Chapter 98
Chapter 98:
“Theo—you’re hurting me!” she cried, stumbling to keep up until he shoved her hard enough that she fell onto the thick carpet. The impact rattled through her body, leaving her momentarily dazed.
She barely had time to inhale before his palm clamped around her throat.
Her eyes went wide, panic flooding in as her face flushed crimson. She tried to speak, but no sound escaped.
At first, she thought he was only venting his anger—but the pressure of his grip told her otherwise. He wasn’t pretending.
He was serious, and his strength left her gasping for air.
Theo leaned in until his breath brushed her cheek, his once-gentle gaze now darkly amused, gleaming with something dangerous beneath the surface.
“You really think I never looked into your family? From the moment your mother stepped into their house, you two clawed everything away from Gracie—always grabbing, always competing. You could’ve had Brayden if you wanted. So tell me, Ellie—why didn’t you p>
Her trembling hand shot up, slapping at his wrist with what little strength she had left.
The sudden sting made him release her, and air rushed back into her lungs.
Panting, Ellie stared up at him, her pulse hammering. The man before her seemed nothing like the one she’d once trusted; the softness she’d clung to had vanished, leaving only cold curiosity in its place.
“I-I heard Brayden already had someone he loved,” she said, voice quivering. “If I’d married him, I’d have spent my life alone. My parents—despite everything—loved each other deeply. I wanted that too, Theo. I wanted you p>
A quiet laugh slipped past his lips, low and edged with mockery. Ellie’s body slackened as she drew a shaky breath, the sound of it fragile against the heavy silence between them.
He lifted her from the floor, his voice soft yet strangely tender. “Ellie, that means a lot to me. You were the only one who ever chose me without hesitation. So… you’ll stay loyal to me, won’t you p>
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“Of course.” She nestled against his chest with a faint smile. “Who cares if Brayden will be the heir? You’re far better than he is, Theo. No need to worry—by the time the annual gala’s over, you’ll be the new head of the family p>
Darkness flickered through his expression, his thoughts locked away. “And what makes you so sure p>
Ellie, oblivious to the shift in his tone, looked up brightly. “Because with me by your side, you can’t lose! Even if your grandpa favors Brayden and Gracie, no one would ever let a disfigured cripple run the family empire p>
Disfigured. Cripple.
Those words made a flicker of light spark in Theo’s eyes—sharp, dangerous, and cold. Ellie carried far more secrets than he had imagined.
“Ellie, my lab’s funding is running dry,” he murmured, his tone smooth as silk yet laced with quiet coercion. “We’re on the brink of a breakthrough. Why don’t you ask your father for help? You said yourself—once I’m named heir in six months, your family will earn tenfold what they invest now p>
His words coiled through her mind like a spell. Without hesitation, Ellie gave an eager nod. “All right. I’ll be on my way home to discuss it with them now p>
She hurried out of the villa, one hand pressed to her sore, reddened neck.
As the door shut behind her, Theo’s faint smile dissolved, his gaze sharpening with a flicker of cold amusement. “How could someone that foolish ever see what’s coming?” he murmured under his breath. “But Gracie… now she’s the one worth unraveling p>
At that very moment, the woman occupying his thoughts had already collapsed into sleep the instant she reached her room—sleeping soundly through the day as though she’d been drained of every last ounce of strength.
When Gracie finally stirred, the setting sun had painted the walls in warm gold.
She slipped out of bed and noticed Brayden was nowhere to be seen—he must have left for the company after breakfast. Crossing the quiet estate toward the front hall, she moved through long corridors scented faintly of sandalwood.
As she passed the main villa, raised voices broke through the calm.
“Mrs. Stanley, please have mercy on my boy! He’s still just a child. Whatever wrongs were done, they were mine alone. Punish me if you must—just spare him!” a middle-aged woman cried, her voice trembling with desperation.
A cold, contemptuous tone sliced through the air. “Of course it’s your fault! A shameless mistress and her bastard child—how dare you step foot in this estate, let alone play your petty games here? Do you think I can’t see through your schemes? Guards, keep him kneeling until I say otherwise p>
There was no mistaking the malice threaded through Valeria’s measured words.
Gracie paused outside the door, shaking her head in quiet disapproval. “Valeria, being too ruthless has a way of turning against you p>
Sure enough, a furious male voice erupted from within. “I’d like to see who has the guts to lay a hand on them!” Erik bellowed.