Chapter 231
Chapter 231
Michelle forced a thin smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "I understand."
Lally still didn't leave. She stood with her arms crossed, looking down at Michelle. "What goes on between you and your husband is technically none of my business, but the way you're just sitting there like a deer in headlights—that's not going to cut it."
"Men are visual creatures. Eldon has no shortage of beautiful women around him. You need to use your head and figure something out. Get it done quickly—get pregnant."
Michelle's fingers clenched the hem of her clothes. Humiliation burned through her like acid.
She'd prepared herself before marrying into this family. She knew it wouldn't be comfortable.
But she never imagined Lally would be this cruel.
The woman wasn't even treating her like a human being.
But now... she was Eldon's wife. A daughter-in-law of the Soto family.
If she picked a fight with Lally on day one, the Spencer family would never back her up.
Tears pooled in her eyes.
She drew a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm.
"...I understand. Thank you, Mom."
Michelle's voice trembled despite her best efforts to control it.
The humiliation was suffocating.
And this was only the first day.
The days ahead stretched out endlessly before her.
Lally seemed satisfied enough with Michelle's obedience. She gave a slight nod. "Good. I'll have Eldon come home these next few days. Make the most of it. Understood?"
Michelle answered quietly, tears glistening in her eyes.
Lally turned and left.
Moments later, two maids entered carrying two large boxes.
"Mrs. Michelle Soto, these are from Mrs. Lally Soto."
They set the boxes down without another word and walked out.
Michelle stared at the boxes. Dread crept through her.
She lifted the lid and saw what was inside. The color drained from her face instantly.
Inside lay several pieces of clothing.
Calling them 'clothing' was generous. They were little more than scraps of fabric designed to hang on a body.
Lally's message was unmistakable.
She was expected to wear these to seduce Eldon.
The mere thought flooded Michelle with shame.
She clenched her jaw. Tears spilled down her cheeks, unstoppable.
---
That night.
Eldon stormed into the room still seething with rage.
He cursed under his breath. "Damn it, I only agreed to marry you because I thought you were the obedient type!"
"What the hell did you say to my mother? She forced me to come back here, and my girl was crying her eyes out because of you—"
His tirade stopped dead.
His eyes landed on Michelle, and his expression shifted—surprise melting into raw, greedy hunger.
Michelle stood wearing what Lally had sent. Every muscle in her body was rigid, her face burning with shame.
Eldon let out a low, ugly laugh. He moved toward her, his gaze crawling over her like something foul.
That night was the most painful of Michelle's life.
She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to endure.
The pain was excruciating, but she didn't dare cry out.
Then, suddenly, Eldon stopped.
His eyes narrowed. Displeasure twisted his features.
He reached out and grabbed Michelle's chin, wrenching her face up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"You think you're too good for me?"
"I—I don't," Michelle stammered, terror flashing in her eyes.
Eldon didn't care. His palm cracked across her face with full force.
The blow sent her head spinning. Blood filled her mouth.
"Ungrateful bitch! I spent a fortune to marry you, and this is how you repay me?"
His fury only escalated. He balled his fist and slammed it into her head.
Michelle's vision blurred. "It hurts! Please—stop hitting me!"
"You deserve every hit! You worthless whore! And you dare talk back!"
Eldon had never been denied anything in his life. No one had ever defied him.
Rage consumed him. His fists came down on her head, again and again.
At first, Michelle still had the strength to beg for mercy.
Gradually, the world tilted and swam. All she could taste was blood.
Eldon finally tired of it. He spat in disgust. "Huh. Passed out already. Useless."
He ignored the blood soaking the pillow, got up, and walked out.
The housekeeper saw Eldon emerge so quickly and went to check the room, confused.
The sight of Michelle—clothes torn, hair matted with blood—made him recoil in shock.
He immediately called for help to rush Michelle to the hospital.
The commotion woke Lally. She frowned and asked what happened.
When she heard Eldon had beaten Michelle unconscious, not a flicker of sympathy crossed her face. She just curled her lip in annoyance. "Useless. Can't even handle something this simple. And here I thought she was pretty enough to keep Eldon interested."
The housekeeper ventured cautiously, "So what should we..."
"Let her recover at the hospital for now. If something happens and word gets out, people will say the Soto family mistreated her."
Lally waved her hand dismissively. "That's enough. Don't bother me with these trivial matters in the future. Just make sure she doesn't die."
She turned back toward her room, still muttering under her breath.
"Useless."
"A pretty vase with no purpose."
---
The next day, Victoria went to the hospital for a check-up with Hugh accompanying her.
Ever since the situation with Percival had been resolved, the weight had lifted from her shoulders. Her mood was light.
While waiting in line, Victoria overheard the nurses at the nearby station whispering.
"Hey, did you hear? That patient they rushed in last night?"
"Yeah, I heard she's some rich man's wife."
"Some rich man's wife? Have you ever heard of a rich man's wife getting beaten into a concussion on her wedding night? You didn't see her—her face was covered in blood when they brought her in. Scared me half to death!"
Something stirred in Victoria's chest.
She remembered that Michelle's wedding had been yesterday.
The Soto family had sent an invitation to Hugh. He'd asked if she wanted to go. She hadn't seen the point and declined.
Could it really be Michelle?
The thought surfaced, and Victoria immediately shook her head, dismissing it.
Surely not.
"What are you thinking about?"
Hugh returned from paying the bill and noticed her lost in thought. He leaned in, his voice low.
"Eavesdropping on gossip." Victoria smiled. "The nurses were saying some wealthy man's wife was beaten badly enough for a concussion last night. She was admitted with serious injuries."
She hadn't expected Hugh to know anything about it.
But after a moment's thought, he said quietly, "It's Michelle. She upset Eldon last night, and he beat her badly enough to land her in the hospital."
"What?" Victoria blinked. "That serious?"
"Eldon's reputation in our circles has never been good. Michelle was never going to have an easy life marrying into that family."
Hugh's tone was calm and detached. No emotion bled through.
Victoria studied him for a moment. "I never would've guessed the ever-busy Mr. Howard had time for gossip."
Hugh's lips curved. "Well, it involves someone connected to you. I tend to pay a little more attention."
Heat rushed to Victoria's cheeks. She shot him a playful glare. "When did you become such a sweet-talker?"
"Just speaking from the heart."
Hugh smiled as he said it.
Victoria opened her mouth, then closed it. No words came.
Ever since they'd made things official, Hugh had become a natural at dropping lines like that—effortless, almost casual.
Victoria thought she'd built up an immunity by now. But every single time, the warmth still crept up her neck and flooded her face.