Chapter 139
At first, Alex thought Ellie’s parents would yell at him, scold him, or question him when he showed up. But to his surprise, none of that happened. He could tell that Ellie’s parents didn’t want to see him at all.
Still, they treated him with respect and kindness, as if he were their own child. Even when they were angry and cold, they made sure he had good food to cat.
Alex struggled to find the right words to express his feelings, which felt like a calm numbness just before death. Just then, his phone rang. Barry said, “Mr. Warren, we’ve found evidence!”
“I’m on my way back now.” Alex hung up quickly and rushed back.
Joanna helped Harold into the living room. “You shouldn’t always frown at Alex. He isn’t bad; he’s just been spoiled. We owe him so much and have no idea how we can repay him.
“As long as Aaron and Ellie can live a good life, we should be nice.”
Harold placed his wooden cane next to him. “His Grandpa and parents aren’t ordinary people. If this boy could control his temperament, he would be great.
Joanna packed her new rain boots into a plastic bag. “His personality has changed so much; it’s quite shocking.”
“Well, your lovely daughter has been teaching him in bed, so how could he not change?” Haley entered the yard, holding an umbrella.
Harold and Joanna shared looks, their expressions changing dramatically. Joanna exclaimed, “You and my son broke up long ago; what are you doing in our home?”
Haley stepped into the living room, put away her umbrella, and scanned the room with clear disdain. “I am now Alex’s fiancée. He is secretly visiting you while keeping it from me; what do you think I’m here for?”
Harold shot back, “No matter who you are now, you are not welcome here. Leave.”
Haley said, “Of course, I’ll leave, but you should know I’m about to marry Alex. You’d better tell Ellie not to act foolishly and try to seduce my fiancé, or I won’t be kind to her.”
“Shut up!” Harold struggled to stand, his face twisted in anger.
Haley, taken aback by Harold’s fury, stepped back to the doorway but didn’t back down. “Can’t handle the truth? Ellie has lived with the Warren family for over ten years; Alex has been in bed with her countless times!
“Do you know why Alex is suddenly so nice to you? It’s because he’s fighting with Ellie. Ellie is throwing a tantrum and refusing to sleep with him. He’s anxious!”
“Get out!” Joanna swung a broom at Haley. Haley grabbed the broom from Joanna, and they tussled all the way outside.
Haley shouted, “I caught Ellie and Alex in bed in Ameria; you’ve never seen your daughter act like that, have you? If you don’t believe me, Aaron. Didn’t he tell you?”
ask
“My son said you are no good; we aren’t believing a word from you. Leave our home!” Joanna fiercely confronted someone for the first time, tearing into Haley.
Haley, against the pressure from Joanna, stumbled back toward the door. “You sent your daughter into the Warren family to make her a harlot, didn’t you? And you still act like good parents?”
“Get out!” Harold hobbled into the yard, waving his cane at Haley. “You will not insult my daughter!”
As rain poured from the sky, Harold raised his cane but was shoved down by Haley. Joanna rushed to help her husband.
Haley stood in the yard, drenched, laughing maniacally as she said to Ellie’s parents, “The reason I broke up with your son is all because of you two useless old people!”
Haley declared, “You will just drag down your son. I’ve dated Aaron for a long time. His money goes either to you for living expenses or for your medicine; he bought the cheapest ring when proposing.
“Maybe I would have stayed with Aaron without you. But no one would want to endure hardship for a lifetime with you as a burden!”
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Extra Check–in
4:04 PM
Chapter 139
Joanna, trembling, said, “Whatever you say, we won’t believe you. We know Ellie better than anyone. If you disturb us again, I will call for help.”
Haley smirked, pointing at the new rain boots she had kicked out of the living room. “Everything Ellie has bought for you comes from her nights spent with Alex!
“If you let Ellie stay in the Warren family, she will only be Alex’s mistress. Once he grows tired of her, he’ll pass her to another rich guy; that’s how they do it in elite circles.”
“Leave.” Joanna grabbed a shovel by the wall and swung it at Haley, who instinctively raised her arm to block her head but got knocked down into the mud.
Haley cried out in pain as Joanna lifted the shovel to strike again; in pain, she crawled away from the Thompson residence.
As she stumbled away, she looked back at the closed door, her face showing hard–won triumph.
She believed that, after all she had said, Ellie’s parents wouldn’t let Ellie stay in the Warren family.
Later that night, a group came out of a house, with Alex leading the way. The door of a black ‘Bentley opened, and Alex quickly got inside.
In the backseat of the fancy car, Alex leaned back heavily against the seat, filled with emotions hidden beneath closed eyes. His hands were clenched tightly, and his chest heaved visibly.
After such a long investigation, no one could have guessed that Nolan was a fool with no sense of direction. The actual place of his incident had been the Nopolis West Industrial Park.
On the day of his kidnapping and the threat of execution, records showed that Harold was indeed at work at the Nopolis Chemical Factory. Ellie had run into Alex during the abduction and helped him escape, injuring herself by taking a hit meant for him.
Scared and vulnerable, Ellie had cried. Alex couldn’t see the exit clearly, so he pulled off the necklace from his neck, coaxing Ellie to take him away from there. Then he lost consciousness and had no idea what happened next.
Ellie had almost drowned in the chemical factory’s wastewater; Harold, trying to save her, had suffered a steel rod piercing his thigh and developed an infection in his lungs from the dirty water.
Every timeline came together, and all the evidence connected.
Harold had gone from a strong middle–aged man to a disabled cripple, cared for by an uneducated woman raising two kids, sinking into despair. All because Ellie saved him.
Later, on the day of Ellie’s Grandpa’s passing, Carlos and his comrades paid their respects, unintentionally bringing Ellie back into Alex’s life. But Alex had never treated her nicely.
Leaning back against the seat, Alex remained silent and still. The driver didn’t dare to drive, nor did Barry have the courage to ask more questions. More than ten people simply waited until dawn.
At the same time, Ellie was startled awake from the urgent ringing of her phone. Groggy, she reached for her phone, and when she saw Joanna’s name on the screen, she instantly became alert.
She had two greatest fears: one was Alex, and the other was sudden calls in the middle of the night or early morning. A wave of unease washed over her, making Ellie eager to answer.
“Ellie, you must come back quickly. Your dad passed away.” Joanna’s heart–wrenching cries on the other end left Ellie in shock, her mind going
blank.
