Chapter 127
Theodore and Anthony were acting like overgrown kids again. After racing to the top of the mountain, they immediately challenged each otheriai downhill simt
Daniel, refusing to be outdone, thanks to years of hiking and his military past, insisted on keeping up, even if it left him breathless.
Trailing far behind them, Eliana wrinkled her nose. “So childish.”
Alice, also lagging, let out a soft cough before speaking. “They’ve always been like this. Competing publicly, fighting privately, over work and women!
Eliana glanced at her. Alice gave a thin, cold smile. “You’re part of that too, you know. The thing they’re fighting over”
After a beat, she added, “Since the beginning of time, money and women have always been the victor’s spoils. You and I? No different.”
Eliana raised a brow. “So what you’re saying is–Theodore doesn’t actually care about me. He just sees me as a trophy?”
“More or less,” Alice replied with a hint of cruelty in her eyes. “You’re just as pathetic as I am.”
“Well, if that’s how you feel, that’s your business,” Eliana said calmly. “I don’t feel pathetic at all. In fact, I feel lucky.”
If she’d heard that a month ago, she might’ve believed it. But after everything–Theodore’s cold treatment of Alice, his consistent warmth toward her– Eliana had slowly come to trust in his feelings.
Alice, on the other hand, had gone from elegant and composed to bitter and desperate. ‘So who’s really the pathetic one?‘ she wondered.
“You’re confident, aren’t you?” Alice sneered, hating the genuine smile on Eliana’s face. “Did you forget who Theodore rescued at the engagement party?”
“There it is,” Eliana said, her tone sharpening. “I was wondering when you’d finally use that as ammo. And to think I once believed you felt guilty about it, even said you didn’t mind that I was staying at Russell Manor.”
Alice snapped, “And you? You said you didn’t mind me living there, but then had Daniel destroy my lily garden behind my back. So where’s your grace
now?”
Eliana froze. “When did I ever tell Grandpa to destroy your lily garden? Who told you that?”
It had been Daniel’s decision. She’d even tried to talk him out of it, but by the time she woke up the next morning, it was already gone. What was she supposed to do?
“Doesn’t matter who told me. What matters is I’ve already lost too much because of you.”
Alice looked around, scanning the trail. It was completely deserted.
Then she turned back to Eliana, her eyes glittering with reckless resolve. “Let’s find out, shall we?” she said, her voice laced with madness. “Who will Theodore trust?”
Before Eliana could react, Alice suddenly flung herself backward off the trail, straight toward the cliff’s edge.
Eliana’s heart dropped. That was the same spot she’d nearly slipped down yesterday, the one with the pit below.
Without thinking, she lunged forward and caught Alice’s arm just in time. But the force yanked her off balance, sending her crashing to the ground.
Even so, Alice’s body dangled halfway off the ledge, swaying dangerously.
‘She’s insane. Absolutely insane,‘ Eliana thought.
“Eliana,” Alice said with eerie calm, “let go.”
1/3
Chapter 177
was betting everything win this, she knew the pit below would cushion her fat it wouldn’t kill for the had nothing left the des now she’d end un discarded by Anthony anyway
But Eliana wasn’t about to let her go. She gripped Allee’s arm with both hands, even as her own boily vias being dragged toward the me.
Jud then. Daniel, who’d started backtracking after realizing he’d left two young women alone one of them sick arrived on the scene
What he saw niade his heart stop. Alice was plunging off the cliff.
Eliana was on her knees, staring at her trembling hands in shock, and somehow blaming herself inwardly, I tried… but I just couldn’t hold on
At the hospital, a sharp, anguished scream rang out from inside the restricted operating room.
A few moments later, a doctor stepped out and spoke solemnly to the group waiting outside, “Ms. Powell had a miscarriage: I’m very sorry for your inss.
‘A miscarriage?‘ Eliana repeated silently, biting down so hard on her lower lip that it started bleeding.
Anthony stood frozen for a second. Then he lunged at the doctor, grabbing him by the coat and slamming him against the wall. “What did you say?! Say it again!”
The doctor raised both hands, panicked. “Sir, we did everything we could! There was nothing more we could do!”
Eliana looked instinctively at Theodore. His jaw was clenched tight, his eyes locked on the surgery room doors.
A moment later, the doors opened and a group of nurses wheeled Alice out. Her once–lovely face was ghostly pale, and her lips trembled as she cried out, “My baby! Where’s my baby?!”
The more she screamed, the hoarser her voice grew. But instead of seeming hysterical, it made people feel sorry for her.
Inside the hospital room, Anthony approached the bed, only to see Alice curled in the corner, clutching her stomach and sobbing, “Go away! No one’s taking my baby from me!”
He wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm her down. “We can try again. I know this hurts, but we can have another. Please, don’t do this to yourself.”
But Alice thrashed wildly in his arms. When she caught sight of Eliana standing at the doorway, her face twisted into rage. She pointed a trembling finger. “It was her! She pushed me! She’s the reason I lost the baby!”
Everyone turned to look at Eliana. But none were sharper than Theodore’s eyes.
Anthony looked stunned, then turned to her, and asked, “Eliana… what’s going on? Is it true?”
Eliana clenched her fists and forced herself to stay calm. “It wasn’t me. She jumped.”
Anthony immediately looked to Daniel. “Grandpa, you were the closest one there. Please, tell us what happened!”
Daniel’s expression was unreadable. He had, in fact, seen Alice falling and Eliana kneeling on the ground, staring blankly at her hands.
Emotionally, he wanted to defend Eliana. But the truth was… her posture and her face? It had looked like guilt.
As Daniel hesitated, Alice let out a pitiful cry. “Eliana, what kind of excuse is that? Who would throw themselves off a cliff on purpose? I was pregnant. Do you really think I’d risk my baby like that?”
