Chapter 97
As soon as Carlos spoke, everyone turned to look at Alex.
Alex stood in the middle of the side room facing Ellie, staring at her as if no one else existed.
He just kept staring at Ellie, without saying anything or making any move.
The atmosphere was so tense. It almost felt like the air around them could freeze.
Ellie gathered her courage to meet Alex’s gaze, saying firmly, “I want to know why you’re doing this too.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed with clear surprise.
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But it lasted only a second before being replaced by overwhelming hostility. Alex said, “Because your goal in joining the Warren family isn’t to reconnect with them; it’s to get close to me.”
Alex’s words were firm, with a hint of mockery.
As soon as he finished speaking, the side room fell into sudden silence.
For a long time, everyone was stunned, unable to react; even Ellie was in shock.
“If your concussion isn’t healed, hurry back to the hospital and rest instead of talking nonsense here.” Layton was the first to react, forcefully dragging Alex toward the door.
Alex said, “She knows better than anyone if I was talking nonsense.”
Alex pushed Layton aside and pointed at Ellie.
Seeing Ellie’s pale face and her vacant eyes staring at him, Alex spoke slowly and clearly, “She’s secretly loved me for seven years. Do you think she would willingly become my adopted sister?”
For a moment, Ellie’s mind went blank.
Her steps faltered, and she couldn’t stop herself from stumbling backward.
Only when an arm was placed behind her to support her weak body did Ellie’s stiff body finally come to a stop.
Turning her head, Ellie saw Aaron’s worried face. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she held back the tears.
Aaron looked at Ellie with concern, gently patting her shoulder to comfort her.
Since things had come to this point, no one could leave before everything was clear.
“Ellie.” Nancy was so shocked that she couldn’t speak for a moment.
Carlos asked, “Ellie, what on earth is going on?”
Ellie turned back, looking at the shocked faces of the Warren family elders. She firmly said, “That’s not true.”
Ellie firmly denied it, but Alex seemed to have anticipated it. He said, “You’ve been secretly painting me for seven years. Ellie, do you dare take everyone to your apartment’s balcony?”
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Chapter 97
Their eyes met, and Ellie opened her mouth but couldn’t say a word.
Seeing this, Carlos looked at Evan at the door and ordered, “You go there personally.”
After Ellie gave the apartment’s passcode, Evan and his people hurried away.
Ellie locked her red eyes with Alex, with her gaze steady and full of determination.
For so many years, she had cautiously hidden the unspeakable sorrows deep in her heart.
She remained extremely humble for all those years, as it was the deepest expression of her love for him.
The feelings she had when she was young had long been shattered by Alex and secretly buried by her.
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Alex stared at Ellie’s pale face and her slightly shaking hands clenching the hem of her skirt, he tugged at his collar with irritation.
“How could you do that?” With his head aching, Layton looked at Alex, completely at a loss for words.
Soon, Evan made a video call to Nancy, and she cast his phone screen onto the LCD screen.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the LCD screen, watching Evan and his team enter the apartment and open each cabinet on the balcony.
“Mr. Warren, the cabinets are empty. There’s nothing inside,” Evan said to Carlos, awaiting further instructions.
Alex shouted, “Impossible!”
Alex nearly yelled with his rough voice, “Search her bedroom and closet.”
Nancy’s hand shook with anger as she pointed at Alex. “What exactly are you looking for?”
Ignoring Nancy’s attempts to stop him, Alex grabbed Ellie’s hand and said, “Tell me, where did you hide those paintings?”
Their eyes met, and Ellie, unusually quiet, replied, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“Let her go.” Aaron grasped Alex’s wrist.
“Alex!” Carlos sternly scolded, prompting Alex to release his grip
“Just you wait.” Alex had no intention of letting Ellie off lightly. He left the side room and returned with a painting in his hands.
Ellie’s breath nearly stopped when she saw the painting.
She wondered, ‘I’ve torn it up. How could it be in his hands?‘
Alex said, “Ellie, don’t tell me this isn’t me.”
Alex tossed the painting onto the coffee table, meeting Ellie’s eyes.
He said, “I’ve known about these paintings of yours for a long time. I just didn’t bother calling you out.”
He continued, “You’re dreaming about approaching me by being adopted by the Warren family. I’m telling you, don’t think
21:17 Mon, Jan 27 O
Chapter 97
about it.”
།རྫས 6/%
As Aaron looked at the weed in the bottom right corner of the painting, his heart ached for Ellie, but ultimately he remained silent.
Carlos stared at the painting on the coffee table with his face serious.
Todd sat quietly on the sofa.
Nancy, with tears in her eyes, looked at Ellie, unable to say a word.
The side room fell into a long, heavy silence.
No one knew how long it had been before Ellie moved her numb body, carefully squatting by Carlos’s knee.
She took a pen from under the coffee table and continued the painting she hadn’t finished right in front of everyone.
Tears fell onto the paper as Ellie choked up. “I admit this painting is mine.”
“Ellie.” Nancy felt both heartache and difficulty. “If you have this feeling, why didn’t you tell us earlier?”
“I didn’t want to trouble you,” Ellie murmured as her pen scratched across the paper. “The years living with the Warren family are wonderful, but there’s no Mom, Dad, or Aaron.”
“When I miss them, I would draw.” Ellie focused intently on the picture in her hands.
Soon, the painting was finished, and Ellie showed it in front of everyone. “I drew this when I was missing Aaron.”
“No way.” Alex lost control and snatched the painting from Ellie.
Staring at Aaron’s portrait on the painting, Alex suddenly shouted, “Ellie, you’re lying. Would you dare swear on the health of your father’s other leg?”
Alex yelled, “If you’re lying, your father will end up with no legs as punishment.”
Just a moment before Aaron could react, Todd smacked Alex hard across the face. “You jerk!”
“Alex, enough!” Layton watched as Alex was being reckless and pulled Alex aside. “If you’re going to act like this, at least leave yourself an escape route.”
Veins bulged on Alex’s forehead as he glared at Ellie, and his eyes were red with rage.
Looking into Alex’s eyes, Ellie trembled her lips and said, “My life was given to me by my parents. I have no right to swear by my father’s only leg for you.”
She continued, “But I can swear on my happiness in the future. If I’m lying, I…”
“Enough.” Alex suddenly dashed in front of Ellie, pulled down her hand raised to swear, and growled, “Shut the hell up.”
The more Alex told Ellie to shut up, the more she spoke. “I have to make this oath, or everyone will think I’m delusional and that I have some shady intentions with you.”
Ellie pointed a finger to the sky and said, “If I’m lying, I–I will be struck by the lightning.”
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Chapter 97
Alex, losing his cool, held Ellie’s chin, not letting her finish her oath.
2、 ཟྭ 67%=
Layton watched Alex, who was clearly losing control, and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Layton thought, ‘Well, he couldn’t handle it at all. He chickened out at the crucial moment.
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