Chapter 198
“My mom’s here?” Ellana murmured, instinctively glancing at Theodore, only to find that he looked completely unbothered arithe deeper. 11 along
Catching her gaze, he said calmly. “Let’s go see what’s going on. We can come back and cut the cake after”
“Okay.” Eliana gave the cake one last look, her heart quietly hoping Belinda might’ve come to celebrate her birthday.
When they stepped into the living room, they found Lainey eyeing Belinda with open disdain. But the moment she saw Theodore, her expression tightened, and she quickly composed herself, settling into a seat as if nothing had happened.
Theodore didn’t want Belinda humiliated in front of an outsider like Lainey, even if he hoped she would eventually admit she was wrong. So he said, with quiet authority, “You should go back to your room.”
“I’m not even allowed to choose where I sit now?” Lainey muttered, clearly annoyed, before slowly rising to her feet and strolling toward the elevator without another word.
Just then, Belinda spotted Eliana and as if something inside her snapped, she rushed forward, shouting frantically, “Ellie… Ellie!”
Startled, Eliana instinctively stepped back. But when she saw Belinda’s knees suddenly buckle, she reached out on reflex and caught her. “Mom, what’s wrong?”
Lainey, briefly startled, quickly composed herself and let out a snide chuckle. “What’s this, a performance? Scared her half to death.”
She had the nerve to say that because her son Anthony had recently secured a partnership with Joseph. With her son finally achieving something, she had every reason to feel smug.
Theodore shot her a dark, razor–edged look. “Say one more word, and by this time next year, people will be burning paper money in your name.”
Lainey bit back a curse and disappeared into the elevator without another sound.
Meanwhile, Eliana still had Belinda by the arm, her brows furrowed. “Mom, what are you doing?”
Belinda looked toward Theodore, her face twisting with a mix of bitterness and shame. Then, lowering her eyes, she forced her voice steady. “I came to apologize. Could you please ask Mr. Russell to let Hannah and your father’s company go?”
Eliana’s eyes widened in shock. She instinctively turned to Theodore, only to find his expression unchanged. But that stillness made her uneasy.
Before she could say anything, Belinda gave her hand a desperate tug, forcing her to face her again.
“I was wrong, Ellie,” she whispered, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “I shouldn’t have hit you that day. If it makes things better, hit me back. Go ahead.
Just do it.”
She seized Eliana’s hand and tried to pull it toward her own face.
Eliana struggled to free herself, finally wrenching her hand away, breathless with disbelief. But as her shock began to settle, her gaze fell on Belinda’s hair, now streaked with silver.
This was a woman who’d always prided herself on appearances, on keeping time at bay. And yet here she was, completely undone.
And it was all because of Theodore.
Eliana understood that he’d done it to defend her. But that didn’t excuse him for leaving her in the dark, humiliating, raw, and utterly unprepared.
or for
dragging her into a moment like this,
Belinda was still sobbing and shouting when Eliana finally lost patience. Her tone turned cold. “Enough! Speak properly, not like this.”
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The sudden reprimand made Belinda freeze. She slowly straightened up, still choking back sobs, a line, you here to help Haliyad
Julian’s taken her to some kind of auction. He even sent invitations to your father and me. He wants us to sit there and watch a chart put up “Can you imagine how terrified she must be right now? She only borrowed money from him to help your father’s company. That poor girl.
For once, real emotion surfaced in Belinda’s voice when she mentioned Hannah, Eliana turned to Theodore and said quietly, “See? Even if you for to apologize to me, I’ll never be the child she actually wants.”
Hér voice was flat, almost numb, tinged with something like resignation.
Theodore’s gaze sharpened. That wasn’t what he’d brought Belinda here for. He wanted her to apologize, not to deflect blame or plead for Hannah.
His cold stare swept over Belinda like a blade, instantly silencing her. It was as if the air had been choked from her lungs. She thought, I’ve said sorry. What else does he want?‘
After a long silence, Theodore finally said, “You really think Julian’s doing this because of the money?”
Belinda blinked, confused. “What else would it be?”
“He found out Hannah was seeing other men while she was
With him.”
He didn’t mention the worst of it. Hannah had even tried to seduce him. That was a humiliation Belinda might never recover from.
“What?” Belinda gasped, stunned. No wonder Hannah had no explanation when she asked why Julian had broken up with her.
Theodore let out a cold laugh. “Your precious daughter’s been treating men like ladders her whole life. Now she’s finally slipped, and this time, there’s no soft landing. Maybe it’s time she learned what it means to fall.”
Eliana let out a silent sigh. She had warned Hannah not to get involved with Matthew. If Julian ever found out, there’d be hell to pay. But Hannah never
listened.
Belinda’s fingers twisted together so tightly her knuckles turned pale. “Then what do we do now? The auction starts at eight. It’s almost time. Please, I’m begging you, just call Julian. Ask him to stop, just this once.”
“I can’t help her,” Theodore said flatly. “Julian makes his own decisions.”
He wasn’t lying. Eliana had seen Julian twice, and both times, he’d gone out of his calm things down. It’d only make them worse.
provoke Theodore. If Theodore called him now, it wouldn’t
But Belinda didn’t see it that way. She thought he was just brushing her off. She turned back to Eliana, desperate. “Ellie, we still owe Julian 1.3 million. Can you help us pay him back? Maybe if we clear the debt, he’ll let your sister go.”
Theodore’s expression darkened. He could see exactly what Belinda was trying to do. She was counting on Eliana’s soft heart to sway him indirectly.
He cut in, voice sharp. “This isn’t about the money. Hannah cheating on Julia? That’s the real problem. You think a man like him gives a damn about a few million?”
Belinda pressed her temples. “Hannah… what was she thinking?” She still couldn’t believe it. With a man like Julian, wealthy and influential, already in her corner, Hannah had gone and messed around with someone else.
Just then, the shrill ring of a phone cut through the room.
Belinda looked down and saw it was already eight o’clock. The call was from Hudson. Her breath hitched sharply.
The moment they got word from Julian, she and Hudson had split up. She came to Russell Manor to beg for help, while Hudson headed straight to the auction to try reasoning with Julian.
And now, right at the hour the auction was set to begin, Hudson was calling. The timing felt ominous, like the knock of death on a door. Belinda’s heart
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climbed into her throat.
Eliana noticed her frozen in place and reminded her
rgently,
“Mom, aren’t you
going to answer
