree fever. Seeing her suffer put me in such a good mood.

"I teased her during the day about being too uptight. That night, she climbed into my bed in lingerie. She's such a cheap slut, just like her mother.

"I got hurt in a fight and told her that it was for her. She was so touched that she overexerted herself for me and fainted. What an idiot."

All these years, Serena had done everything to try to reach Elliot's heart. She gave her all, loving him without expecting anything in return.

But it had all been for nothing. In his eyes, it was no more than disgusting desperation.

It didn't take many pages of reading his diary before Serena started to find breathing difficult. The words on the paper morphed into invisible hands that ripped her heart into shreds, leaving her bleeding and broken.

It hurt. So much. Was it even possible for a person to feel this much pain?

Her palms were gouged and bleeding from her nails digging into them. Her lip was bitten through, and the metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth.

However, she didn't feel any of it. She didn't even remember how she returned to her room.

When she regained her senses, she discovered that Elliot had quietly sneaked in and was trying to wrap his arms around her.

"Why have you been crying? Are you feeling jealous? Rena, Vanessa and I are just childhood friends. My dad was just making jokes from our childhood. Don't take it to heart, alright?" he explained, bending down to kiss her.

As soon as their lips met, Serena snapped out of her daze. She began to struggle against him as tears streamed down her face.

"Let go of me. I'm already crippled. Just let me go already."

She was practically begging him at this point.

It was the first time he'd ever seen her look so heartbroken. His gaze sharpened, and a trace of panic flickered in his chest.

Elliot tightened his hold on her, coaxing gently, "Alright, alright. I'll stop. I forgot that you were still recovering, and we shouldn't be doing this... Anyway, I've been researching countries where stepsiblings can legally marry. Why don't you take a look and pick one you like? I'll take you there to get married, okay?"

As Serena stared at the list of countries on the screen, the chill in her heart only intensified.

No words could pass her lips, but her body trembled all over. Meanwhile, she could only bury her face in her hands and sob in agony.

Eventually, she fell asleep without realizing it.

Elliot didn't think much of her reaction. He simply assumed that she hadn't gotten over the trauma of losing her legs. He just kept holding her gently, consoling her throughout the night.

When Serena woke up from her slumber the next morning, no one was by her side.

Her eyes were red and swollen. After freshening up, she headed downstairs only to find Elliot fixing breakfast.

He brought it to her, his voice overflowing with tenderness. "Rena, I cooked you your favorite fish chowder. Here is some freshly pressed juice for you, too. Why don't you taste it and see if you like it?"

But as Serena looked at the steaming bowl of soup, all that crossed her mind were the words from his diary.

Her voice quivered as she replied, "No need. I want to go to the dance theater."

Chapter 4

When Elliot heard that Serena wanted to head over to the dance theater, he picked up his car keys at once and offered to drive her.

Serena declined, but he insisted and wheeled her out the door.

"I can't be at ease letting you go alone. From now on, just let me know wherever you want to go. No matter what I'm doing, I'll come fetch you."

Serena had no strength to refuse. After all, she was now nothing more than a cripple.

She didn't even have the energy to say no.

Upon arriving at the dance academy, she went in alone to meet with the director and submit her resignation. The director expressed deep regret, offering many comforting words before signing the papers.

A second later, Vanessa walked in, smiling as she handed over a form. "Hello, I'm Vanessa Sinclair. I'm here to report for duty."

"Ms. Sinclair! Such a young lady joining our theater as a principal dancer. What outstanding talent!"

Serena was about to leave when these words sent a jolt through her.

She had been injured for less than a week. Meanwhile, Vanessa—who had just arrived in the city—was already taking her position as the principal dancer at The National Dance Theater.

She didn't dare look at her or dwell on the thought. Trembling, she pushed her wheelchair toward the elevator, but Vanessa caught up to her.

She called out, "Rena, do you have time for a chat?"

However, Serena had no desire to talk to her. She continued rolling forward, but Vanessa reached out and grabbed her wheelchair.

"Come on, don't be so resistant! I just have a question for you. I've heard about you for a long time from Eli. He told me that he had a younger sister who was an incredible dancer.

"He said that she had won a gold medal at her first Blossom Dance Championship and became a principal dancer at The National Dance Theater immediately after graduation. She had a boundless future ahead!

"I came to Ardenburg partly for Eli but also to finally meet the legendary genius dancer. But, alas, fate can be cruel. Now that your legs are crippled, I suppose we'll never be able to share a stage."

Though her tone was sympathetic, Serena detected an underlying sense of gloating.

Her voice quivered as she asked, "What exactly is your question? If you have nothing to say, I'm leaving."

Noting the agony in her voice, Vanessa only smiled even brighter. "What I want to ask is about Eli and me."

She elaborated, "Since we were young, he has always protected me. Even at the mere age of five or six, he would fight off the neighborhood boys for me. He escorted me to and from school every day, occasionally preparing surprises just to make me smile.

"Later, he moved back to Ardenburg after his mother passed away. We rarely saw each other, but he still wrote me letters every week, called me whenever he could, and texted me about his life here. Whenever I had a competition, he made sure to be there.

"It's been seven or eight years, and nothing's ever changed. People around us say he still likes me, but I can't be sure since he's never confessed. As his sister, what do you think?"

She looked genuinely troubled, as if this question truly bothered her.

Serena felt as if a knife had been driven into her heart. She screwed her eyes shut, her voice strained as she managed, "Probably."

Her perfunctory reply elicited a chuckle from Vanessa. "So, you don't know either. Well, that makes sense. After all, you're not his biological sister. Of course he wouldn't be honest with you. Oh, by the way, I have another question...

"It was actually Eli who invited me to Ardenburg. A month ago, he recommended me for the position of principal dancer at The National Dance Theater. At the time, he assured me that there would be a vacancy soon. Tell me, how could he have predicted your accident so far in advance?"

Serena had believed that Elliot orchestrated the accident purely for revenge—to ruin her dream.

But now, it finally came to light that it was partly for Vanessa.

In a split second, the fragile thread holding her heart together snapped. She swiftly plummeted into an abyss of despair.

Elliot had deceived her entirely.

Overwhelmed with fear and anguish, she instinctively tried to wheel herself away. However, Vanessa's grip on the wheelchair remained firm.

Serena even deliberately leaned forward. In doing so, the wheelchair toppled and sent both of them tumbling down the stairs.

"Vanessa!"

As if on cue, Elliot turned up looking for Serena. When he saw the scene, he sprinted over. Before Vanessa could hit the ground, he pulled her into his arms.

Left behind, Serena nosedived down the steep, unyielding stone steps.

She screamed.

Her wounds, still unhealed, tore open again. Her entire body was battered and bruised.

Her forehead slammed into the ground, splitting open a ghastly gash. Blood poured out like a fountain.

The excruciating pain knocked the air out of her lungs, and her body convulsed violently in a pool of blood.

Before she lost consciousness, her final sight was of Elliot and Vanessa. He was holding the unharmed, frightened woman in his arms and gently comforting her.

Chapter 5

When Serena awoke again, she found herself in the hospital.

Elliot was by her bedside. When he saw her stir, he looked as if a weight had finally been lifted off his chest. His voice was hoarse and low as he began to say, "Rena, you're awake. I'm sorry. I pulled the wrong person in the heat of the moment and let you fall down the stairs. Does it hurt? You can hit me, okay?"

He looked truly remorseful, but Serena knew that every word he spoke was a lie. She wondered how his acting could be so convincing.

He was clearly infatuated with Vanessa, yet he instinctively kept his distance.

He spent every day silently cursing Serena, yet he played the role of someone who loved her to the core.

A storm raged within her heart. Her body trembled uncontrollably, so much so that she couldn't utter a single word.

She didn't want to share the same space with him. When the nurse mentioned that she needed an examination, she leaped to agree.

After the examination, her emotions gradually settled.

She returned to her hospital room and pushed open the door to find Elliot holding her phone. His brows were deeply furrowed as he questioned, "Geoffrey? Geoffrey who? You must have dialed the wrong number. Rena couldn't possibly be going abroad..."

Serena's heart skipped a beat.

She speedily wheeled herself forward and snatched the phone from his hand. Then, she hastily ended the call.

As he watched her reaction, suspicion swept across Elliot's face. "Rena, do you know this person?"

Serena lowered her gaze, forcing herself to appear calm. "N-No, I don't know him. It's probably just a scam call."

The number wasn't saved in her contacts. Moreover, it was an international call. Hence, his doubts eased.

He helped her back into bed and glanced at her medical records. Then, he set off to confirm the findings with the doctor. He seemed genuinely concerned about her health.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Serena furtively replied to Geoffrey Simmond's message to explain the situation. By the time Elliot finished his inquiries, she had deleted their conversation and locked her phone.

Elliot cupped her face, gently running his thumb over the redness at the corners of her eyes. His voice was warm and soft as he cooed, "The doctor said you're fine to be discharged the day after tomorrow. You've been feeling down lately. Once you're discharged, shall we go out and relax?"

She didn't respond, so he took her silence as agreement.

On the day of her discharge, he drove her to the largest dance theater in Ardenburg.

A poster at the entrance read, "Vanessa Sinclair's Stunning Debut as The National Dance Theater's Principal Dancer". As she studied it, Serena's face turned even paler.

"Rena, don't you absolutely love dancing? Vanessa has an upcoming performance, so I thought I could bring you to watch it. How does that sound?"

A fleeting look of satisfaction flickered across his eyes. It was so quick that it was almost imperceptible, yet Serena had caught it.

She knew that he had deliberately brought her here to provoke her.

It was a vindictive act, no doubt. A dancer whose legs were now crippled, forced to sit in the audience and watch the very person who replaced her shine on stage.

Her body trembled slightly. She gripped the armrests of her wheelchair so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She barely managed to swallow down the surge of emotions threatening to spill over.

Once inside, the curtains slowly rose. Vanessa twirled onto the stage in a silver dress.

Every movement, every spin, and every step were ones Serena knew all too well. She had performed this very dance thousands of times. The choreography was ingrained in her bones.

But now, she could only sit in the audience and crane her neck toward the stage.

A painful bitterness clogged her throat.

She was in agony.

Just as she was about to avert her gaze, she caught sight of Elliot. He was utterly captivated by the performance. His eyes overflowed with unrestrained admiration and affection.

It was a look he had never once given her during her past performances.

He had always clapped enthusiastically and offered the same generic compliments, making it seem like he was genuinely happy for her.

And she had believed those words and thought that they were his true feelings.

But now, she finally understood how easy it was to distinguish between love and indifference, sincerity and pretense.

One look was all it took.