Anna’s POV:
Blake’s sharp voice froze my blood instantly. My mind went black for a few seconds as I realized how screwed I was. There was no way to explain this–no defense possible.
He strode toward me in his tailored dark sult, his face a mask of cold fury. Those blue eyes, usually so captivating, now cut into me like blades, filled with nothing but contempt. With each step he took closer, breathing became harder, like an invisible weight pressing on my chest,
I searched his eyes for any emotion–anything that might be forme–but found only coldness and disgust.
In one swift motion, Blake grabbed the back of my collar and yanked me to my feet. My legs betrayed me, stumbling backward until I slammed against the cold window ledge.
A dull pain radiated through my lower abdomen, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead. Instinctively, I placed my hand over my stomach in a protective gesture.
Blake didn’t spare me another glance. He turned his complete attention to Scarlett lying in the hospital bed.
He sat beside her and gently took her arm. “I’ll have the nurse come give you another injection,” he said softly.
After tucking the blanket around her, Blake prepared to leave, but Scarlett grabbed his wrist.
“Blake, could you stay a while? I’m scared… Her voice trembled her eyes hollow pools of despair.
Blake sighed silently and sat back down.
o get a nurse,” he ordered me without looking my way.
I glanced around the sterile hospital room, realizing he was actually sending me on an errand. When I looked at Scarlett, our eyes met briefly before she quickly averted hers, trembling
“It’s… it’s okay. No need to trouble Mrs. Wright, she whispered hoarsely.
Blake whipped his head around, frowning deeply. “Go now!” he commanded.
As I dragged my feet toward the door, I reflected on how pathetic I’d been. I’d worked to respect. Now our relationship was in shambles, the misunderstandings piling higher by the day.
I slowly pulled the door open when Scarlett’s fragile, pleading voice drifted through the gap.
“Blake, please
e take me away from America. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”
Blake, to earn his
His voice dropped to a tender, deep tone I hadn’t heard directed at me in ages. “Once you’re better, you can go wherever
“Meeting you has been the greatest fortune of my life,” she responded with deep gratitude and attachment. “Without you, I’d probably be dead by now. But I’ve lost my last usefulness to you–I have no way to repay your kindness,”
“I didn’t save you so you could repay me,” Blake’s voice was firm yet gentle. “I protected you once, and I can protect you
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Chapter 144.
again. I’ll always be there for you!”
A bitter smile twisted my lips as 1 quietly closed the door, thenges making a faint sound. I had to admit, setting aside his role as my husband, Blake striking looks and commanding presence were enough to make any woman fall helplessly In live with him.
1 recalled Scarlett’s hollow yet adoring eyes and recognized the signs of complete devotion–she had given her entire life to Blake.
Til always be there for you. Those words cut through my hear like razor blades. Those words should have been mine–1 once thought they would be mine forever.
My throat tightened as something shattered inside my chest. A familiar yet strange ache spread from my heart throughout my body,
I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, using physical pain to fight the suffocating feeling.
In those
few seconds, I felt like I was falling from a cliff with nothing to grab onto.
After calling the nurse for Scarlett, I wandered out of the hospital in a daze. The sun shone brightly, but to me, everything seemed covered in a veil, blurring the line between reality and dreams.
My phone rang. William.
“William-” I started.
“Anna!” he cut me off furiously. “I told you to make Blake dislike you, not harm Scarlett!”
Well played, Claire, I thought grimly. The perfect trap: Scarlett’s infertility appeared to benefit me most, so naturally everyone assumed I was responsible.
“But it wasn’t me…” I muttered helplessly. How could I possibly defend myself?
William coughed before continuing, “Anna, if you still want the property I promised you, you must–immediately–find a woman to replace Scarlett. Someone willing to have Blake’s child!”
I sat on a nearby flower bed border. “How merciful of you, not even trying to hold me accountable.”
“It’s just one woman,” William warned. “We’ve had a father–daughter relationship for fou crossed my line. If it happens again, I won’t consider our connection.”
urs, but what you’ve done has
I stared blankly at the passing traffic, doubting William’s sincerity. If Blake doesn’t have feelings for me, how could William? I reasoned coldly that his heart condition was the only reason he wasn’t taking action against me yet–he was just stringing me along.
“There’s an obvious candidate right in front of us,” I suggested, my voice emotionless.
“Who?”
“Your stepdaughter. She’s quite fond of her brother.”
Watch your words!” William snapped. “Caroline’s daughter from who–knows–where wants to get her bands on the Wright family?”
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Chapter 144
“William,” I said flatly, suddenly hoping to explain the truth. Seething in me craved belief—just one person who would take my side amid this world of distrust.
“I know what happened to Scarlett. Since she came back to the States, Claire’s been going after her. She’s the one who arranged for Scarlett to get beaten up. As long as Claire’s around, Blake won’t have a stable relationship. I paused. “I don’t have any proof, of course. Believe me or don’t–that’s up to you.
I pressed further: “I can find women for Blake to have children with, but Claire is still a threat. And will Blake actually follow your orders to have kids with someone else? To be honest, Blake seems pretty attached to Claire. Why not let them try? You might get a grandchild sooner than you think.”
“I’ll look into what you’ve told me,” William replied. “I was planning to leave some inheritance for Caroline and her daughter, but if they’re preventing my family from having heirs to the Wright name, they won’t see a dime! You focus on finding suitable candidates for Blake. I’ll handle the rest. Blake will at least try–for my sake.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at William’s confidence. My chest suddenly ached–a betrayal by my lingering feelings for Blake. Yet at the same time, a twisted satisfaction began growing inside me.
is I was about to stand, a large shadow fell over
I needed to get back to the hospital before Emily finished her shift. Just as
Blake loomed above me, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look up. He leaned down, his blue eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Well, well. Look what I just overheard,” he said, his voice rough with barely contained rage. “Anna, how dare you try to destroy my reputation like this!”
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