Chapter 211
Chapter 211
That evening, after dinner and a shower, Eliana was heading out when Anthony talked to her, “Eliana, one of my friends is a top reconstructive surgeon in Novaria. He is in Covenhill for a symposium, Shall I arrange a consultation for the patients?”
Eliana hesitated. She knew Theodore and Anthony both had strong connections–something she desperately lacked. Though tempted, Theodore’s shadow made her decline. “That’s kind, but-”
“This isn’t trivial,” Anthony cut in as if she were being reckless. “Those patients are young. If scarring ruins their lives over this, it’ll haunt them forever.”
Eliana pressed her lips. His words had struck a nerve. She had seen despair in the victims‘ eyes these past days.
“We’re family.” Anthony pressed. “No debts between us.”
Around the corner, Jayden eavesdropped, scowling. He didn’t grasp the details, but Eliana was clearly in trouble, and Anthony was swooping in.
Jayden couldn’t help but think, ‘What the hell is Theodore even doing?‘
Back in his room, he took his phone and dialed Theodore, ready to give him a piece of his mind.
A moment later, the call connected. Jayden didn’t bother with pleasantries. “When the hell are you coming back?”
Theodore’s voice was cold. “You’re looking for a beating?”
Jayden gritted his teeth. “Hit me now, and I’ll return the favor when you’re old and frail. Wait, do you even know Eliana is in trouble?”
On the other end, Theodore’s casual demeanor vanished. He asked, “What happened at the Therapy Center?”
Jayden huffed, “I don’t know the details, but she has been running around exhausted, barely sleeping. She looks like she’ll collapse any second.”
Theodore wondered, ‘Why wouldn’t she tell me any of this?‘
His grip on the phone tightened. “I’ll wrap things up here.”
Jaxon Chavez, the branch’s deputy general manager, waited until Theodore hung up before asking, “Urgent business, Mr. Russell?”
Theodore scanned the near–finished work. “Jaxon, you’re taking over Gerwulf Branch effective tomorrow. I expect you not to repeat Dylan’s mistakes.”
Remembering how Dylan had been fired this morning, Jaxon straightened.
The next evening, Anthony strolled with Eliana through Russell Manor’s gardens. “You’ve met Cameron. He’s a top reconstructive surgeon in Novaria. With him handling follow–up surgeries, success is guaranteed.”
Cameron Walker, a man in his fifties, had been greeted by the hospital director–proof enough that Anthony hadn’t been exaggerating.
Eliana hesitated. Accepting meant owing Anthony a colossal favor. Lost in thought, she barely registered the sudden blare of a car horn behind them. She thought, ‘Who dares make noise at Russell Manor?‘
Then, two bright headlights shone directly at them. Anthony immediately raised a hand to shield Eliana’s eyes.
Inside the idling car, Theodore’s knuckles whitened as he watched the intimate scene. The driver flinched at the audible crack of joints and asked, “M–Mr. Russell? Shall I stop here?”
Theodore glared at Anthony in the distance and growled, “Run him over.”
The driver nearly wet himself. “Huh?”
1/3
Chapter 211
“Forget it,” Theodore muttered through gritted teeth. He took a deep
th, then suddenly shoved the car door open and stepped out.
Eliana, still blinded by the lights, asked, “What’s going on?”
Anthony, watching the furious figure storming toward them, lowered his hand and said calmly, “Theodore is back.”
The next second, Theodore’s tall, imposing figure and cold expression abruptly entered Eliana’s sight. For a moment, she froze. Then, she let out a bitter laugh and thought, ‘He’s finally back. But now I no longer need him.‘
Theodore strode forward, stopping directly before Eliana. His gaze swept over Anthony with an undisguised warning before locking onto her.
To his surprise, she didn’t flinch. Instead, she met his stare coldly as if he were a stranger but not her husband.
“Is this how you welcome your husband home?” Theodore’s voice was cold.
He thought, ‘No embrace. Not even a greeting. And here she is, side by side with Anthony like a couple. Damn it!‘
Meeting his sharp stare, Eliana pressed her lips. Normally, she would play the dutiful wife in public, but right now, her mind was too tangled for
pretenses.
Anthony said, “Theodore, Eliana’s had a difficult week. She”
“You think I wouldn’t notice?” Theodore cut him off, his tone icy.
Eliana’s face, usually so radiant, was drawn with exhaustion. Theodore thought, ‘If Jayden hadn’t called me, how long would she have suffered alone?‘
Worry and jealousy twisted inside him. “What happened while I was gone?”
Eliana shot him a glance, holding back her emotions. “Let’s talk inside.”
Theodore immediately seized her hand and pulled her away from Anthony.
Anthony watched Eliana’s stiff figure, a smirk curling his lips. All his meticulous schemes to fracture their bond had failed, yet Alice and Hannah had succeeded easily.
Upstairs, in the bedroom, Theodore barely demanded answers when Eliana suddenly slapped him. The slap wasn’t hard, but it lanced straight to his
core.
“Theodore, let’s get a divorce,” she said, voice trembling.
Theodore just stood there, stunned. He licked his lip slowly, his voice low and unreadable. “Say that again.”
Fuming, Eliana snapped, “I said I‘
11
Before she could finish, Theodore bent down and roughly bit her lip, silencing her. When he pulled back, his eyes were feral. “Try again.”
Furious and frustrated, Eliana repeated. “I want to-
Once again, Theodore pinched her chin and crushed his lips against hers. Soon, Eliana’s lower lip split, blood beading like rubies.
213
