Chapter43 Thea,tellme,whoam I?Nicolasasked,hisvoicelow, Theawincedfromthepain ,lettingoutasmallsoundasshetriedtopullaway. WhoamINicolasrefusedtoreleasehisgrip, his tonestubborn. YoureNic…BeforeTheacouldfinish,urgentknockinginterruptedthem. ItwasDarwin.Mr.Hendrix,thedoctorishere,hesaid. Nicolasemotionsinstantlywithdrew ,andhereturnedtohisusualcoldanddistant demeanor.Hischestrose andfelltwicebeforefinally lettinggoofTheashand,hisfacedark asheopenedthedoor. Seeing afewbuttons onNicolasshirt hadbeentornopen.Darwinbrokeintoacoldsweat.Whatthe hell!ItlookslikeIcame atthewrongtime,hethought. Nicolasturnedandgrabbedthecoatfromthechair,his voiceslightlycold . Letthedoctortakecareofthings.Imleaving. Thenextmorning.Theawokeupwithher headstillfeelingfoggy.Shecheckedherclothesquickly,rememberinghowshehadbeendruggedbyLiamthe nightbefore. Thankfully,everythingwasintact.Butwhathadhappenedafter?Theatriedtorecall,buttherewasnothing. Suddenly,thedooropened,andNicolaswalkedin.Theasatupimmediately,asking,Mr.Hendrix?Whyareyouhere? Nicolaslookedat herwithanunreadableexpression.Youdontrememberlastnight? Theashookherheadasifpartofhermemorywasmissing.Shewantedtoaskwhathadhappened,butseeingNicolasslightlydispleasedexpression,shedecidedagainstit. ThenNicolastossedasetofclothesontothebedandsaid,Getdressed.Wereheadingback toKeyBiskane. Okay,Theareplied. WatchingNicolasbackashewalkedaway,Theafeltasenseofunease.Whydoesitseemlikehesinabadmoodtoday?shethought. Onthewayback,DarwingaveTheaabriefrundownofwhathadhappenedthenightbefore. Someone noticedthatsomethingwasoffbetweenherand Liam,andtheysteppedintostopit,callingthepolice.Afterwardshewastakentothehospital. ForLiam,hehadbeenkickedoutoftheVirtuexGroupandwasnowincustody Hearingthat,Theafinallyletoutasighofrelief.ButshenoticedDarwingiving herastrangelook. Ms.Rowland,youreallydontrememberanythingfromlastnight?Darwinasked. Theashookherhead.ThedrugLiamusedmusthavebeenillegal,with seriouseffects.Whenevershetriedtorecalltheeventsofthenight,asplittingheadachewould stopher. Sinceshehadbeenrescued,andLiamwaspunished ,itdidntmatterwhathad happened. Darwincoughedawkwardly,suddenlyfeelingabitsorryforhisboss.Poorguyhasbeentakenadvantageof, andthenext 1/3 川 68% 11:51Sat,Oct26ti Chapter43 day,thepersonresponsibledoesntevenremember.Trulypitiful Thatafternoon,theyarrivedbackinKeyBiskane.Theawasntinarushtogototheoffice,andshedecidedtostopbyNicolas placefirst. Unexpectedly,thehotelfrontdeskcalledtoinformTheathatshehadleftsomethingbehind .Soshehadnochoicebutto headoverthere. JustasTheaarrivedinthelobby,asuddenflurryoffootstepssoundedbehindher.Innotime,shewassurroundedbybodyguards. So,youknowyoudidsomethingwrongandtriedtohide?Doyoureallythink Icantfindyou?Maxapproached,his facedark withanger. Theasexpressionhardenedimmediately.Whatdoyouwant?sheasked. Maxreplied,histoneharsh,Doyouhave anyideahowmuchdamageyourrecklessactionshavecausedtheRowlandGroup! YouknowEmunaliesinnocent,sowhyareyoutargetingheronpurpose?Shestheface oftheRowlandGrouptoo.Whatyouredoingisitbecauseyouwant toruinallofus? Thealetoutacoldlaugh.Youbetterhaveproof beforeyouspeak.WhendidIevertargetEmmalie?Imjustdefendingmyself.Ifshehadntkeptprovokingme,Iwouldnt havebotheredwithher. Maxgrabbedherandbeganpullinghertowardthedoor. Letgo!Theastruggled.Butshewasnomatchforanadultman !SoMaxshovedherintothecarforcibly. Comewithme.YoumustapologizetoEmmalie,Maxordered. Theaschestheaved,herheartaching.Youcouldveeasilyfoundoutwhat Emmaliedidifyoudbotheredtolook.Butno .themomentsomethinghappens,you blamemewithouta secondthought.Max,Imyoursistertoo.Why? SecingtherednessinTheaseyes,Maxfeltastrangesensationlear streakedface,hisresolvehardenedonceagain. sweepoverhi him.Butthemoment hethoughtofEmmalies Letmeaskyou,didyoubringinCeleste?IsEmmaliesengagementtoNicolasruinedbecauseofyou?Ifyoucandenyany ofit.IllbelieveyoudidntdoanythingwrongMaxdemanded. Thealaughedbitterlyandreplied,Yeah,itwasallme.Butwhyisitthatallyou seeiswhatIdidtoEmmalie?Whydontyouseewhatshedidtome? IfshehadntsabotagedtheVirtuexandAurelia Universitycollaboration,wouldIhaveretaliated? Stubborn!Maxcutheroff,clearlylosinghis patience.Thenhesteppedonthegas. ButinsteadofheadingtotheRowlandfamilyestate,theyarrivedataphotographystudiopackedwithpeople.EmmaliewasnestledagainstIvy,sobbingsoftly.ThemomentshesawThea,herbodytrembledasifshewereterrified.Ivysexpressionwaslivid.ShewantedtoslapTheabutheldbackknowingthemediawaswatching. In a coldvoice,Ivyspoke.Comeexplaineverything.Admititwasyourfault .Emmaliehadnothingtodowithit.Thescoffed.Whatsthis,somekind offorcedconfession ?Youwantme etomakeafalsestatementtoclearhername? Emmalieraisedhertearfuleyesandsaid,Thea,howcanyousaythat?Ijustwantyoutoclearthings 화북68%. 11:51Sat,Oct26tiu Chapter43 Tmnotholdingyouaccountableforwhatyoudidtome,butyouknow howimportantplayingthepianoistome.Doyoureallywanttodestroyme,todrivemetodeath,justtomakeyourselfhappy? IvycouldntholdbackanylongerandgrabbedTheas hand.Hereyeswerered,amixofangerandhelplessness. Emmalieisyoursister.Doyouknowwhatshesbeenthrough? Shecant eat,shecantsleep,andsheslostsomuchweight.Howcanyou,asheroldersister,besoheartless?Ivyexclaimed, TheassmilewasicecoldasshepulledIvyshandfree.Mom,youreworriedaboutEmmalienoteatingorsleeping,butwhycantyouworryaboutme? ThedealwithAureliaUniversitywaspracticallyfinalized,andthenEmmalieswoopedinand spreadrumorsaboutme.Doyouthinksheonlyhurtme?DoyouthinkNicolasis afool?ThishasdamagedboththeRowlandandHendrixfamily Ivyfroze,unabletofindaretort.Emm alieseyesflickeredbeforeshespokeagain.Thea,Iknowyoureupsetthatyourpersonalmattersbecamepublic. Butsecretscantbekeptforever.Ivetriedmybesttocoverforyou. IfyouhadjustmarriedintotheHendrixfamilyandstayedoutofthespotlight ,noonewouldhaverememberedwhatyou did Youweretheoneeagertoputyourselfoutthere,andnowyourerecognizedforit.Thatsnotmyfault. Ivycontinued,herexpressionhardened,Emmalieisright .Youbroughtthis onyourself,makingafoolofusall. Ifyouhadntdonethoseshamefulthings,wouldanyonehavehadanythingtospread? Blameyourself.Youdidallth