Chapter 133
The first time Ellie went to the south gate to find him was after the doctor said her father’s leg might need to be amputated or it could cost him his life.
That same day, her father was discharged from the hospital and sent home. That evening, she overheard her parents talking about how much money was needed for the hospital stay.
The next morning, instead of going to school, Ellie skipped and went straight to the south gate to wait for him, staying there until nightfall.
When she returned home that day, Ellie was severely beaten by her mother.
The second time she went to the south gate to find him, it was pouring rain.
Her father’s leg had become seriously infected and he needed to be hospitalized.
Ellie saw her mother, in a rare moment of desperation, go to a neighbor to ask for money, only to be turned down in a few harsh words. Her mother then locked herself in the house, crying for a long time.
That night, Ellie waited until her parents were asleep and snuck out.
She waited at the south gate for two whole days, nearly collapsing from hunger, until a former colleague of her father’s found her and took her back home.
When she regained consciousness, Ellie was beaten again, this time with Aaron also receiving a beating for trying to protect her.
The third time she went to find him was after his father had attempted suicide but was saved.
Harold could not accept the reality of being disabled and did not want to be a burden to his family. So, when no one was around, he tried to end his life.
After Harold was saved, Ellie was at the hospital when she overheard her father in the room, crying out, “I survived, but how will the three of you live from now on?”
There were many people at the hospital that day.
Ellie ran off, desperate. She went to the south gate to wait for him again, staying there from morning until night. She eventually collapsed and was sent to the hospital.
Her mother took her back home but did not beat her this time. From that moment, Ellie never went back to find him again.
“You guys take your time talking. I’m going upstairs,” Ellie said suddenly, getting up and walking away.
Alex watched Ellie’s unsteady figure, his emotions swirling beneath the surface.
“Ellie…” Alex began to take a step to follow her, but Nancy yanked him back.
“You knew Haley can’t have children, yet you still insisted on marrying her? What’s wrong with you?” Nancy was furious. “Why didn’t I ever realize you were such a fool?”
All of Alex’s focus was on Ellie. Despite Nancy’s anger, he stood still, staring at the staircase without saying a word.
“Listen to me, Alex. If Haley were a decent girl, if she were kind and good, I wouldn’t stop you from marrying her, no matter how poor she was, especially after all the sacrifices she’s made for you.
“But she’s neither capable nor virtuous. No matter what, you have to promise me today that you will cut ties with her. I’ll handle this matter.” Nancy demanded.
“Understood,” Alex replied indifferently, turning and heading upstairs.
At Ellie’s room door, Alex raised his hand to knock, but his hand lingered in the air before finally falling.
“I know you can hear me,” Alex pressed his palm against the door, his voice hoarse with restraint. “Open the door. Let’s talk.”
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Chapter 133
Inside, Ellie lay curled up on her bed, the blanket pulled tightly over her head. Her body trembled beneath it.
Back then, she didn’t understand what her father meant by, “I survived, but how will the three of you live from now on?”
It wasn’t until much later, when Ellie started to earn money, that she realized how hard it truly was to stay alive. Harold had seen himself as a burden on the family, living with guilt until now.
Ellie, Aaron, and her mother had to scrimp and save, working endlessly just to afford her father’s medication, barely keeping him alive. There was no dignity, no pride, no family bonds, and no integrity left.
Ellie had never been so afraid to hear Alex’s voice as she was now.
And even now, Ellie couldn’t believe the person she had once saved was really Alex.
Her mind was a whirlwind, and her whole being felt like it was collapsing
Outside the door, Alex didn’t get any response but refused to leave. He stepped over to the railing, lighting a cigarette, looking down at the hall below.
For many years, he and Ellie had played together, running and chasing around that very hall.
Ellie was gentle by nature, timid, and always tried to avoid him. Every time he saw her, he couldn’t help but tease her a little.
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He wouldn’t stop until her indifferent expression turned into emotion, until she pouted and begged him to stop, or cried in desperation. Only then would he relent.
But after every tear–filled moment, Ellie would always return to being obedient, listening to him without question.
As the last puff of his cigarette burned away, Alex turned to look at Ellie’s room door, his eyes bloodshot.
He spoke softly, almost to himself. “Ellie, if it really is you, I won’t let you go, even if you cry.”
Two days later, the Warren family and the Grant family held a press conference, announcing the dissolution of their business alliance.
Both families gave each other the proper face, and even signed a seven–year partnership deal for the Driolace New Energy project on the spot, silencing all the gossips.
During this time, Diana reached out to Ellie once, wanting to invite her to dinner, but Ellie declined.
Diana then bought several high–end outfits and a set of jewelry for Ellie, but Ellie stubbornly refused to accept them. In the end, she only kept a
coat.
As for Haley, her face was so badly beaten that it was unlikely she’d be able to go out for at least ten days to two weeks.
Ellie continued her daily routine work, home, and seemingly everything was normal. But in reality, she felt numb all over.
After work, Ellie would go straight to the street in front of Encounter Bar, continuing to stake out the blonde girl. She believed that once she found the necklace, all the truth would be revealed,
Even now, she still couldn’t bring herself to believe that the person she had saved all those years ago was Alex.
On that late autumn night, the cold was unbearable, enough to make one’s legs feel like they might give out.
Ellie walked up and down the sidewalk, bundled in a thick coat.
Across the street, in a temporary parking space, a black Bentley sat, its rear seat occupied by Alex. Through the car window, his gaze was fixed firmly on that familiar figure.
It had been a week since he had last visited the Warren Manor, and he hadn’t seen Ellie since. But every day, he came here, waiting just as long as Ellie did, watching her from a distance.
He had a feeling she was waiting for someone, but he never questioned her. He never let her know that he had been following her.
Not far behind Ellie, in another black car, Haley was hiding in the back seat, wearing sunglasses and a mask. Her malicious eyes were locked on
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Chapter 133
Ellie.
Now that Diana and Alex had broken off their engagement, Haley figured once the storm had passed, she would go after him. As long as the secret of the necklace remained hidden, she would still be Alex’s fiancée.
She was curious to see what Ellie was doing here every night.
As time ticked by, Ellie felt as if she was freezing solid.
She checked her phone. It was already past 1 AM. Hesitating, she turned to leave.
Then, in the distance, she saw the blonde girl, now chatting and laughing with two young men, walking toward her.
Without thinking, Ellie rushed toward the girl.
“Are you crazy?” the blonde girl cursed, quickly hiding behind one of the men just as Ellie’s hand almost reached the necklace around her neck.
The two men shoved Ellie away. “What, you trying to rob us?”
Ellie pushed past the two men, heading straight for the blonde girl. “Give me the necklace.”
Ellie was no match for the three of them, especially with two men in the mix.
“You’re asking for trouble,” one of the men shouted, grabbing Ellie by the collar and raising his hand to slap her.
Before the slap could land, someone kicked the man away, sending him flying. Then, Ellie was pulled into a warm embrace.
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