Chapter 136
Chapter 136
“So you’ll ruin me to save her?” Elena shot back.
Adaline fell silent, lowering her head in shame.
“Did it occur to you that branding me a plagiarist destroys my life too? In front of my fans, in front of the entire art world–you’re making sure I’ll never be allowed to paint again!”
“I’m sorry,” Adaline said brokenly. “It’s all my fault. Elena, please–have pity on Annie. She’s been through enough…”
“And what about me? Haven’t I suffered? I was abused-”
“Enough!” Julian cut her off, his words like knives. “Stop dredging that up. You stole her life–this is what you owe Annie.”
“No. If I could live my life over, I’d never choose to be your daughter.”
A hard, decisive light burned in Elena’s eyes as she looked at them.
She pulled out her phone and hit pause on the recorder. “Since this is how you want to treat me, I don’t owe you any more loyalty.”
Julian’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You recorded us!”
Elena turned and strode back toward the exhibition hall.
Julian leapt in front of her. “You’re going to the organizers to expose Annie!”
Elena met his gaze. “And you’re going to stop me from telling the truth?”
“You’re not going,” Julian said.
Adaline rushed over, blocking Elena’s path. “Elena, you can’t. Annie’s career can’t take another hit–you’ll destroy her!”
“Move.”
“I said you’re not going,” Julian enunciated, staring at her as though she were his enemy.
“Hand over the phone!”
Elena clutched the device to her chest. “Never!”
“Give it to me!” Julian lunged for it.
Elena curled around the phone, denying him any chance to pry it free.
In the struggle she crashed to the floor, still shielding the phone with her body.
Julian tried again and again but couldn’t wrench it from her grasp.
“Julian, the recording has to go!” Adaline pleaded. “Annie can’t survive another blow.”
Frantic, Julian lashed out and kicked Elena hard.
She curled tighter, hatred so fierce it nearly shattered her teeth.
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Chapter 136
“Julian Bennett, haven’t you hit me enough? Beat me to death if you like I’m not giving you that recordings
Julian’s face darkened to an ugly slate; he kicked her
again, vicious
and heavy
Her stubbom resilience infuriated him. He lost control, fists raining down until Elana no longer had the strength to protect the phon he snatched it away and deleted the file.
Adaline looked on, heartsick. “Elena, why won’t you listen? If you’d deleted it yourself none
of this would have happened”
Elena pushed herself up, grabbed a nearby painting, and smashed its frame against the ground.
She stared at the canvas, desolation pooling in her eyes.
“These were the parents and brother I remember. They’re dead, but I wanted to preserve them the way they live in my mind. Now… I don’t need this anymore. I’d rather remember nothing at all.”
With a feral wrench she tore the painting apart.
The canvas ripped with a sharp hiss, despair cutting through the air like wind.
They watched her shred the painting, feeling something inside their own chests tear open piece by piece.
Elena flung the scraps into the air, closed her eyes, and collapsed.
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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.