Chapter 95
Alice’s mind was in turmoil. So Eliana had only pretended to care about her while actually trying to intimidate her.
Anthony then said, “Come on, wipe that look off your face. We still need to greet Grandpa.”
Alice shuddered. Daniel had once adored her, but things were different now.
She glanced at the ruined lily garden, a stark symbol of how disappointed Daniel was in her.
Inside the house, Theodore turned to Eliana with a raised brow. “Why keep staring at me?”
Eliana felt guilty. “Was I? I’m not staring at you.”
Theodore leaned closer, locking eyes with her. “Know what you look like right now?”
“Like what?” she asked.
“Like a wife afraid her husband is cheating,” he said.
“No way,” Eliana snapped, too quickly and defensively.
Theodore, usually annoyed by petty jealousy, found this strangely appealing, even wishing she’d show more.
At dinner, with Daniel present, Alice’s welcome ceremony was put on hold. Daniel even had Eliana sit beside him and asked if she played chess, eager for
a few rounds. Eliana had learned chess but wasn’t skilled. Still, she nodded at Daniel’s expectant gaze.
Theodore interjected. “Grandpa, she needs to walk with me.”
“Don’t you have legs?” Daniel shot back, silencing Theodore.
Watching both Daniel and Theodore vying for Eliana’s company, Alice felt torn between memories and reality. For a moment, she imagined herself in Eliana’s place, but snapping back only deepened her pain.
Anthony noticed her fleeting expression and sneered. He thought, ‘So easily shaken? What a fickle woman.‘
At 9 p.m., Theodore, fresh from the shower, heard a knock and opened the door eagerly. “You’re finally back-”
But it wasn’t Eliana returning from chess with Daniel; it was Alice.
His gaze turned icy. “It’s you.”
Alice felt a stab of pain at his sudden coldness but forced a smile. “Theodore, I came to thank you for saving me that day.”
He stayed silent.
After a pause, Alice mustered courage. “Can you tell me why you saved me?”
Theodore’s eyes flickered with complexity before he said coldly, “Leave. I don’t want Eliana to misunderstand.”
Alice turned to go but, spotting a figure at the staircase, deliberately stumbled toward Theodore.
He instinctively caught her, then tried to push her away, only to meet Eliana’s stunned gaze in the hallway.
Chapter 95
He immediately pushed Alice away. In fact, if Alice hadn’t suddenly leaned into him, he would’ve already closed the door,
Alice rushed to explain, “Ms. Burke, it’s not what you think! My leg suddenly hurt, and I fell. Theodore was just helping”
Eliana looked from Alice to Theodore, then back to Alice, unable to forget what had happened at the engagement party. That explanation was too ridiculous for Eliana to believe.
She stepped forward. “Ms. Powell, you knew I was playing chess with Mr. Daniel Russell. Don’t you think it’s inappropriate to meet Mr. Russell now?”
Alice faltered. “I-”
“Or are you used to toying with brothers‘ feelings? Does that excite you?” Eliana didn’t want to be so mean, but Alice’s actions infuriated her.
Alice flushed with anger. “Have some respect, Ms. Burke! Nothing happened between us!”
“First the engagement party, now this embrace. How am I supposed to respect you?” Eliana retorted, suddenly feeling indignant for Anthony.
“Enough,” Theodore barked, staring at Eliana. “Get out.”
Eliana spun on her heel and left.
Alice rejoiced. She thought, ‘I knew Theodore wouldn’t let me be insulted by Eliana.’
But Theodore chased after Eliana, shouting, “I meant her, not you!”
Alice froze, her triumph shattered by disbelief.
She thought, ‘Has Eliana really replaced me in a month, like Anthony said?‘
As Theodore yanked Eliana into the room and slammed the door, Alice’s elegant face contorted with jealousy.
Downstairs, Lainey sipped coffee with Anthony. “A servant saw Alice go to Theodore’s room. She can’t behave herself. First day here, and she’s already chasing her old flame.”
Though Alice was their pawn, Lainey felt disgusted.
Anthony shrugged, almost amused. “If she’d been faithful, I couldn’t have stolen her.”
“That’s true. Lucky you two are just engaged. When she’s useless…” Lainey let the threat hang.
In the room, Theodore searched Eliana’s face. “Do you believe me? She threw herself at me.”
“So you’re saying she clung to you, and you had no choice but to cooperate with her?” Eliana shot back.
Theodore frowned. He thought, ‘Nothing happened, yet she’s making me sound so suspicious.’
“I just instinctively steadied her,” he said stiffly, unused to explaining himself. As a man with high status, he was more used to ordering rather than
stern.
explaining, which made his explanation sound s
Eliana laughed coldly. “If it were another woman/you’d recoil like it was poison, wouldn’t you?”
He couldn’t deny it.
Eliana closed her eyes in disappointment. Then, she said indifferently, “Anyway, just play as we are a loving couple tomorrow. Please, Mr. Russell”
14:43
Fri, 13 Jun GMW
Chapter 95
The
next
day, Theodore
and
Eliana sat on opposite ends of the
car like
there
was a
Frowning, Theodore
told the driver, “Go to Vellum Glow’s flagship store.”
Eliana turned, expressionless. “Why visit Mr. Yates‘ shop?”
Milky between them.
Way
Relieved she’d spoken,
“To better fool Bernie. We Theodore said,
can’t
look like
a
loving
couple
without wedding
rings,
can we?”
AD
Comment
Send gift
No Ads
Chapter 96
Chapter 96