Chapter 170
Anthony stepped forward, reaching for Alice’s shoulders. “Alice, just hear me out.”
She batted his hand away, voice cracking with emotion. “This is exactly why I’m in this mess! I’ve always done what you said.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Anthony saw Theodore and Eliana coming down the stairs. To stop pure instinct–he knocked her out cold.
Alice from blurting out secrets in her state, he acted on
By the time Theodore and Eliana reached the foyer, Anthony was holding Alice in a tender embrace.
“Theodore, Eliana,” he said earnestly. “Alice just got back. She must’ve been out all night. She’s dead on her feet. I’ll take her up to rest, then get answers when she wakes.”
His performance was so convincing that Theodore might have bought it–if Alice hadn’t already accused him. “You’d better get some answers, Theodore said flatly.
As Anthony carried Alice past Eliana, he caught sight of a love bite on her neck.
A flash of resentment shot through him. All his scheming had just handed Theodore a win.
Theodore noticed Anthony’s stare and tensed. ‘How dare he covet my Eliana?‘ he thought.
He looked away, acting casually. “Let’s go eat,” he told Eliana.
“Okay.” Eliana’s stomach rumbled loudly. She hadn’t even noticed Anthony’s dark look.
In the bedroom, Alice woke rubbing her neck to find Anthony sitting on the sofa. Remembering he’d knocked her out, she threw back the covers and headed for the door.
“Where the hell are you going?” he asked.
She replied, “To find Theodore. I’m telling him the whole truth.”
Anthony’s eyes darkened. “What do you mean?”
“About how you made Margaret fall down the stairs. About the hitman you sent to finish her off. Think that’s juicy enough?” Alice turned with a wild smile on her face.
He’d hoped sleep would snap her out of it, but she was only getting more unhinged.
He said, “We’re in this together. You think you’ll walk away scot–free if you spill your guts?”
Alice didn’t care anymore. “The worst they can do is toss me out. But you? You, your mean mom, and your siblings–how will you stay in this house once the truth comes out?”
Anthony’s eyes flickered. “What are you after?”
“I want my dignity back.” Alice shook with pent–up anger. “I want respect from everyone here–you and your mom included. Can you give me that?”
‘How foolish I’ve been, waiting this long to bargain with Anthony,’ she thought. Maybe she’d still held out hope, or maybe she’d been too scared to risk being thrown out. But she’d never realized Anthony and Lainey feared losing their status more than she did.
Anthony nodded. “I can promise you that. What else?”
Alice squared her shoulders. “From now on, you get me whatever I ask for. Your mom can’t order me around. I want to live like a real lady of this
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Chapter 170
household, not some pathetic lackey.”
After a long pause, Anthony said, “Fine”
Alice sat back down to negotiate. “Since we have a deal, start with three million dollars.”
“What the hell do you need that for?” Anthony was puzzled.
“To buy a car, a house–anything I want.”
When Anthony stayed silent, Alice sneered, “You just agreed to my terms. Go back on your word, and I’ll march to Theodore’s room right now and spill everything.”
Anthony’s hand shot to her throat, voice deadly. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?”
Alice forced words out through his grip. “I know your moves. Before coming back, I told a friend to send Theodore an email if anything happens to me it has recordings that will put you in prison.”
“Heh, you’ve grown clever.”
“Thanks to you.” She could have had a happy life, but Anthony had cheated her, used her, and last night tried to discard her like garbage after using her. “Why should he get all the advantages?‘ she thought.
Anthony glowered at her for a long moment, then finally released his hold.
The failed plan from last night had led to the worst–case scenario–Alice was slipping out of his control.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll give you 300 thousand dollars for a car. As for a house, I own plenty of properties. Pick any location you want.”
Alice had been fooled by him too many times. She scoffed, “Do you still think I’m an idiot? Living in a house under your name means living under your surveillance. Give me the full three million dollars, and I’ll buy my own place.”
“Agreed,” Anthony said flatly. “You’ll have the money by tomorrow. But don’t get greedy. If this stops benefiting me, I won’t care about keeping any secrets.”
Alice paused, then grinned. “Don’t worry, I won’t drain you dry. Also, you have a thing for Eliana, don’t you?”
At Anthony’s sudden rigid expression, she drawled, “Otherwise, being as ruthless as you are, you’d have targeted her to get at Theodore by now.”
Anthony’s expression turned murky. “What exactly are you getting at?”
Gritting her teeth against the ache in her chest, Alice said, “Keep being good to me, and I’ll sit on this secret. But if you cross me, I’ll tell Eliana a sleaze like you has a thing for her. You’ll never get within ten feet of her again.”
If Eliana was the sun, people like them were the murky bog–doomed to never feel the sunlight.
The next day at Starlight Media, Eliana had just stepped through the doors when she saw a man being blocked by the receptionist.
His back was to her, so she didn’t think much of it until she heard the receptionist say, “Mr. Abbott, Mr. Hall said we’re only to accept your court papers. He doesn’t want to see you in person.”
“I’m here for Eliana, not Mr. Hall,” Matthew said.
“Sorry, Mr. Abbott, that makes it worse. Mr. Hall specifically said no harassing Mrs. Russell. Leave now or I’ll call security.”
Matthew barked a “shit!” and turned to go, only to lock eyes with Eliana dead–on.
