Chapter 145
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Joanna arrived with her two children, showing no tears or tantrums. With the money she received for her husband’s death, she completely paid back the Warren family for their past kindness to her children.
She did not talk to anyone about the harsh words Haley threw at her, nor did she ask her daughter about her relationship with Alex. In front of the Warren family, she kept her silence.
She was determined to protect her children’s dignity. Ellie and Aaron also showed no signs of distress; they did everything their mother asked.
Carlos did not try to stop them. Nancy and Todd, feeling helpless, wanted to give the shares they had planned for Ellie as compensation, but Joanna stubbornly refused to accept them and told Ellie not to take them.
As a result, the connection between the two families, which had lasted more than a decade, was finally cut.
Late at night, Alex sat dazed on the edge of Ellie’s bed, his eyes red and swollen, staying that way for several hours.
His eyes fell upon a lonely stuffed cartoon doll at the foot of the bed, a leftover from when Ellie first came to the Warren family–a gift meant to help her sleep.
The white doll, washed many times, was slightly flattened because Ellie pressed it as she slept. Struggling, Alex bent down to pick up the doll, gently running his finger along its eyelashes.
Just like so many times before, he would trace Ellie’s features with his fingertip while she slept, playfully teasing her lashes that looked like tiny brushes.
yreas coff
The memory of Ellie curled up like a kitten made Alex let out a soft laugh, but it quickly faded, replaced by tears of sadness.
On the dressing table, a full set of cosmetics sat neatly arranged–items he had secretly placed there days earlier while she was out. Afraid she might refuse to use them, he had even taken the packing off and opened the bottles.
Yet, she chose her baby cream over the makeup he provided.
He turned to see a table in the living room, where he had quietly replaced the flowers in her vase with red roses. When he first added them, they were just buds; now, they were fully bloomed.
“You wouldn’t think those roses are for you, would you?”
“Weed suits you.”
Back then, she must have still had feelings for him. But he had left so suddenly, not seeing any signs of her reactions.
A wave of overwhelming pain hit Alex’s chest, making him feel trapped. He pressed his forehead against the wall of Ellie’s room and struck the wall with his fists in a desperate attempt to ease his heartache.
At that very moment, in the apartment Ellie had rented from Whitney, Joanna sat on the bed, while Ellie and Aaron sat beside her.
In front of her mother, Ellie showed great strength, refusing to cry. “I’ll talk to Whitney tomorrow. You and Aaron should move in with me.”
The one–bedroom apartment Ellie lived in had a small study. Last year, she had made that space ready to welcome her parents for the Christmas. Thinking about the last time her dad visited Jaslands and came home angry because of Alex, Ellie felt a twinge of pain in her nose. “Mom, let’s move that bed to the study so it can be Aaron’s room. I’ll buy a bunk bed for us to share in this bigger room,” she suggested. From now on, she promised herself that she would never be apart from her family again. No matter how tough things got, they would face it together.
After a moment’s hesitation, Aaron spoke up. “Mom, I’ll go back with you tomorrow. Let’s sell whatever we can, pay off the neighbors, and then you
can live with us.”
Joanna looked at her beloved children, the sadness clear in her eyes. “Don’t blame me for using the money to pay off our debts. I just want you both to live with dignity from now on.”
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Chapter 145
Joanna continued. “You should focus on working and let go of thoughts about your dad. He suffered enough in this life; his death was a release. And don’t let yourselves feel resentment towards others, because in the end, it will only hurt you.”
Joanna’s words resonated with Ellie and Aaron as they listened carefully. No matter what Joanna said, Ellie nodded obediently; still, her heart felt differently.
Her choice to save Alex had been her own, resulting in Harold losing a leg and suffering for years. Even if she regretted her decision and wept over not being able to have children, she could never hate Alex.
But their relationship was more complicated than just that act of heroism. Ultimately, Harold’s death could be blamed on Alex.
If he had kept a good relationship with Haley, Haley wouldn’t have gone to Ellie’s hometown to drag her mother and dad into unnecessary chaos.
Haley had bullied her in America, and with Harold’s death, Alex had given Haley all the excuses she needed to harm Ellie–he was partly to blame.
Ellie couldn’t forgive Alex. And she wouldn’t let Haley off the hook either.
The next morning, Aaron went back with his mother to their rural home. After tidying up the apartment, Ellie sought out Whitney.
The bar had not yet opened for the day, so Ellie entered with her umbrella; besides a few staff members cleaning, it was mostly empty.
With a heavy heart, Whitney led Ellie to a quiet booth. “Life has to go on.”
Thinking of her dad, Ellie’s eyes filled with tears. She wanted to reassure Whitney with a smile to show that she was okay, but she just couldn’t.
“Whitney, I would like to bring my mother and Aaron to live with me. Is it possible for the three of us to share your apartment?” Ellie asked gently.
Seeing Ellie’s anxiety, Whitney sighed sympathetically. “Just recently, my niece called me; she said she wouldn’t be back for several years and asked me to rent her place cheaply. It’s up to you.”
Ellie’s heart raced, and tears almost fell. “Really, Whitney?”
Whitney replied, “My niece has the money; she just worries that leaving the place vacant for too long might be bad. The lease is for three years.”
“Thank you, Whitney.”
As Ellie left the bar, the rain kept falling. She was well aware that Whitney was offering help. She had found out that nearby apartments charged at least double the rent that she had been offered.
Looking back at the bar’s entrance, Ellie felt a wave of gratitude.
Standing by the roadside, holding her umbrella and waiting for a cab, Ellie was planning to buy a bunk bed, allowing her mother to sleep more comfortably.
At that moment, a black Bentley stopped in front of her. The rear door opened, and Ellie saw Alex sitting in the back seat; she quickly walked away. Alex got out and rushed to the sidewalk, watching as Ellie looked away towards the street.
“I know you don’t want to see me,” Alex said, holding back the urge to step closer. Fixated on the sadness in Ellie’s face, he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Do you wish to avenge Mr. Thompson with your own hands?”
