Chapter 244

Chapter 244

As soon as Elena finished speaking, Olivia refused flat-out on the other end of the line. Her tone was crisp and decisive, leaving zero room for negotiation.

"Elena, I'm warning you right now—don't even try this with me. I'm not taking a single cent of that money back."

She pretended to be angry.

"Do I look like some petty person to you? What's wrong with spending a little money on you? I bought plenty of stuff for Zoe too. Should I go asking her to pay me back?"

That wasn't what Elena meant. She tried to explain.

"Olivia, I borrowed that money from you. I couldn't use my own funds before, but now it doesn't matter anymore."

She didn't need to hide anymore.

Olivia reined in her patience. "That money is the compensation you should've gotten from your divorce. It's the security you earned after everything you went through. You should keep it without a second thought."

Olivia had always been perceptive. She couldn't stand watching Elena shortchange herself at every turn.

"Besides, I'm treating that money as my exclusive welcome gift to Nora. It's a red envelope from an elder to a younger generation. Since when do those get returned?"

"And there's your E Design Studio. I've been through startup life myself. The early stages are nothing but money pits. The space, equipment, labor—every single thing burns through cash."

"That little nest egg of yours might look like a lot, but pour it into a startup and it won't even fill the holes. It's a drop in the bucket."

Worried Elena might feel burdened, she thumped her chest to reassure her and offer backup.

"Go ahead and take the leap. When we were starting out, we all expected to lose money at first."

"Of course, you actually have real talent. Plus, studios from your school have done well. FE Studio is the perfect example, right?"

She gave Elena that safety net. "Elena, if your studio ever runs into cash flow problems and you can't keep it going, come straight back to me."

"My hotel has a steady stream of projects. There'll always be a place for you. Worst case, we'll partner up and make money the steady way. I promise I'll give you the best terms. You won't have to deal with anyone's attitude. Being stable and comfortable beats everything else."

Listening to Olivia's heartfelt words, the tightness in Elena's chest eased considerably.

All along this road, she'd grown used to fake sincerity and calculated schemes. Every step had been exhausting.

Only Zoe and Olivia had stood by her unconditionally from start to finish, protecting her and genuinely hoping for her happiness.

Elena pushed down the warmth rising in her heart and quietly thanked her. After a few simple reminders, they hung up.

The call had barely ended when the hospital room door burst open, followed by hurried footsteps.

William rushed out of the room, his face a mix of shock and joy, his voice trembling with barely contained excitement.

"Elena, come in quick! Jenny's awake!"

"I'll go get the doctor!"

With that, he headed toward the doctor's office.

Elena's taut nerves instantly relaxed. She rushed into the room.

On the bed, Jenny slowly opened her eyes.

Her face was deathly pale, drained of all color. She looked utterly weak, her gaze still somewhat unfocused from just waking up. It broke your heart to see her like this.

William brought the doctor, who immediately began a full examination. After a thorough check, he finally relaxed and gave his conclusion.

"She's out of danger now. Don't worry."

Nothing serious—just a mild concussion and some scrapes, plus a minor bone fracture. No internal organ damage, and no lasting effects.

The only concern was that the fall had been severe. Her constitution was weak. She'd need extended rest, no stress, no overexertion.

At those words, Elena and William both exhaled in relief.

After the doctor left, the room fell completely quiet.

Once Jenny had recovered a bit, the pain surged through her entire body. Every bone ached with a dull, throbbing soreness.

She couldn't hold it in anymore. Her eyes reddened, and tears spilled down her cheeks. She looked utterly miserable.

"Elena, it hurts so much... everything hurts..."

Watching this normally lively, cheerful girl—always so full of energy—now weak, helpless, and sobbing uncontrollably, Elena felt her heart pierce with pain.

William's face went pale with distress. He hurried forward to comfort her gently.

Elena watched the scene, guilt and fury surging beyond her control.

Jenny was completely innocent.

She'd only been helping Elena out, running an errand to pick up a painting. And for that, she'd suffered this disaster for no reason at all.

Elena bent down and clasped Jenny's cold hand, her voice heavy with remorse.

"Jenny, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

But quickly, determination flared in her eyes.

She made a promise to Jenny.

"Don't worry. I will not let this go."

"I've already reported this to the police. Tatum deliberately hurt you. They're investigating, and I'm sure there'll be results soon."

After calming Jenny down and confirming she was stable, William urged Elena to head home.

"Nora's still little. She needs her mom. I've got things here. Don't worry."

Elena nodded.

The two of them still had things to talk about. It wasn't appropriate for her to stay.

She'd just reached the hospital entrance when a weary figure blocked her path.

It was Felix.

His eyes were bloodshot, his face haggard and pale. He looked utterly exhausted.

Without any small talk, Felix held out a black USB drive.

"This is the surveillance footage. It proves Tatum deliberately pushed Jenny."

Elena stared at the cold USB drive in her hand, emotions swirling inside her.

She understood all too well.

Handing over this evidence meant Felix was personally destroying Tatum's future.

Sending his benefactor to prison—for anyone, that was unbearably cruel and difficult.

Elena looked up at him, her tone sincere.

"I'm sorry. I know this is hard for you."

Felix shook his head lightly, his eyes filled with nothing but bitter clarity.

"You didn't do anything wrong. You don't need to apologize."

"The one who's wrong is Tatum. My mother, for shielding her and indulging her. And me, for covering for her and being too soft all this time."

When Felix first watched the footage, he'd been more shocked than disappointed.

He knew Tatum was obsessive. But he'd never imagined she could be this cold-blooded.

When Jenny fell and tumbled down the stairs, Tatum could have immediately called for help.

But she didn't.

Tatum had even hoped Jenny would just die there.

"I used to think I was protecting her, hoping she'd change, hoping to smooth things over. I never thought I was destroying her instead."

"Pursue this to the full extent of the law. I won't plead for leniency. I won't interfere. I'll cooperate fully."

With that, he stepped aside to clear the way.

Elena said nothing more. She clutched the USB drive tightly, turned, and headed straight to the police station to submit the evidence.

The evidence was ironclad. The footage was clear. The facts were undeniable. The case went to trial immediately.

At first, Tatum relied on her mother's backing and insisted that Jenny had lost her footing and fallen on her own. She refused to admit fault.

But when the complete surveillance video played in court, all her lies were torn to shreds.

Seeing no way out, realizing she was completely done for, Tatum's composure shattered. She started screaming in the courtroom.

"I have a mental illness! I can't control myself! I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Elena forced me into this! She kept clinging to my brother! She wouldn't leave me alone! I'm the real victim here!"