Chapter 11 Julian's car was parked right at the hospital entrance. On the day I was discharged, it blocked our way. He waved at me. "Eleanor, come on. Let's go home." Home? I didn't move. I had no home. The Hawthorne family was no longer my home. No one there liked me, and I had no intention of going back. Gathering my courage, I said, "Julian, I told you last time...we're even." "Even' means you don't have to feel guilty because of what happened...because I was once infatuated with you. And I don't want to stay at Oakridge anymore." "I want to leave." Julian's face darkened. He didn't seem to expect I was serious. "Leave me? Go where? Exactly where do you think you can go?" He glanced at Felix. "You're going with him?" "Don't be absurd, Eleanor. You've known him for what, a couple of weeks?" he pressed. "Don't come crying to me when he sells you off somewhere." I retorted, "Don't wrong a good person. He's very kind." "Good person'?" A bitter, mocking laugh escaped Julian as he slowly repeated the words. Then he grabbed my hand and shoved me toward the car. "Stop talking. Come home with me." I resisted fiercely. At that moment, a long, slender hand blocked the car door. Felix's eyes were sharp as he stared at Julian. "What's wrong with you? Blind? Deaf?" he demanded. "She said she doesn't want to go with you. Or did you just ignore that?" Julian's voice was colder than midwinter ice as he warned Felix, "She's my fiancée. This is between us. No outsider has any say. The moment he said "fiancée," Felix laughed. "Fiancée? Is that what you call her? She's been here for over two weeks, and where have you been?" Then he looked at me. "And besides, who's the real outsider here? I'm not so sure about that." Chapter 11 78.57% "Let her choose for herself." His gaze locked on me, almost threatening. If I didn't choose him, I was doomed. Of course I chose him. I hurried behind Felix, showing only the top of my head, ignoring Julian's furious glare. I tried to reason with him. "Julian, you should just go back. I won't return to the Hawthornes." "Violet is there now. There's no place for me there." "I haven't forgiven you for making me apologize and eat that candy. Don't push me anymore." "If you keep this up...I will really start to dislike you. By the end of that day, Julian's face was dark and dejected. He couldn't stop me from leaving with someone else. Chapter 11 78.57%