Chapter 160
Eliana splayed her palm to find it streaked with blood–her own mother had struck her hard enough to split the skin behind her ear
Starlight Media staffers who knew Eliana shot hostile glares at felinda,
“Ma’am, let’s discuss this calmly. Why resort to violence?” one chided.
o you realize who you just hit?” another snapped.
“Doy
“Apologize right now or we’re calling the police,” a third said.
“Go ahead. Call them,” Belinda barked. “Tim her mother. Not even Theodore can stop me from disciplining my own daughter.”
When the onlookers hesitated, she spat mockingly, “This is family business. Keep your noses out of it.”
Someone started rolling up their sleeve, trying to argue with her. “Hey, ma’am…”
But a colleague pulled them back. “it’s a domestic matter. Eliana isn’t protesting. Why risk offending Mr. Russell’s mother–in–law?”
The crowd trickled away,
y, unwilling to intervene without Eliana’s lead
Belinda wheeled on her daughter, every trace of maternal warmth vanishing
Eliana staggered, pressing a hand to her throbbing ear. “Why..
“Why?” Belinda Thundered as if the injured woman were the aggressor. “You destroyed Hannah’s relationship and wrecked her career. She’s my greatest pride ruining her is like ruining me!”
With her ear injury muffling sound, Eliana strained to read Belinda’s lips.
At the name “Hannah“, a profound sadness welled up.
Belinda watched her daughter wince in pain, showing no mercy “You have everything. Why can’t you leave even a crumb for Hannah?”
“I didn’t…” Eliana thought, “Hasn’t Hannah been the one to reject all this in the first place?”
It was Hannah who first turned d
down Theodore for being blind, refusing to marry
pulled some strings at work, slowly driving a wedge between her and Nolan until they broke up.
Later, it was Hannah who pull
If Hannah hadn’t come on to Matthew last night, Nolan would never have fired her.
At every step, was Hannah in the wrong, or was it me? Eliana wondered.
Belinda jabbed a finger at her nose. “I should never have given birth to you. Hannah is the only daughter I need.”
Eliana knew Belinda had always resented her for being quiet and awkward, for not being as sweet, smooth and brilliant as Hannah, and for choosing Bernice over her. But did that mean she deserved this?
“Stop playing the innocent.” Seeing Eliana still clutching her ear, Belinda thought she was faking and yanked her hand away.
The
sight of blood pooling in Eliana’s palm stupne Belinda. Before she could speak, a man’s icy voice cut through the air. “What the hell did you do to
If he hadn’t decided to pick her up from work, he’d never have walked into this
“M–Mr. Russell “Belinda’s bravado evaporated at the sight of Theodore, though she still managed to say, “I’m here for my daughter Hannah. Please stay
1/3
out of our family business.”
“Your daughter Hannal? Thendor’s wounds landed like blows. “Aren’t Ellie and Hannah both your daughters?”
Belinda floundered, the snapped, “Exactly. Which is why I need to teach her in repert
Theodore’s gare dropped to Ellana’s bleeding ear. He scooped her into his arms, snarling at Melinda, “You poisonous hag, if it weren’t for Ellie, you’d be begging for mercy!”
He carried Eliana to the car, resting her head on his chest, then barked
Eliana winced, clutching his shirt. “No, Theodore we can’t go
“Why not?” he demanded, his voice light.
driver, “To the hospital, now
Eliana leaned in until her lips brushed his ear. “Anthony will question your injury,” she whispered, voice low enough for only them.
Theodore felt a pang in his chest. Even now, why’s she still worrying about me he thought.
“Hei
won’t.” He kissed her forehead, his voice rough “Get some rest. I’ll wake you when we come home
“Okay.” At the word “home“, Eliana’s eyes fluttered shut, comforted,
In the ENT clinic, the doctor held up an imaging scan. “Mr. Russell, your wife has a traumatic eardrum perforation. It should heal naturally if there’s no infection. We’ll discuss surgery only if it doesn’t resolve on its own.”
Theodore’s jaw clenched at the word “surgery“. “Is self–healing highly probable?”
The doctor nodded reassuringly.
When Theodore emerged from the exam room, Eliana was sitting on a bench, her fingers grazing the gauze around her ear.
At the sight of hir
t of him, she dropped her hand and puckered her lips. “Theodore, y
you fibbed.”
He knelt before her without thinking “About what?”
“You said we were going straight home.”
“She didn’t ask about the diagnosis. Does she not care, or is she too terrified to ask?‘ he wondered,
To ease her mind, he forced a lighter tone. “Come on, then. Let’s head home now.”
That night, Matthew stumbled out of a bar with a knockout on his arm. As they slid into his car to find a hotel, she leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips.
Eager, he took charge of the kiss, and then his legs wont rubbery. Before he could register the danger, he blacked out.
When Matthew came to his senses, he was tied naked to a giant spinning wheel. The woman now wore a black catsuit, twirling a dart as she lounged on a rose–petal–covered bed and watched him playfully.
Realizing this was a setup, he growled, “Who sent you?!”
She batted her lashes. “You were the one hitting on me. Matthew.”
2/3
12:18, Wed 18 Jun C. 00:
Chapter 160
His face contorted in revullen. “Let me go. How much do you want?”
“Save your cash for surgeries. After tonight, one of your ‘assets‘ might… the said.
Then she smiled sweetly as his face turned
So…”
sed gray. “Oh, right, forgot to mention. I’m an acrobat. Expert with daris
“As the clicked a female, the wheel began rotating
Matthew
felt nauseous as the room spun. Terrified, he shouted, “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Having fun.” She smiled and pointed to a row of darts, “Plenty here for a long night.
To his terror, she tied a blindfold over her eyes
“Help!” he shouted.
That night, the hotel penthouse resounded with ear–piercing shrieks, mixed with the woman’s delighted laughter and the sharp whistle of darts piercing
the air.
Ө
