Chapter 119 Abandoned Like a Worn Shoe
Lark was devastated. "Then why are you so angry? Is it because of what you just said, what I did to Harriet? Or is it something else?"
Something suddenly occurred to her. "Harriet showed you the video she secretly filmed, didn't she? Are you this angry because I almost made her sleep with Mr. Owen Lancaster?"
"You tried to send my wife to Owen's bed - of course that deserves punishment, but it's not just because of that." Tristan's eyes grew even colder. "Twenty years ago, Owen's mistress came to the Lancaster family and pushed my mother down the stairs, leaving her paralyzed. I witnessed the whole thing but couldn't save her. You know very well this is the trauma I've carried since childhood."
"So you used this to set up Harriet. You knew that if she pushed you down the stairs and you ended up like my mother, it would bring back those memories and trigger my hatred for that woman, transferring it onto Harriet!"
"You staged the whole thing, claiming Harriet pushed you down the stairs, pretending to have nerve damage that put you in a wheelchair. You saved my life, and combined with my trauma, it was enough to make me agree to send her to prison."
Tristan's hand slowly tightened. "Lark, you're quite something, scheming against me like this."
"Let me go." Lark's breathing weakened, her mouth gaping open, her face turning bright red.
He finally knew the truth!
She had always known that what happened twenty years ago was his forbidden topic - it couldn't even be mentioned, let alone used to scheme against him!
The despair of approaching death overwhelmed Lark, and two streams of tears rolled down her face.
"Tristan!" Haven cried out in alarm, rushing over. "What are you doing? Don't be rash! Let go first!"
Tristan flung his hand away, and Lark fell heavily to the ground, coughing violently.
"Tristan, no matter how angry you are, you don't need to do it yourself." Haven tried to calm him down. "This kind of person isn't worth dirtying your hands over."
Lark finally caught her breath and looked up at Tristan. "Tristan, did Harriet tell you all this? You believe her words but not mine?"
"My legs suddenly started working a month ago. I admit I was wrong not to tell you right away, but I just wanted to stand up at the wedding to surprise you. How does that become me faking an injury?"
"When I fell down the stairs, Mr. Jones personally treated me. He confirmed I had nerve damage. You might not trust others, but surely you can trust Mr. Jones? He's Harriet's mentor!"
Lark cried with tears streaming down her face. "Tristan, I know you look down on me and think I'm dirty, but you can't pin this kind of accusation on me! I've been in a wheelchair for a year, living a fate worse than death. I'm already miserable enough - why are you still treating me like this?"
"Save your tears for Owen." Tristan remained unmoved. "From now on, except for treating your illness, I'm taking back all the other privileges I gave you."
Lark felt unwilling to accept this.
The privileges Tristan mentioned meant that major luxury brands would send new collections to her door every month for her to choose from - clothes, bags, jewelry, everything.
Any single item would be worth several months of hard work for an ordinary person.
She could shop freely at the Lancaster Group's malls and charge everything to Tristan's account - this was a privilege only Lancaster family members had.
And now, she had lost this privilege.
Tristan looked down at Lark from above, the disgust in his eyes like he was looking at filthy garbage. "I've already tracked down the miracle doctor Aiden's whereabouts. Once I find him and cure your illness, I'll settle all the scores with you slowly."
Lark trembled violently, her whole body shaking uncontrollably!
Given Tristan's character and methods, the day her illness was cured would definitely not be a good day for her!
If he found out that she wasn't the one who saved him all those years ago, her fate would be even more terrible!
That day might be her death day!
Or even worse than death!
Lark didn't dare to think about it in detail!
Haven glanced at Lark sitting on the ground, shook his head, and pulled Tristan into the house.
Lark silently cried, finally managing to recover, and struggled to get up.
As she turned around, she saw Xavier standing not far away, staring at her intently.
"Xavier!" Lark quickly went forward to greet him. "Didn't you go abroad to clear your head? Why are you back?"
"This is my home. Can't I come back?" Xavier's face was cold. "After the wedding that day, I ran away because I couldn't understand why you became like this."
"I've always treated you like family, like my future sister-in-law. And you? I thought it was bad enough that you hurt Chase and couldn't tolerate Harriet and Tristan's child, but you have no bottom line - you actually slept with my dad, made my mom faint with anger, and tore my family apart!"
Xavier shouted angrily. "Lark, you disgust me! I must have been blind to treat you so well!"
Lark tried to grab his hand. "Xavier, let me explain."
"Don't touch me with your dirty hands!" Xavier dodged directly. "You don't deserve to live next door to my house. I'm giving you three days to level that house to the ground, because I want to use it to raise dogs."
Lark looked at him in disbelief. "Xavier, have you lost your mind?"
"I've lost my mind?" Xavier laughed. "If I remember correctly, the Brown family didn't originally live next door to us. Your father shamelessly insisted on being our neighbor, and my grandfather, out of old friendship, gave you that piece of land to build this villa."
"Now I want to take back what belongs to the Lancaster family. But since you've lived in this villa, I find it dirty, so I want to level it to the ground. Is there a problem?"
Lark said through gritted teeth, "You want to use it to raise dogs - you think I'm worse than a dog?"
"You got it right." Xavier smirked. "Because even dogs know about loyalty and gratitude, but you don't. You're worse than a dog!"
Lark wiped the tears from her face and simply dropped her disguise. The pitiful look in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a sinister gleam, and her voice changed from tearful to fearless. "Xavier, your father won't agree to you humiliating me like this."
"You dare use my dad to pressure me?" Xavier laughed mockingly. "Then go ahead and ask him whether he's on your side or mine. Even if he sides with you, I still have ways to deal with you."
"With my fame, if I expose you, I'm afraid you'll have to get plastic surgery just to go out without being cursed at."
Lark was stunned.
Wealthy families like the Lancasters looked down on the entertainment industry.
In their eyes, celebrities were just performers for entertainment, not worthy of respect. But Xavier was determined to enter the entertainment industry.
With Tristan managing the Lancaster Group, they didn't need to count on Xavier.
Plus, his abilities and personality weren't suited for managing the family business, so the Lancaster family let him do as he pleased.
Unexpectedly, Xavier became a top celebrity. Any random Facebook post would trend, and his fans ranged from three to eighty years old in huge numbers.
Two years ago, he starred in a phenomenally popular TV series and gained another wave of fans, becoming a famous idol.
With his current fan base, once he exposed her affair with a married man, she would indeed become a rat everyone wanted to beat, and might not even be able to leave her house.
Lark couldn't afford to provoke him.
"Xavier, do you have to treat me like this?" Lark's eyes brimmed with tears.
Xavier's mouth twitched. "It's such a waste you didn't become an actress. Don't pull this act on me! Listen carefully - I'm only giving you three days!"
After Xavier finished speaking, he turned and went straight into the house.
Lark was so angry her lungs were about to explode.
In the past, Xavier used to cherish her like a goddess, but now everything had changed.
Tristan had completely abandoned her.
And the instigator of all this was Harriet!
She would never let Harriet off!