Ch. 196..200: My Sugar And Your Spice Chapter 196-200
Chapter 196
“Mr. Alston,” Eugene walked over to stand behind Leo and called out in a low voice.
Leo himself was wounded, but it was not until a moment ago that he remembered to arrange for a doctor to bandage his wounds.
When he caught sight of Eugene, he remained calm and lowered his head to button the gray shirt draped around his body. His cold and white fingers were a sharp contrast against the gray shade of his shirt.
The doctor said a few words to him before departing. Only then did he open his mouth to speak, “What is it?”
Eugene nodded. “Your speculation was correct. Miss Clayton was indeed involved in Bria’s accident.”
He informed Leo about the contents of Elyse’s phone call that he had overheard earlier. After he finished his report, he quietly turned to look at Leo. “How do you plan to deal with her?”
Leo’s fingers were frozen in the middle of undoing one of the buttons. Although his stern expression remained unchanged, the sharp light in his eyes had grown increasingly intense. His pitch-black pupils resembled bottomless pits of darkness.
Eugene shuddered in fear when he accidentally got a glimpse of Leo’s frigid anger! Still, he couldn’t help feeling secretly surprised to see Leo in such a state. He had worked under Leo for so long, so he could tell with a glance—Leo was absolutely enraged.
“Punish her.” A long while passed before Leo spoke in a chilly voice, “Teach her a harsh lesson!”
“Yes!” Eugene instantly responded in a quiet murmur.
Elyse had probably counted on the fact that Leo was indebted to Ellen when she took action, but she had forgotten about one thing—where Leo’s limits stood.
Eugene accepted the order, turned around, and walked out of the room.
Behind Eugene, Leo’s fingers clenched around the button. He clutched the button so tightly that his knuckles had turned white! If not for the favor he owed Ellen, then what Elyse did today would be enough to make her disappear from this world for good!
…
Amelie slept deeply and did not awaken until the next day. When her eyes fluttered open, a white ceiling entered her vision. After some time, she gradually recalled what had happened to her yesterday. She also remembered that she was in the hospital. She slowly turned her head, searching for the figures of Bria and Steven. What she saw was a head of black hair instead.
Leo? She was taken aback for a moment.
At this moment, Leo was sitting in her hospital ward and reading something with his head lowered. His expression was serious, and his lips were pursed tightly. Even though his appearance was stern, his stern appearance could not conceal his inherent beauty and breathtaking good looks. Nevertheless, that was not the main point. The important point was that he had remained in her hospital ward! She thought that he would leave immediately after sending her here!
Perhaps her stare was too intense as he seemed to sense that she was awake. Therefore, he raised his head in response. His gaze collided with her searching gaze, and then his eyes flickered slightly.
“How do you feel? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?” he asked.
She swallowed and did not answer. His overly concerned tone left her disoriented for a moment.
A short while later, she dragged her thoughts back to reality. “Why are you still here?”
His fingers stiffened slightly. He did not like the manner of her speech. Is she implying that… She doesn’t want to see me? Does she want me gone as quickly as possible?
“Bria is being hospitalized. As her father, I can’t just ignore her,” he responded coldly.
His momentary concern, followed by his usual coldness, left her scratching her head in bafflement.
Nevertheless, when she heard that he had only stayed here for Bria’s sake, she let out a soft exclamation of understanding. That’s right. There’s nothing between us. Naturally, he has no obligation to protect me either.
An inexplicable wave of disappointment washed over her heart. She patted her chest lightly, secretly reminding herself not to get ahead of herself. The whole reason for her disappointment was that she had been touched by his behavior yesterday. Unfortunately, he had only saved her out of a sense of morality, nothing else.
At that thought, she quickly said, “Thank you… For yesterday, I mean. I will definitely pay you back for saving my life. Please feel free to ask if you need any help from me in the future.”
Leo opened his mouth. He originally wanted to say that she had also saved him, so they were even. Yet, the words were on the tip of his tongue when he changed his mind and finally choked out the words, “Do you think there is anything you can help me with?”
She was dumbstruck by his remark. Alas, upon further consideration, she realized that there was indeed nothing she could do for him.
His company and her company operated in entirely different directions, so their paths did not intersect at all. As for their private matters, they were no different from strangers except for the fact that they
shared Bria.
She quietly lowered her head and said nothing.
At the sight of her drooping head and sullen expression, he suddenly couldn’t bear watching her in that state. After a while, he made a suggestion. “If you really want to thank me, you should treat me to dinner.”
“Huh?” She showed a surprised expression. “Dinner?”
She had always assumed that he would scoff at spending time with her. Contrary to her expectations, he had chosen for her to thank him with a meal instead!
“Is there an issue?” His voice turned chilly.
“No,” she hurriedly denied.
She wanted to settle the debt with him as soon as possible so that they did not owe each other, but she couldn’t help feeling awkward about the idea of eating together with him.
“Lunch the day after tomorrow,” he quickly interjected before she could have second thoughts.
That happened to be the day she was discharged from the hospital. So, if they had lunch together, it could be regarded as a celebration of sorts.
She did not know what he was thinking, but she readily agreed anyway. Otherwise…
Leo stayed in the hospital for the next two days around the clock.
Amelie could have dealt with everything else, but he would also sleep in her hospital ward at night. Even though he slept in Bria’s bed, she couldn’t help feeling weird since they shared the same room.
She had never slept in the same room as him ever since she became an adult, except for that one night before their marriage. For that reason, she had trouble resting well during the night.
Finally, the day came when she would be discharged from the hospital. It was a form of liberation for her as she would finally get some good rest alone.
Steven was also discharged from the hospital on the same day.
He had wanted to stay behind to take care of Bria. However, considering that he was getting older and that he had gone through such a severe accident, she insisted that he go home and recuperate instead.
He was forced to leave, especially after she gave such a logical argument against his ideas.
When it was almost noon, Amelie contacted Leo by phone. “Mr. Alston, do you still have time for lunch together today?”
Leo had left early in the morning to attend a meeting. Hence, she was hoping that she could take advantage of his hectic schedule to cancel their meal plans.
Frankly speaking, she did not believe that it was going to be a wonderful experience for Leo to have lunch with a woman whom he despised with all his heart. Plus, she did not wish to be caught in a situation where they stared at each other in tense silence, either. In fact, she would rather repay him in a manner where they would not have any contact with each other.
“Of course.” The answer she received from the other party was not what she wanted to hear.
She was silent for a moment before she forced herself to swallow any frustrated shrieks that were about to burst forth her lips.
“Good. Which restaurant should we meet at? I will make a reservation in advance.” She squashed any hint of irritation in the depths of her heart and acted as enthusiastically as possible.
Unfortunately, acting as though she had multiple personalities really exhausted her, and she hoped with all her might that this would be the last time she had to do such a thing.
“Up to you.” The other party was taciturn.
She did not expect him to have an opinion in the first place. After all, they barely spoke to each other throughout their entire marriage.
“In that case, I’ll decide.” Hence, she made a swift decision. “I’ll send you the address once I’ve decided on where to go.”
After she said that, she promptly hung up the phone.
On the other end of the call, Leo was slightly stunned by her abrupt manner. He stared at the call that had been cut off, then his expression darkened. Is she that unwilling to speak to me?
The executives around him who were listening to his presentation during the meeting were silent with terror. Why has he suddenly gone quiet? What does this mean? Is he displeased with this quarter’s sales? If he is dissatisfied, then… Oh, dear God, his target next month would be hell, wouldn’t it?
…
On the other side, Amelie ended the call and shook her head in resignation. If I can’t avoid him, then I can only confront him.
She wished to finish her task as quickly as possible, so she began to search for nearby high-end restaurants on her mobile phone. She was in the middle of her search when someone abruptly snatched her phone out of her hand.
She was startled by such a thing and immediately raised her head to get a clear look at the person who grabbed her phone. But then, her expression immediately turned stone cold. “What are you doing?”
Chapter 197
Elyse did not seem to hear Amelie as she swiped her fingers furiously across the phone screen.
Elyse’s rude actions upset Amelie greatly, and she involuntarily raised her voice at Elyse. “If you don’t return my phone to me right now, then don’t blame me for being rough with you!”
Elyse abruptly pushed the phone screen into Amelie’s face and pointed fixedly at a phone number displayed on the screen. “I knew it! You were on the phone with Leony earlier! How shameless can you be, Amelie! We are engaged! Why are you still trying to seduce him?”
Amelie was utterly speechless. She never imagined that discussing where to have lunch with Leo would be considered an act of seduction.
“You have misunderstood the situation. I am simply thanking him by treating him to a meal,” she patiently explained. Regardless of the circumstances, Elyse was Leo’s fiancée. She did not wish to be misunderstood and wrongly accused of being a homewrecker.
Elyse snorted with disdain. “Sure. You’re just thanking him by asking him out for a meal today. What about tomorrow? Are you going to thank him by inviting him into your bed tomorrow?”
Those words were extremely harsh.
“Miss Clayton, please watch what you say!” Amelie coldly reprimanded the other party.
Elyse snorted again. “Am I wrong? If I had not checked your phone myself, you could have used the excuse that Leony was the one who initiated contact with you! The evidence is right before us! It’s clear that you are the one who is harassing Leony! How dare you harass him yet prevent me from speaking my mind?”
As she spoke, her chest heaved intensely.
She had been trying to contact Leo over the past few days, but he had stoutly refused to answer her calls. Finally, with no other choice, she decided to visit the hospital to try her luck. She did not expect to overhear Amelie’s conversation over the phone.
At this moment, she was furious. It wasn’t just that Amelie was suspected of seducing Leo. She was even more upset over the fact that Leo would rather answer the calls of his ex-wife, who was kicked out of the house than talk to her! His fiancée!
For her, that was tantamount to pure humiliation. The more humiliated she felt, the more she wished she could retaliate at Amelie in return!
Amelie stared at Elyse, whose face was twisted into a hideous scowl and who had lost her usual graceful composure. Her heart sank bit by bit in her chest. She was wrongly accused, but she couldn’t even find the words to explain her innocence.
Although she was the one who made the phone call, Leo was the one who suggested having a meal together. But who would believe her words?
Following a brief pause, she took a deep breath to calm her mind and intoned coldly, “Miss Clayton, you are right. However, upon careful consideration, even if Mr. Alston had saved me, we can only consider ourselves even. Nobody owes the other party anything. I’ve been remiss. Please convey my message to Mr. Alston. Tell him that I will not treat him to lunch anymore.”
Then, she snatched her phone back from Elyse’s hands and strode away.
Elyse widened her eyes and glared fiercely at Amelie’s back. “Shameless!”
Her heart was filled with hatred. Oh, how she wished she could tear Amelie to pieces! Unfortunately, they were at the hospital. There were too many eyes and ears around. If others were to see her unsightly appearance, it would only affect her negatively.
After she mulled over her options, she forcefully suppressed the hatred in her heart. Then, she turned around and stomped away in her high heels.
Not far from where the two women had stood earlier, Leo stood with eyes resembling a pool of ice. A faint trace of emotion appeared on his stern and unwavering yet handsome face.
He had arranged for the meeting to be held in the hospital. When he received the phone call from Amelie earlier, he had been in the meeting room that the hospital staff had specially prepared for him in the hospital. After their phone call ended, he hastily dismissed the meeting early and even went out of his way to meet her. Eventually, he was greeted with this scene instead.
Although he initially wanted to step forward and help her, their quarrel ended before he could move. She also left the scene almost immediately.
Nevertheless, these were not the points that he had fixated upon. Instead, what bothered him the most were the words she uttered at the end. What did she mean? Why did she say that we’re even?
Those words sounded highly unsettling. They were also very puzzling to the ears.
When did she help me? It did not take long for him to recall how she had pushed him out of danger the other day. Was she referring to that incident when she said that we’re even? If that was the case, then why didn’t she mention anything when I asked her to treat me to dinner the other day?
He practically drowned in confusion for a time. Then, he suddenly received a phone call. He pushed his musings aside and turned around to answer the phone. Eugene’s voice came from the other end of the
phone. “I’ve already made the necessary arrangements. The revenge you wanted will begin immediately.”
“Okay.” Even though he knew exactly what the so-called ‘revenge’ entailed, the look in his eyes remained unchanged.
…
Elyse walked over in her high heels, holding a small platinum bag in her hands. Her complexion was very poor. Moreover, despite the long journey, her distorted facial features still could not return to normal. Instead, her facial muscles felt stiff and rigid in her anger.
Her assistant hurriedly ran over when she saw her in such a terrible state. “What’s wrong, Miss Elyse?”
She smacked her assistant’s hand away in anger. There was a refusal to admit defeat burning in her heart. Not to mention, her rage grew steadily the longer she considered the matter.
“Wait for me in the car!” she coldly instructed. After that, she wore a hat and a pair of sunglasses before she slipped into a lonely alley nearby.
Her assistant had long since gotten accustomed to how Elyse acted like the perfect woman in front of others but displayed an unpredictable temperament in private. So, her assistant gave her some space and entered the car alone upon hearing her instructions.
After Elyse entered the alley, she hugged her bag close to her body and furtively looked around until she confirmed that there were no passersby. Only then did she bring out her phone and dial a number. “Help me with something. Get rid of Amelie!”
“Wow! You’re really ruthless.” The voice on the other end of the phone was playful yet sinister. “A woman with a beautiful appearance but a poisonous nature. How terrifying.”
His insults caused her facial features to distort further. The twitching of her facial muscles nearly made her curse out loud. Nevertheless, she knew that now was not the time for burning bridges.
“As long as you help me, I will help you!”
“What concerns me right now is not the issue of whether you can even help me with anything. On the contrary, I’m curious about how she offended you this time. Did she dig up your grave? Did she humiliate you in public? Oh! Could it be that she snatched your beloved Leo away from you?”
The words of the person on the other end of the phone grew increasingly harsh and insulting. At the same time, her expression was becoming increasingly manic.
“Are you going to help me or not?” she shrieked in rage.
The other party responded contemptuously, “Of course, I want to help you. Unfortunately, the current situation does not allow me to do so. Leo will never let me walk free if I get rid of her. Say, Elyse… You’re such a loser. You clearly had such a good hand, so how did you play so badly? In contrast, Amelie lost… Well, she lost almost everything because of you. And yet, she can catch his attention and favor even without relying on her relationship with Leo. Tell me, does that count as retribution?”
“Bast*rd!” The man’s words completely enraged her. She could not bear to listen to his insults any longer and ended the call in a huff.
“Damn it! Damn it!” She let out a string of expletives, but none of that could alleviate the fury raging in her heart.
Unable to control her emotions, she threw her phone to the ground. That was not all. She even stomped on her phone with her feet. It was not until her phone was in little pieces that she stumbled out of the alley.
I’m sure I can find somebody willing to deal with Amelie! That person’s words sliced through her mind like a sharp blade, causing her heart to ache in sorrow.
I’m going to find somebody who will ruin Amelie! I want to see what Leo will do once Amelie is completely destroyed!
She was so focused on her revenge that she failed to notice the people entering the alley. By the time she noticed their presence, they were already standing right in front of her.
“Who are you?” She sharply questioned them. Although she was in a panic, she forced herself to remain calm.
Those people remained silent and ignored her questions.
She quickly noticed that something was amiss as she turned to flee.
One of them swiftly reached out a hand and grabbed her, covering her mouth…
Chapter 198
“Let go! What are you doing?!” Elyse struggled with all her might.
Be that as it may, someone dragged her into a car. Unfortunately, the car was small and narrow. It was also tightly sealed, making the interior stink to high heaven.
She tried to shout for help, only for her mouth to be forced shut again.
A short while later, a three-wheeled truck carrying many empty chicken coops drove past the front of Elyse’s van.
Her assistant, who was playing on her phone with her head lowered, looked up and showed an expression of disgust. She didn’t even notice that Elyse had been kidnapped.
Elyse had never been transported in a three-wheeled truck in her life, never mind one that transported chicken! She was scared and angry. At the same time, her complexion turned various shades of purple and green as she was cooped up in such a disgusting vehicle.
How could the performance of the three-wheeled truck compare to a van? It shook and swayed violently, causing her to be thrown back and forth. Moreover, the road was uneven and filled with potholes. Combined with the truck’s lack of an impact reduction system, she couldn’t help feeling dizzy every time the truck went over a pothole.
The stench and the shaking made her extremely nauseous. On multiple occasions, the contents of her stomach rose to her mouth. However, her kidnappers had sealed her mouth. She could not spit out the bile in her mouth, and the contents of her stomach had nowhere to go but remain in her mouth. In order to prevent herself from choking to death, she had no choice but to swallow the bile again. This scenario repeated itself over and over again.
Since she was forced to endure various forms of torture repeatedly, the entire journey felt like a trial in hell to her. By the time the three-wheeled truck came to a stop, she was limp and weak. The whites of her eyes showed as she alternated between various states of consciousness and unconsciousness.
In the next moment, her body was carelessly thrown to the ground. The pain was so intense that she regained consciousness and opened her eyes. What entered her vision was the dark interior of a house.
“What are you doing? Let me go!” The arrogance that was practically carved into her body was gone. Elyse was so scared and uncomfortable that she burst into tears.
Her sweat and tears had ruined her perfect makeup, flecks of mascara sticking to her face. She looked like a ghost straight out of a horror movie. Likewise, her hair was messy, and her clothes were filthy.
The three men who brought her here circled around her as though examining cattle. Finally, one of the men reached out and slapped her face lightly. “It is said that idols are gorgeous, but she doesn’t even compare to the village h*g without her makeup.”
The other men laughed and snickered at the statement. The sound of their mocking laughter was rough, harsh, and highly grating to the ears.
She couldn’t help feeling angry and humiliated.
Nevertheless, they seemed to think that she was not humiliated enough and called the village h*g over.
Elyse stared at the village h*g in front of her and nearly fainted from indignation! It was bad enough that the village h*g was old and hideous! She was also mentally unstable!
These damn men! How dare they compare my appearance to this old h*g?
Elyse had always been the most famous woman among men. Certain obsessive nerds even regarded her as a goddess. She had never once suffered such insults and humiliation in her life! She gnashed her teeth in fury, infuriated enough to tear a person apart with her teeth alone!
For some reason, she had the feeling that these men did not kidnap her for money but to thoroughly humiliate and shame her!
“Who sent you here?! Was it Amelie Dillon?” The only person who came to mind was Amelie. The instant she even mentioned the name, the hatred in her heart immediately soared to new heights! “What amount did she pay you? If you bring her here, I’ll pay you double!”
“Who is Amelie Dillon?” one of them inquired.
Likewise, the other two exchanged a glance of confusion.
Elyse was taken aback by their reactions. Is it not Amelie? Impossible! I’m sure she hid her identity so that these people would not recognize her!
With that thought in mind, she swiftly recited Amelie’s address. “Go to this place and capture her.”
“Amelie Dillon! How dare you scheme against me? I’m going to make you wish you were dead!” Unable to suppress the hatred in her heart, she shrieked at the top of her lungs.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a resounding slap landing on her face. The blow came so suddenly that she was struck by surprise. She clutched at her face and looked up instinctively only to see the village h*g’s fierce expression. “Evil woman! How dare you try to harm others! Beat her to death!”
Following those words, two more slaps smacked Elyse harshly across the face. The force of the blow left her cheeks stinging in pain. She tried to stand up and fight back, but the village h*g was as strong
as a bull. The woman swiftly and efficiently tied her hands behind her back in a few precise movements!
“Hurry up and save me! I’ll give you money!” She began to beg the three men.
However, they simply glanced at the village h*g. “We’ll leave this person to you. Play with her well!”
Then, they scattered and fled in all directions!
After that, Elyse became the toy of the village h*g. She would sometimes be submerged in water and suffocated or forced to pull the mill like a cow. Regardless, that was not the most humiliating part of the torture! What she could not accept was that the village h*g had smeared cow dung all over her face! The village h*g even dared to call it a facial mask!
Elyse was so disgusted that she heaved and threw up, but her reaction only excited the village h*g. The village h*g then proceeded to smear cow dung all over her face.
Elyse screamed, trying to call for help. Alas, as soon as she opened her mouth, the h*g stuffed a fistful of cow dung into her mouth…
A long while passed before the village h*g had enough fun and kindly brought over two pails of water for Elyse to wash her face.
Elyse was just feeling a little better when the village h*g suddenly took out a lighter and began playing with fire. There were many empty chicken coops and dried grass scattered around the room, so it did not take long for the place to be ablaze with flames!
The village h*g initially cheered and clapped her hands when she saw the flames. However, the look in her eyes turned to fear and horror as the fire grew wild and uncontrollable. In the end, she ran out with a scream.
Elyse was terrified. The h*g had tied up her hands and legs, so she could not move a single muscle. All she could do was watch as the flames crept closer and closer. One by one, the wooden pillars in the house caught fire. The flames crackled loudly, then one of the pillars snapped and fell in her direction…
“Ah!” Following a shrill scream of terror, Elyse was crushed beneath a pillar!
…
When Elyse opened her eyes, she had a look of disbelief in her eyes. Am I alive?
“Your leg has been broken, but you’ll be fine after resting for three months.” A man’s deep and mesmerizing voice entered her ears.
She abruptly turned to the side and saw the man standing beside her bed. “Leony?”
Her eyes immediately brightened with hope. She grabbed Leo’s hand agitatedly and asked, “Were you the one who saved me?”
Leo stared at her and pursed his lips in silence.
Then, she abruptly burst into tears, her tears gushing out of her eyes. “I knew it. You would not abandon me. Leony, I’m so glad you saved me. Otherwise, I… I would have been…” The more she spoke, the worse she felt. Her tears flowed even harder.
“Leony, I was so scared.” Her entire body trembled in fear. She had honestly been terrified just now.
“Right! I was kidnapped! The culprits probably live nearby. As long as you find the crazy old h*g, then you will find the rest of them! Leony, hurry up and capture them!” Her heart was filled with pure loathing at this moment. She wanted to tear the village h*g to pieces and make those men who kidnapped her pay a horrible price!
In stark contrast to her emotional outburst, Leo was oddly calm. He simply pursed his lips and watched her quietly without the slightest hint of emotion on his face.
After a while, Elyse finally noticed that something was wrong. She turned back to look at Leo, her gaze accidentally landing on his deep eyes. There was a sense of deep and unpredictable darkness within them, making her feel uneasy.
“Leony?” She softly called out his name and tugged at the corner of his shirt with her fingers.
Only then did Leo open his mouth to speak, “Do you really want me to capture the village h*g and those men?”
“Of course!” She couldn’t help thinking that his question was bizarre. “They hurt me! You need to capture them and throw them into prison!”
“Do you know the name of that village?” he continued with his questions.
“The name of the village?” She looked puzzled. “With your current influence, all the villages will have to pay respect to you. The people in charge of the village will not dare to conceal the whereabouts of those people from you.”
“Kirkford Village.”
Those were the only words she received in response to her questions.
As soon as the name entered her ears, she felt as though she had received a blow to the head. A sharp pain shot through her temples, nearly causing her head to explode in pain! At the same time, her complexion went deathly pale!
Chapter 199
“Any recollection?” Leo’s expression remained unchanged, but Elyse could sense his hostility. The frostiness sent chills deep into her bones.She finally looked up shakily with darting eyes. “Leo…”“You can’t hide what you did forever. Calista from Kirkford Village is the daughter of the family who got Bria buried under the pillar. The other three are related to their family.”She did not need further explanation to understand what he was getting at. Not only had he gotten to the bottom of the incident, but he also hurt everyone she worked with to take revenge on her, and he didn’t even bother to hide the truth. It was a clear attempt at taunting and humiliating her.How ruthless!Elyse sat tensely on the bed and realized belatedly that, before this, Leo had only shown her a tenth of the ruthlessness he was capable of.“Get her the best medicine, doctor, and nurse,” Leo gave some instructions and left.Eugene, who had been following Leo around, stole a glance at Elyse and looked at Leo with pursed lips. Leo took revenge on Elyse because of her wrongdoing, but he asked Eugene to take care of Elyse out of courtesy. It was Leo’s way of telling Elyse that Ellen’s kindness could only go so far as to spare Elyse’s life, and served as a warning that Elyse might end up in a worse situation if she dared to misbehave.… Bria suffered from some fractures but was not in serious condition. When Amelie was released from the hospital, she brought Bria home with her and hired a doctor to look after Bria.Meanwhile, Samuel and Julia did not slow down on their investigations. One day, he and Julia visited Amelie with the results of their investigation. “Someone purposely shoved Bria under the pillar.”Amelie had expected the answer, but the truth still crushed her.“How could they hurt a kid? That’s pure evil!” As one of the victims, Julia took the investigation personally. She could not hold back her anger and resentment. “Have we found the criminals behind this? They’d better not get caught because I will skin them alive!”Samuel gave her a look. He could not deal with her temper, but he also understood that she suffered from guilt for failing to protect Bria in the accident. He reached out to squeeze her hand.Amelie was slightly better at keeping her emotions in check, but as Bria’s mother, she was anxious to know the outcome of the investigation. Samuel read their expression and stared at Amelie with a knowing look. “I found the people behind the accident, but something odd happened to them. They were all hurt to different
extents over the past two days.”He pursed his lips tensely before continuing. “The guy who caused Julia’s wrist dislocation got into an accident two days ago and lost both arms. The couple who shoved Bria under the pillar was now buried in a collapsed mine. They are alive but are likely to be paralyzed from the incident.”“The others got into different troubles as well, to the point that the Kirkford villagers thought there must be some paranormal activities around. They have been holding ceremonies for days to drive away the spirits.”Amelie and Julia took deep breaths, for they knew that ghosts were merely superstitions. Someone was behind the rogue justice, leaving them wondering about the identity of this merciless and ruthless person.Their eyes fell on Samuel. Amelie whispered her guess, “Could that person be… Leo…” Leo’s figure popped up in her mind.“Leo Alston?” Julia finished her sentence. “Is that possible?”“Based on our analysis, we could confirm that he was behind the revenge,” Samuel added. Amelie’s expression crumbled as she struggled to comprehend. She knew that the perpetrators were seemingly after Bria, but they were really after her. Is Leo avenging me? Amelie wondered.“There must be a mastermind behind the collapse. What’s the motive of the villagers in hurting Bria when they had nothing to do with us?” Julia asked a pointed question. Samuel’s expression changed when he heard that. After a pause, he explained, “This has been the focus of our investigation. But someone clearly destroyed the evidence by erasing the key information. That’s why nothing showed up in our investigation.”“Erasing information?” Julia’s heart sank. “Who would do that?”“I’m not sure.” Samuel shook his head. “But one thing is clear—two different groups were behind this accident.”“That mastermind must be very powerful to get help from two different groups.” Samuel’s remark led to more doubts in Julia.“It’s not hard to guess.” Amelie finally spoke after a long silence. “Just list out the people who hold grudges against me, and we’ll get the answer.”Amelie was indeed intelligent. Julia came to a realization and slapped her thighs in excitement. “Yes! Why have we not thought of that? My kind Elie, you rarely make enemies. There are only a few who hold grudges against you!”Julia did not name the three people, but they knew the answer. Elyse Clayton, Melissa Richards, and Jodie Alston were prime suspects.The Alstons would never mess with Bria to hurt Amelie, which left Elyse as the only suspect.Samuel marveled at Amelie’s wits. He appeared troubled when he considered Julia’s point. He finally confessed with much difficulty, “Something else happened at Kirkford as well. Two days ago,
Elyse was abducted by the villagers and thrown to a madman. The madman burned down the house she was kept in, and she almost died in the fire.”“Why didn’t she just die?” Julia cursed spitefully, showing her extreme dislike for Elyse. Samuel went on, “But Leo Alston arrived on time and saved her life. She suffered from a fractured leg because of the fire and was warded in the hospital.”“What’s wrong with Leo Alston? Why is he good to that phony b*tch?” Julia complained grudgingly again. “Anyway, this shows that the villagers were not coming for Elie—they were after Leo. Is that right?”It was unsurprising that Bria and Elyse were tied with Leo because they were close to him. Still, Amelie held a different opinion. “There might be some misunderstanding. Don’t you think that what the villagers did to Elyse was intentional revenge?”“Are you saying that Elyse was responsible for the collapse, and someone who knew the truth got the villagers to take revenge on her?” Julia’s eyes sparkled excitedly at Amelie’s bold assumption, which cleared some of their lingering doubts.Amelie fell silent and pursed her lips with a thoughtful expression. If Leo could discover the identity of the people who shoved Bria, he must have also found out that Elyse was the perpetrator. Even after Elyse committed a horrific crime, he was unwilling to hurt her. What’s that about?She wondered if he was one of the people who helped to erase evidence that implicated Elyse.He’s still as protective and attentive when it comes to Elyse. Amelie sighed and smiled bitterly. She realized that Leo only took revenge against the villagers for Bria, not her.At the thought of it, she stood up without warning, which startled Julia. “Elie?”“I need to get something done. I’ll be out for a while.” Amelie was gone in no time.“Where’s Elie going?” Julia was flabbergasted.Samuel did not reply, but he appeared more worried than before.
Chapter 200
Elyse kept throwing tantrums in the ward, and the floor was in a mess.Michael kept his head lowered while he tidied up the mess. As he did so, he said to his daughter, “You’re still a celebrity, so what are you going to do if people see you throwing things around? If they start spreading rumors, your reputation will be ruined.”Elyse remained silent as she gripped her blanket tightly.In fact, she gripped the blanket so hard that she tore a hole in it.Michael shook his head in exasperation. “Speaking of which, it was a close call this time. Elyse, did you hit your head or something? How could you do something like that? Getting someone to push Bria under the pillar means that you’re making Leo your enemy. It’s already a miracle that he hasn’t killed you!”“Dad, can’t you just be quiet?!” Unable to bear it, Elyse shrieked annoyedly, “I don’t want to hear it! I don’t want to hear any of it!”With that, she covered her ears.When Michael saw her reacting like that, he gave a few sighs.“I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m still your dad. I want you to know that after what you did, Leo was merciful enough to only break your leg. Don’t ever do that again.”As he spoke, he scooted closer to Elyse and said, “Didn’t you hear? Kirkford Village has been carrying out exorcisms lately, and they’re claiming that serious accidents keep happening. The luckier ones were only injured, but the less fortunate ones ended up crippled. I asked around and found out that those people had all been to the site where the supermarket collapsed. Don’t you know what that means?”When Elyse heard what Michael said, the fury on her face finally faded and was replaced by shock.“Are you sure?”As she asked the question, her voice was trembling.Kirkford Village was miles away from the collapsed supermarket. She only went to those people because they happened to be hanging out there.Only few villagers from Kirkford had been to the supermarket, and it could only be those people!“Of course, I am.” Michael threw his head back. “That’s why I said that your life was spared. Don’t ever do that again.”Elyse hadn’t told Michael anything, but Michael was a wise man, so he had already figured out what was going on behind the string of incidents and guessed what his daughter had done.“I can accept the fact that he’s mad at me for Bria’s sake, but I fear his true reason is Amelie! He knew that I only wanted to target Amelie!” Elyse was still mad as she sobbed.Michael slapped her on the arm. “Were you out of your mind, Elyse? Why
did you involve Bria if you just wanted to target Amelie? You knew that—to be honest, if it weren’t for what your sister did for him, you won’t be so lucky right now! Listen, stop thinking if he got mad for Bria’s or Amelie’s sake. Just stay out of trouble.”Even though Elyse was still upset, after learning such a grave lesson, she relented and nodded unhappily.“In the end, it’s all thanks to your sister. Once you’re discharged, remember to visit her grave. Hopefully, she’ll watch over you so that you’ll live a smooth-sailing and luxurious life,” Michael said, a greedy look appearing on his face.Soon, several medical staff came in to examine her condition. The two stopped their conversation, and the curtains were drawn.Outside the window, a pretty face could be seen.Amelie stood there with her face slightly tensed, the sharpness in her eyes gradually decreasing.She had come to look for Leo so that she could confirm a few things with him, but she hadn’t expected to get the answer from Elyse.Leo saved Elyse, but he also punished her severely. It was a surprise that he would punish Elyse, his fiancée, for Bria’s sake. This was probably the most he could do.Even before their wedding, Amelie had been keeping an eye on Leo and Elyse, so she knew what Elyse meant to him.Elyse was someone he treasured and pampered, so now that he cruelly allowed her to lose her legs… He was probably suffering as well.He had done so much, and Amelie felt that it would be unreasonable to keep digging further.However, what did they mean by what Elyse’s sister did for him?At that thought, Amelie felt uneasy all over again.She didn’t know who Elyse’s sister was, nor what she had done for Leo. She only felt wronged.He remembered what others did for him, so why did he solely forget about her existence? Amelie had already decided not to hold it against him, but now that she was faced with this, she realized that she couldn’t quite stick to her decision anymore.She shook her head and forced herself to get rid of those messy thoughts.Just then, the door of the ward opened, and Michael walked out.Amelie hastily hid behind a pillar.Michael was glancing around, and he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave.When Michael was in the ward just now, Amelie didn’t manage to have a good look at him. Now that he had come nearer, Amelie saw his face and found him familiar. It felt as though she had seen him somewhere before.Amelie thought long and hard, but she couldn’t remember anything.She decided not to pursue the matter. When Michael left, she followed suit.In the days that followed, things were peaceful once again.However, Leo would come over to visit Bria once every few days.Bria also
seemed to have taken a special liking to him.Even though Amelie didn’t want to be in contact with him too often, she knew that she had no right to stop him from visiting and spending time with Bria, so she let them be.However, every time he visited, she would escape and busy herself with work.Her studio was upstairs while Bria was downstairs, so the two adults did not bump into each other.“Daddy, can you go upstairs and get my doll? It’s my favorite doll. Please?” When Leo came over to spend time with Bria again, the little girl nudged him and begged.Leo had developed a strong bond with Bria, and the two were closer than ever.Naturally, he readily agreed to his darling daughter’s request.As Bria watched Leo walk upstairs, she blinked. There was a sly look in her huge, shiny eyes.After Leo made it upstairs, the first thing he saw was a light blue living room.There was a small couch inside, and the floor was carpeted. The decorations and layout gave off a warm feeling.Then, he noticed the open door next to the living room.On the other side of the door, a slender figure was dancing.Even from a distance, he could still sense her passion.Almost uncontrollably, he walked over to her.Amelie was streaming. She donned her snow-white fox mask, revealing only a pair of pretty eyes and pink lips that resembled cherry blossoms.Even though she was relatively covered up, one could still sense her beauty from her eyes and the color of her lips.She interacted with the viewers in a lively voice she had never shown him before. She would sometimes smile innocently and attractively, sing a beautiful song, or start telling a story.Even though he had watched her streams in private, it didn’t feel as real as when he watched her in person at a close distance.The hardships in his life had turned him into a stern and quiet person.People like him were rarely affected by the outside world, and it was difficult for them to sympathize with others.However, at that moment, Amelie’s joy was slowly infecting him.Without him knowing, his frozen cells were being warmed and activated.When she finished telling a joke, the corners of his lips curved upward into a smile.All of a sudden, Amelie turned around.