Chapter 8
ADCO
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“What?”
My brother and Noah scrambled to open the agreement. Their faces turned ashen when they saw my name, “Lauren Hartley,” written clearly on the document.
“How can this be? Wasn’t Fiona Merrick supposed to go to the Sinclair Family? How could it be the name of Lauren instead?”
“Miss Hartley approached Mr. Sinclair three days ago of her own accord,” Davian’s assistant replied with a calm smile. “That’s all I have to say. The agreement has started. Take care of yourselves and please, don’t disturb Miss Hartley or Mr. Sinclair‘ s lives again in the future.”
After the assistant left, I saw the despair etched into the two men’s faces on the video.
It seemed they had finally realized the
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truth. Three days ago, they had slapped me to vent their frustration on Fiona’s behalf and pushed me into the pool. Two days ago, they forced me to give up my room to Fiona, relegating me to the basement. One day ago, they threw me out of the house, barely alive, all to please Fiona.
Now, at last, they understood my sacrifice and remembered all they had done to me- their cruelty, their indifference to my suffering.
“Lauren…” My mother collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. “We misunderstood Lauren… Oh, God, how much pain must she have endured? She‘ never been mistreated like this in her entire life…”
The housekeeper stepped forward at that moment, holding out a half–burned photo album.
S
“No wonder Miss Hartley threw away all her belongings and didn’t even keep her favorite wooden carving. Her heart must
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have been shattered beyond repair.”
At these words, my brother and Noah both lifted their heads.
The regret in Noah’s eyes was
unmistakable. My brother slapped himself twice, his face turning red as his eyes brimmed with tears.
Noah stood frozen, clutching the scorched photo album, murmuring words of remorse over and over. Finally, he shook my brother’s shoulders desperately.
“Jason, forget the money! We need to bring Lauren back.”
“She’s already suffered enough. We can’t let her endure anymore. I’d trade everything I have left to make it right!”
This time, they ignored Fiona’s protests and tears, grabbed the money and hurried out the door.
The video ended there.
Davian leaned back in his chair, smiling as
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he glanced at me. “They’ve been going crazy looking for you while you’ve been recovering. Especially Noah Radford…”
“It has nothing to do with me,” I replied indifferently.
This estate had impeccable security. Without Davian’s permission, they‘ d never get close to me. That was just as I wanted it.
Davian studied my face for a long time, repeatedly bringing up Noah Radford‘ s name as if searching for a trace of emotion or weakness. But when he found none, he finally gave up.
“To think the two of you were once the perfect couple in everyone’s eyes. Childhood sweethearts, weren’t you? And yet, even that bond was so fragile in the end.”
His tone was laced with mockery, but there was something else beneath it—something I couldn’t quite identify. Was it…
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satisfaction?
I ignored his taunts and turned my gaze toward the window. My physical injuries were healing well, but the wounds in my heart would never fade.
Even the housekeeper had felt pity for my suffering, yet the family who once claimed to love me had been unmoved by my cries for help. Such a family wasn’t worth holding on to.
Fortunately, my life at the Sinclair estate was peaceful. Despite his sharp tongue, Davian had never crossed any boundaries with me.
In fact, on the rare occasions when I accidentally got too close, he would turn red and pull away awkwardly.
Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought I was the one keeping him.
With little else to occupy my time, I took it upon myself to handle Davian’s daily meals.
