Bait for Revenge

Attwenty,Elenaoverheardaconversationbetweenherstepbrotherandsecretlover,LucaMoretti,andhismen,learningthathisfive-yearpursuitofherhadbeennothingbutaschemetotakerevengeonhermother,Grace.Shefledinhercar,onlytodieinacrash—andmiraculouslywakeupfiveyearsinthepast.Insteadofseekingrevengeorconfrontation,therebornElenaquietlymadearrangementstostudyabroad,planningtoleaveChicagoforLondonwithinfourdays.SheleftafarewellletterbeneathLuca'spillow.WhenLucadiscoveredshehadleft,heracedtotheairport—butwascaughtinadevastatingcrashthatlefthimparalyzedfromtheneckdown.Lyinginhishospitalbed,hereadElena'sletterandfinallyrealizedhehadbeenwrongallalong:Gracehadneverdestroyedhisfamily;shehadalwaysgenuinelytreatedhimasherownson.Sixyearslater,ElenahadcompletedherstudiesinLondon,marriedthekindandsteadyCasparRoss,andhadadaughter,Philippa.ThoughLucahadrecoveredenoughtomoveaboutinawheelchair,whenhecamefacetofacewithElenaandherfamily—witnessingtheirhappiness—heunderstoodwithpainfulclaritythathehadlostherforever.