Chapter 50
Chapter 50
“Enough.” Before Lillian could finish her sentence, Victor cut her off with a sharp frown and a warning, “Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that agains
A stunt? This’s clearly Annabel’s fault. How’s this my doing?‘ Lillian wondered.
Lillian wanted to argue, and Beatrice gently held her arm and shook her head, signaling her to stay quiet.
The ride home was tense. Victor’s stern expression made the atmosphere suffocating, and Lillian barely dared to breathe. She kept throwing desperate glances at Beatrice, silently begging for help.
Beatrice, however, stayed composed and avoided bringing up the incident. Instead, she shared some lighthearted stories to ease the tension.
By the time Victor stepped out of the car, his expression had softened slightly. In the end, he still shot Lillian a glare. “Keep your daughter in check,” he said before striding off without looking back.
Tears streamed down Lillian’s face as she turned to her mother, her voice trembling. “Mom, Dad has gotten mad at me. What do I do? My arm was really broken. You saw it. What am I supposed to do now?”
Beatrice patted Lillian’s back gently, her tone comforting. “Let’s go inside first. I’ll make sure your father understands that this was all Annabel’s fault.”
Victor knocked on Annabel’s bedroom door, the sound echoing softly through the quiet villa.
Moments later, the door opened to reveal a pale–faced girl. She stared at him coldly.
A wave of guilt surged through Victor, though regret weighed heavier on his heart.
“If Dad finds out about today’s incident, things will get bad,‘ Victor thought, forcing a smile.
“Annabel, how’s your back? I’ve already called the family doctor. He’ll be here soon to take care of it,” Victor said, his voice tinged with unease.
Annabel stared at Victor for a long time. Just as Victor braced himself for her to lash out, she surprised him by nodding quietly. “Thanks, Dad,” she said, her tone flat and distant.
Victor’s smile softened into something genuine as he patted her shoulder. “Annabel, I mean it this time. I won’t yell at you anymore, okay?”
Annabel didn’t respond, her silence speaking louder than words. She knew Victor well. This promise is as empty as all the others.
‘About this whipping? I’ll make sure you all pay for it. Victor, Lillian, and Beatrice, just wait,‘ Annabel wondered.
Because of the whipping, the three had been unusually kind to Annabel. Beatrice even prepared the medicine for Annabel personally.
Annabel took the medicine, and Victor left, seemingly satisfied. Lillian trembled with anger, but Annabel acted like she didn’t even notice.
Before heading to bed, Annabel got a call from Walter. “Annabel, I’m not home. Have they been giving you trouble?”
Upon hearing the warmth in Walter’s voice, Annabel’s eyes finally lit up with a smile. “No, Grandpa. Do you think they’d even dare?”
Walter paused for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of anger. “If I hadn’t been there that day, Victor would’ve hit you.”
Worried about his blood pressure, Annabel quickly changed the subject. “Grandpa, stay in the hospital for a few more days. I’ll come visit you tomorrow.”
“It’s so boring here,” he grumbled. Annabel tried to convince him, but Walter was determined to come home.
Not wanting him to find out about the injuries on her back, Annabel called Mason after hanging up. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll be staying at the company for a few days.”
Mason immediately caught on. “Did Victor mess with you again?”
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Chapter 50
Annabel kept it short. “We’ll talk tomorrow. And keep it low–key.”
The next morning, Mason arrived early to pick Annabel up. Annabel had the servants carry her suitcase downstairs.
Just as Annabel was about to leave, Lillian, who had been sitting in the living room watching her, suddenly spoke in a soft, delicate voice. “Annabel, are you moving out to live with your boyfriend now?”
Annabel didn’t respond to Lillian and instead turned to Victor and Beatrice, who had just come downstairs. “Dad, Beatrice, I’m going to stay at a friend’s place for a few days.”
Beatrice immediately chimed in with a smile, “Alright, Annabel. You and your boyfriend can stay there for a few days. It’s fine.”
Annabel let out a soft chuckle. “Beatrice, I just called off my engagement with Carlos. How could I possibly have a new boyfriend so soon?”
Beatrice tried to say something, but Wictor cut her off, his tone unusually gentle, “Alright, go ahead. It’s not easy for you here without someone looking after you.”
Annabel pressed her lips together and nodded slightly. “Okay. Dad, Beatrice, goodbye.”
Lillian, unwilling to let Annabel leave the battlefield so easily, hesitated for a moment before chasing after her. She happened to see Mason taking Annabel’s suitcase. Lillian quickly ducked into a corner to hide.
Mason’s eyes immediately fell on the bandages wrapped around Annabel’s hand. He grabbed her wrist, his voice cold and sharp. “What happened? Who hurt you?”
Annabel pulled her hand away and didn’t want to answer him. “Let’s go.”
“Annabel?” Mason started to say something, but she had already opened the car door herself and climbed in.
Mason sighed helplessly and got into the car, starting the engine. Neither of them noticed Lillian lurking in the shadows, her phone raised as she recorded everything.
Lillian reviewed the video, her lips curling into a sneer.
‘So what if he is handsome? What a joke. Driving a lousy car in a neighborhood like this? Pathetic,‘ she wondered. ‘Well, Annabel was only ever meant to associate with trash like this anyway.‘
Lillian’s eyes sparkled with malicious glee as she turned back toward the villa. By the time she stepped inside, her face had already shifted to one of concern. “Dad, I think Annabel really is dating someone, but that man-”
She trailed off deliberately, handing her phone over. “Dad, take a look at this.”
Victor took the phone and silently watched the entire video.
Beatrice, noticing his reaction, added with feigned nonchalance, “Victor, this young man seems to care about Annabel quite a lot. He probably genuinely loves her. As for others, we don’t need to worry about things like that, right?”
‘That bitch’s only worthy of a man who’s nothing but a pretty face,‘ Beatrice wondered.
Victor didn’t say anything, but his expression was noticeably grim.
Annabel briefly recounted yesterday’s events in the car, carefully leaving out the part about Victor whipping her with a thorned whi
Mason raised an eyebrow, his tone skeptical. “That’s it? They just let you off the hook like that?”
Annabel deflected the question. “How’s your surveillance on Carlos going?”
Mason’s gaze darkened slightly as he realized Annabel still had no intention of leaning on him, choosing instead to bear everything alone, A flicker of pain and disappointment crossed his eyes.
12:20
4 Jun
Chapter 50
He quickly followed up. “So far, his behavior hasn’t raised any red flags. I checked his call records and found that he’s been in frequent contact with a certain number recently.”
As he spoke, a peculiar expression flashed across Mason’s face. “It’s Celia, the heiress of the Sherman family.”
Annabel’s eyes lit up slightly, the pieces finally falling into place. Now she understood why Carlos had approached them for collaboration, ‘So, he’s working for Celia,‘ she wondered.
Mason noticed Annabel’s lack of surprise. “Annabel, do you know Celia?”
“I’ve only met her once,” Annabel replied, closing her eyes to shut down further questioning. “I’m feeling a bit tired. I’ll rest for a while.”
Mason sighed softly, “Alright.”
When they arrived at Aether Studios, Annabel waved Mason off.
She entered the small lounge attached to her office. Just as she removed her shirt and prepared to apply medicine to her back in front of the mirror, a large hand suddenly reached out.
Annabel froze, her body instinctively twisting to evade the intruder. But the abrupt movement threw her off balance, and she stumbled backward.
The man reached out swiftly, pulling her into his arms. The familiar chill of cologne mixed with a faint trace of tobacco enveloped her.
Annabel’s emotions churned, but when she looked up, her gaze was sharp and unyielding. “Who let you in here? Get out.”
Jonathan seemed different from his usual self; the icy aura radiating from him was so intense it felt suffocating.
He spoke slowly, his tone cold. “Little Wildcat, who did this to your
back?”
“Mr. Turner, don’t you think you’re overstepping?” Annabel reached out to push him away, but he caught her bandaged hand instead.
His eyes, sharp and cold, burned with a dangerous intensity. “Who dared to lay a hand on my woman?”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.