Chapter 92

Chapter 92

 

Margaret screamed in pain, feeling that her back must be red now.

Howard heard her scream and felt a pang of heartache. He immediately broke free from Stella, who had been holding him, and continued to stand in front of Margaret.

"Enough is enough. If you want to hit someone, hit me. She's just a girl. How can she bear such a thick wooden stick?"

Layla had only hit a few times when she saw Howard step out to protect Margaret. She was furious. Her daughter was his wife, but he was protecting Margaret. What was going on?

"Howard, what are you doing? Stella is right here watching. Are you going to protect another woman now?"

Howard's expression turned to one of annoyance upon hearing Layla's voice. "Do you not know why I married Stella? Wasn't it because you forced me? If you hadn't forced me, I would never have married her."

Howard no longer cared about his relationship with Layla. He looked directly at her, his eyes cold.

Layla held the wooden stick tightly, gritting her teeth. If Hazel weren't standing nearby, she would have hit Howard as well.

Hazel, clearly siding with Stella, looked at her son with disappointment. "I can't believe you're so bewitched. After everything this woman has done to you, you're still protecting her. Am I still your mother? Come over here right now."

Howard shook his head firmly at his mother's words. "No."

Hazel, who had just recovered from surgery, felt a sharp pain in her chest upon hearing Howard's response. She clutched her chest, breathing heavily.

Stella quickly went over to support her. "Hazel, don't get agitated. You just had surgery."

She seemed to forget that her own mother had also just had surgery, donating a kidney to someone else. At this moment, her eyes were only on Hazel because only by appeasing Hazel could she marry Howard.

"Howard, as your mother, I'm telling you to come over here now, or you know the consequences."

Hazel could control Howard because she still held some shares of the Fields Family. If she didn't hand them over to Howard, he wouldn't be able to fully control the Fields Family's company. This was why he hesitated when she told him to marry Stella.

Now, using this as a threat, Howard's face showed a troubled expression.

Margaret never intended for Howard to help her. He had already protected her from a madwoman's attack on the roadside last time. She didn't want to owe him any more favors.

"Margaret, you're getting more and more out of line. Get inside now, or do I have to drag you in?"

As Layla spoke, she opened the door to the small dark room again and dragged Margaret inside.

The moment Margaret stepped inside, she felt suffocated. The darkness terrified her, and her whole body resisted.

"I don't want to. Let me go!"

But Layla ignored her pleas. After locking her inside, she stood at the door, looking at her coldly. "Reflect on your actions in there."

With that, Layla forcefully shut the door before Margaret could respond.

The last bit of light disappeared from Margaret's sight. She leaned against the wall, slowly squatting down, her eyes filled with tears.

In her helplessness, she suddenly remembered she had a phone. But after searching for it, she realized Layla had taken it away.

She felt isolated, like being on a deserted island with no one to help her. Her breathing became more rapid, as if she would suffocate any second.

The darkness felt like a monster ready to devour her.

Howard stood outside, wanting to go in and get Margaret out, but Hazel held his hand firmly, her eyes stern. "I warn you, don't interfere in this matter. Your wife is Stella. Do you understand?"

Howard's face was full of pain. He suddenly realized he might not have the ability or the right to protect Margaret.

Just when everyone thought Margaret would receive her due punishment in the small dark room, a tall figure suddenly appeared at the door.

Stella saw Leonard in front of her and was pushed aside before she could react. She clutched her shoulder in pain, gritting her teeth, and then saw the door to the small dark room open again.

Margaret, now semi-conscious, thought she was hallucinating. She saw a figure at the door, backlit like an angel coming to save her.

She blinked and murmured, "Is someone finally here to save me?"

She then fell into a warm embrace, a familiar scent of disinfectant from Leonard.

She relaxed completely, tears streaming down her face. "Honey, you finally came."

She couldn't imagine the torment she would have endured if Leonard hadn't shown up.

Leonard said nothing, his eyes cold as he looked at her fragile state. He then picked her up and carried her out of the small dark room.

"She's part of the Thorne Family. How I punish her is none of your business."

Layla felt her authority threatened and looked at Leonard coldly, trying to assert her dominance. But Leonard's cold gaze made her shiver and feel helpless.

He held Margaret tightly, looking at the people in front of him. "If anything happens to her, none of you will get away with it."

With that, he left the room with Margaret without hesitation.

The remaining people looked at each other in disbelief, wondering how a mere doctor could have such a powerful presence.

Every time they saw Leonard, it made their hair stand on end. Meeting his gaze felt like facing the extreme cold, making them shiver.

Howard, standing nearby, was also full of resentment. He couldn't understand why he couldn't compare to Leonard. In terms of background, he was better. In terms of looks, he was on par with Leonard.