Chapter 6 Cold Warning
Elizabeth hadn't expected Sherry's run-in with an obsessive fan to ripple back to her.
She was halfway through lunch when Armando's bodyguard, Ace, appeared at the restaurant and asked her to come to Imperial Garden. The place was one of Armando's properties; their marital home, Emerald Park, had been a gift from Bronte. She rarely came here.
The moment she stepped inside Imperial Garden and saw Sherry, a faint prickle of unease crawled up her spine.
Elizabeth had been standing for half an hour.
At the dining table, Armando was carefully feeding Sherry. With her right arm in a cast and her left hand awkward with utensils, she let him spoon food to her.
"Armando, I'm full... I really can't eat another bite." Sherry leaned in, brushed a quick kiss across his cheek, and added sweetly, "Ms. Penrose has been waiting for quite a while."
Armando handed her a napkin, then looked toward Elizabeth.
"Bring him in."
At his command, Ace shoved a bald, middle-aged man—Max—into the room.
Elizabeth's brows knit in confusion.
"Ms. Penrose," Armando's voice was cool, "do you know this man?"
Elizabeth glanced at Max and shook her head. "No."
"And you?" Armando asked Max. "Do you know her?"
Max shook his head violently. "No."
Armando gave a short, humorless laugh. Ace kicked Max's knee, forcing him down to the floor.
Elizabeth pressed her lips together, her expression steady.
"Ms. Penrose, I'd already decided to stay out of your marriage with Armando," Sherry said sharply, "but you still sent this man to hurt me. That's beyond cruel."
Elizabeth's gaze snapped up. "Hurt you? I've never seen him before."
"You're still denying it?" Sherry's disappointment was theatrical.
"What exactly am I supposed to admit?" Elizabeth's tone was even. "I don't even know what happened."
Armando's eyes cut to her, cold. He signaled for another person to be brought in.
The moment the woman entered, Elizabeth recognized her—Julie, a classmate from college.
Max's composure broke when he saw his daughter being dragged in. He collapsed into sobs, bowing his head to the floor. "It's my fault... it has nothing to do with Julie. Please, I only wanted to help Ms. Penrose."
Elizabeth's frown deepened. "Help me how?"
Sherry's voice sharpened with irritation. "Ms. Penrose, you told him to pose as one of my fans and assault me in front of everyone, turning me into a laughingstock in the industry. That's vicious."
"I didn't tell him anything," Elizabeth said, finally piecing together what this was about. She looked straight at Armando. "I wouldn't do something like that."
"I believe evidence," Armando replied flatly.
The words landed like a stone in her chest. He didn't believe her.
"What evidence?" she asked.
Ace yanked Julie by the hair, dragging her toward the door.
"Dad! Help me! Elizabeth, please!" Julie cried, her voice breaking.
Max's face twisted in pain. "It was Ms. Penrose... she told me to do it. Julie had nothing to do with it."
Elizabeth's voice was calm, almost too calm. "You say it's me, so it must be me?"
"Ms. Penrose, you transferred two hundred thousand dollars to help Julie. I was grateful... that's why I agreed to this." Max's apology was clumsy. "I'm sorry, Ms. Penrose. I've wronged you."
Elizabeth's gaze moved from Julie's silence to Max's groveling. Her lips curved into a cold smile. "You have wronged me. I helped you, and now you smear me. How noble."
She'd never met Max before today, but she'd remember his face now.
Six months ago, Julie had been hospitalized for surgery. With no money, she'd turned to crowdfunding and begged for loans. Elizabeth, remembering their shared dorm days, had lent her the two hundred thousand without hesitation.
She hadn't expected generosity to turn into a weapon against her.
Julie's head jerked up. "Elizabeth, I'm grateful for the money... but you shouldn't have asked my father to do this. I'll pay you back."
Elizabeth's gaze slid to Sherry. "Ms. Scott, lending Julie money doesn't mean I ordered them to do anything for me."
Sherry hesitated, glancing at Armando. "Armando... Ms. Penrose has a point. My injury isn't that bad. Let's just drop it."
Elizabeth's breath caught, stuck in her throat.
Armando poured Sherry tea, his eyes hard. "Focus on healing your hand. I'll deal with whoever hurt you."
Sherry's cheeks flushed with shy satisfaction.
Elizabeth felt a chill crawl down her spine.
Ace led Julie and Max away. Armando stepped onto the balcony to make a call.
Sherry approached Elizabeth, lowering her voice. "Ms. Penrose, a marriage license doesn't prove anything. Armando told me you two are only married by agreement."
He'd told Sherry about the contract.
Elizabeth's tone was icy. "Contract or not, the license is real. Until we're divorced, you're the other woman."
Sherry shook her head. "Armando doesn't love you. Why hold on? Let go."
Elizabeth's smile was razor-thin. "If you can make him divorce me, go ahead."
She couldn't afford the penalty fee.
Sherry's eyes glinted. "Ms. Penrose, you're welcome to visit anytime. I live here now."
He'd moved Sherry into Imperial Garden.
Armando called Elizabeth to the study. Sherry watched her climb the stairs with a knowing smile.
Should Elizabeth discover she'd been with a stranger, madness might follow...
In the study, the silence pressed in.
Elizabeth's palms were damp. "I didn't order Max to hurt Ms. Scott. I'll find out the truth and give her an explanation."
It would be difficult. Whoever set her up had chosen a scheme that left no clean way out. Just enough to cover her in scandal.
She suspected Sherry. A woman who could kill a newborn kitten with her heel wasn't capable of kindness. Elizabeth had seen it herself four years ago—Bronte had, too. Maybe that was why Bronte opposed Armando marrying Sherry.
Armando stepped closer, his presence heavy. "I'll have someone investigate."
He didn't believe her.
"Where are you living now?"
"Hotel."
"Why move out?"
Elizabeth took a breath. "You're with Sherry. I don't want to stay there."
Emerald Park had been a wedding gift from Bronte. She wouldn't torture herself by staying.
Armando's gaze was sharp. "Do you have the right to make that decision?"
She gave a short laugh. "It's just a change of address. Is that forbidden too?"
"If my grandmother hears about it, you won't like the consequences." His smile was cold, his words colder. "Elizabeth, stop trying to be clever."