Chapter 171: Deserved Punishment

Chapter 171: Deserved Punishment

Meanwhile, these people split into two groups, with one group already heading to the neighborhood where Ella currently lived.

Judith was brought to a cramped, confined room. The conditions inside were even worse than her current rental apartment.

"You'd better pray that Ella comes up with the money, otherwise you'll have to work to pay off the debt!"

With that, Hunter showed no mercy and shoved Judith into the room. Judith's leg hit the ground hard, instantly getting scraped and bleeding.

Looking at Judith's sexy, smooth thighs, Hunter couldn't help but swallow hard.

He was about to step inside when a man behind him warned him.

"Don't mess around. We're here for money. Wait until she can't pay the debt."

Judith's eyes were full of fear. When she saw Hunter about to come in earlier, she was scared to death.

The door was shut, and Judith heard faint sounds from outside - they must have locked it from the outside.

Judith got up from the floor and looked around the room. There wasn't even a window, just a dim incandescent bulb.

Then there was a single wooden plank bed, and in the corner was a plastic bucket giving off waves of foul, urine-like smell.

Clearly, she wasn't the first person to be locked in this room. What should she do now?

Before coming in, her phone had been taken away. Now she could only pray that Ella would pay the money and she'd be released.

But after how she'd treated Ella before, would Ella actually pay?

It was really hard to say. If Ella knew about Judith's current situation, she'd definitely kick her while she was down.

Judith sat on the wooden bed, hugging her knees, her eyes full of fear.

Ella had driven back and arrived at her front door. As soon as she got out of the car, she saw Austin standing at the neighborhood entrance, holding a bouquet of red roses.

Ella immediately felt a headache coming on. Why was Austin haunting her like a ghost?

She could only keep a straight face, pretending not to see him, and walk straight inside.

But as she passed by Austin, he rushed over and blocked Ella's path.

"Ella, happy birthday!"

Ella didn't respond. She tried to go around him and continue walking inside, but Austin blocked her again.

"What exactly do you want? I already told you not to harass me. If you keep this up, I'm calling the police!"

"Ella, I know I was wrong. I apologize for everything I did before. I don't expect you to forgive me right away, I just hope you'll give me a chance."

"I don't want to give you that chance, and I don't want to forgive you. I just want you to stay far away from me," Ella said angrily.

"Ella, considering all the years we were married, can you not be so heartless?"

Ella glared at Austin and said through gritted teeth.

"I'm heartless? I really regret it. I should have been cold-hearted back then. I shouldn't have saved you, shouldn't have married you."

"If we're talking about heartless, who could compare to you? You watched me get swallowed by fire and did nothing to save me."

"You and Judith killed my child. Unless you can bring my child back to life, don't come looking for me."

Ella dropped these words and turned to walk inside.

When Austin heard Ella bring up the child again, his heart felt like it was being stabbed. With a pained expression, he said.

"Ella, I know about the child, and I'm devastated too. I really didn't know you were pregnant at the time. If I had known the truth, how could I have hurt you?"

"So nothing you say now matters. All those explanations are just excuses. Do you think I'm still a teenager like I was before?"

"I'm way past that age. I've been through all the pain. If I don't grow from it and get fooled by your words again, my whole life would have been for nothing."

Ella's eyes were very determined, looking at Austin angrily, her tone aggressive.

Austin had a lot to say, but Ella's few words left him speechless.

Austin knew he was in the wrong. Everything Ella said was true, and he really had no way to refute it.

"Ella, I came today to celebrate your birthday, and I prepared a gift for you."

Austin held out the flowers and the gift bag in his hand.

Ella stepped back and didn't reach out to take them.

"I don't need them. All these years, you never remembered my birthday."

"Now, I need them even less. Go give these things to Judith. I'm sure she'll be very happy."

"Ella, I've completely cut ties with Judith. I know what she's done, and there's no way I'll be with her."

"I actually think you two are quite a match now. You two should stay together forever and stop harming other people."

"Ella, what do I have to do for you to forgive me? Please tell me!"

Austin felt he'd never been so humble in his life. To win Ella back, he decided to set aside his dignity.

"Didn't I tell you? Bring my child back to life, and I'll consider it," Ella said coldly, as if her words were dipped in ice.

Austin didn't expect Ella's attitude to be so firm. Did they really have no hope?

Thinking about this, Austin still felt unwilling to give up. Ella glanced at him coldly and turned to leave.

Austin watched Ella's back, feeling a dull pain in his chest.

He consoled himself that this was all his own doing, and however Ella treated him, it was what he deserved.

Ella had been in such a good mood today, celebrating her birthday and seeing Janice.

But seeing Austin made all her good mood vanish into thin air.

When she reached the building entrance, she noticed two suspicious-looking people standing by the door.

One of them looked at his phone, then at Ella, his eyes full of surprise.

"Should be her, right?"

The other person turned around to look at Ella and nodded, showing a sleazy expression.

"That's right, it's her. She really is quite pretty."

"Who would've thought that bastard John is actually pretty lucky, both daughters prettier than the other."

"Exactly. It'd be best if she doesn't pay up either, then we can take her too."

Ella heard the name John and immediately stopped in her tracks, looking at the two men with wary eyes.

She instinctively stepped back, but the two men were already walking toward her.

"You're Ella, right?" one of the tall, thin men asked.

"What do you want?" Ella asked coldly.

"Your father, John, owes us money. We're here to collect the debt," said the short, fat man.

"I cut ties with him a long time ago. If he owes you money, go ask him for it, not me."

"But he's bedridden and paralyzed now, and your sister has no money, so she told us to come find you," the tall, thin man said with a cold laugh.