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When Lena saw Robert and Colette flirting under the table again, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.
She had just undergone an abortion and was physically very weak. After spending so much time chatting with the Ashford family, her back was already aching unbearably.
Since Zachary had nothing more to discuss with her, she excused herself, saying she was tired and needed to rest in her
room.
Lying on the bed, Lena looked at every decoration in the room, feeling a wave of sadness. Every corner had been personally arranged by Robert. He once took care of her meticulously, but now their relationship had grown increasingly distant.
Tears were about to fall from her eyes.
Not long after, Robert pushed the door open without knocking.
Lena was surprised. Since he had moved out, they hadn’t spoken for a long time. Even when they occasionally met at home, he wouldn’t spare her a glance.
Now, she only needed to look up at him once to know he was furious.
Sure enough, Robert said sarcastically, “Congratulations, Lena!
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You finally got what you wanted! I just never imagined that at such a young age, you could be so calculating. I kindly threw you a party for your eighteenth birthday, and you deliberately put aphrodisiacs in my coffee! Now you’ve achieved your goal! You schemed to sleep with me for one night, then got pregnant with my child. Finally, you used family pressure to force me to marry you. Your methods are truly impressive! Lena, is this what I taught you all these years? You completely disregarded ethics! I’m your uncle! I’m ten years older than you!
Robert angrily accused Lena, then kicked the bedroom door in frustration, causing the crucifix hanging on it to fall and shatter on the hard floor. This symbol of peace had been hung there by his own hands. He once said he asked for nothing else but for Lena to be safe and happy.
Now, he seemed not to notice the broken crucifix on the floor.
“Lena, you’ve won! Out of responsibility, I will marry you! But my love will always belong to Colette, so stop dreaming! After the wedding, I’ll move out and live with Colette. Didn’t you use the child in your belly to force me to marry you? Then you’d better take good care of that child and stay obediently in this house with the baby, guarding this status you obtained through despicable means!”
After his vengeful speech, Robert stared at Lena, waiting for her to break down and cry.
But she said nothing, her face showing no expression at all.
Robert felt momentarily confused, but quickly regained his
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You finally got what you wanted! I just never imagined that at such a young age, you could be so calculating. I kindly threw you a party for your eighteenth birthday, and you deliberately put aphrodisiacs in my coffee! Now you’ve achieved your goal! You schemed to sleep with me for one night, then got pregnant with my child. Finally, you used family pressure to force me to marry you. Your methods are truly impressive! Lena, is this what I taught you all these years? You completely disregarded ethics! I’m your uncle! I’m ten years older than you!”
Robert angrily accused Lena, then kicked the bedroom door in frustration, causing the crucifix hanging on it to fall and shatter on the hard floor. This symbol of peace had been hung there by his own hands. He once said he asked for nothing else but for Lena to be safe and happy.
Now, he seemed not to notice the broken crucifix on the floor.
“Lena, you’ve won! Out of responsibility, I will marry you! But my love will always belong to Colette, so stop dreaming! After the wedding, I’ll move out and live with Colette. Didn’t you use the child in your belly to force me to marry you? Then you’d better take good care of that child and stay obediently in this house with the baby, guarding this status you obtained through despicable means!”
After his vengeful speech, Robert stared at Lena, waiting for her to break down and cry.
But she said nothing, her face showing no expression at all.
Robert felt momentarily confused, but quickly regained his
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composure. He thought Colette was right–if Lena could come up with something as underhanded as drugging him, her unusual behavior now must also be deliberate. She was probably plotting against him again. This time he needed to be on guard.
What Robert couldn’t possibly know was that Lena had indeed given up on him, because their child was already gone.
In her previous life, she had loved this child as much as she loved him. But in the end, she paid a terrible price for that love.
Fortunately, this time she wouldn’t repeat the same mistake.
Lena wouldn’t appear at their wedding, because she had already bought a ticket to France. In ten days, she would leave this place and him behind.
Dragging her weakened body, Lena got up and walked toward him, pointing to the living room where Colette was waiting for him.
“Uncle Robert, are you finished? If so, please leave. Don’t keep her waiting. I’m tired and need to rest.”
But Robert stood motionless, looking at Lena in disbelief.
They hadn’t seen each other for just a few days, yet he felt she had somehow become a stranger.
Lena now felt waves of pain in her abdomen. She forced herself to push him out despite the pain and was about to close the door.
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Just then, the abortion receipt fell out of her pocket.
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Robert frowned darkly and asked, “What surgery is this? Are you having surgery?”
The moment the surgery form fell, Lena instinctively picked it up and quickly tucked it away.
But sharp–eyed Robert caught the words “surgery form.”
Lena’s heart pounded in her chest. She felt extremely nervous, almost hearing the echo of her own heartbeat.
After stammering for a while, she finally came up with a reasonable excuse. “It’s nothing. I have a minor dental issue that requires a simple procedure. The doctor said it’s best to address dental problems in early pregnancy, otherwise it could become complicated later.”
Lena deliberately mentioned pregnancy, and as expected, Robert became displeased and stopped questioning further.
His brow relaxed slightly, but his face remained cold as he said distantly, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the hospital for another check–up.”
“That’s not necessary, Uncle Robert. You should go back to work. I-”
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Lena waved her hands in refusal, clearly flustered.
“I said we’re going to the hospital. Didn’t you hear me?”
Hearing Robert’s tone turn serious, Lena meekly followed behind him and kept quiet.
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As they passed through the living room, he suddenly stopped and truthfully explained the situation to the elders who were still discussing wedding plans.
Lost in thought about what would happen if the truth was discovered at the hospital, Lena accidentally bumped into Robert’s back.
Her chest pressed against his back. An unusual feeling rose within him, and he awkwardly cleared his throat.
The elders sitting on the sofa were pleased with his concern for her, but only one person noticed his subtle discomfort.
Colette’s gaze darkened as she secretly clenched her fist.
Robert had planned to drop Colette off on the way, but she suggested accompanying them to the hospital.
“Robert, Lena is a young woman after all. It might be inconvenient for you at the hospital. I can help.”
Lena didn’t want Colette to come along. Sitting in the same car
with her was uncomfortable enough.
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But she couldn’t show her emotions too obviously. Robert knew very little about pregnancy.
Colette was different. She was a woman. It would be trouble if she noticed something amiss.
Lena sat in the back seat, lost in thought. Colette, in the passenger seat, had fallen silent, fidgeting with the car
ornaments.
Robert was a neat freak. His car always smelled clean and fresh, with minimalist interiors.
Lena, on the contrary, loved small trinkets and always wanted to redecorate the cold, sterile car.
But Robert never agreed. He stubbornly refused to even change the car’s air freshener.
Once, when Lena was suffering from low blood sugar, she had just opened a packet of cookies in the car when Robert snatched it and heartlessly threw it out the window.
“No eating in my car.”
Lena had to endure her low blood sugar symptoms, rummaging through her bag hoping to find a candy.
In the end, she found nothing and barely made it home without fainting.
Yet now, Colette had redecorated the car interior to her liking
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and even changed the fragrance,
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So this was the stark difference between love and indifference.
Lena felt a sharp pain in her heart. She placed her hand on her chest and turned to look out the window.
It had started raining when they left, and now it was pouring harder. Large raindrops pounded against the car with loud thuds.
As the car headed toward the hospital, Lena felt panic rising
again.
At that moment, Colette, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly exclaimed, “Oh no! Robert, what should I do? I forgot to close the window! That potted plant you gave me is still on the windowsill. It’s raining so hard, I’d be devastated if it gets ruined! That’s the one you planted with your own hands on my birthday. It’s my hope for survival. It’s what helps me get through every night when my depression hits. I value it more than myself!”
Through the rearview mirror, Lena noticed Colette’s gaze landing directly on her. She suddenly realized that Colette was doing this deliberately.
Robert responded without hesitation, “I’ll turn around and take you back right now!”
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“Thank you! Robert, you’re the best!” Colette couldn’t hide her delight, but she quickly glanced hesitantly at the back seat a few times. She added uncertainly, “Robert, this means Lena will have made this trip for nothing. Won’t this delay her doctor’s appointment?”
The car screeched to a halt at the roadside, and Robert coldly pointed at Lena, “Get out. Go to the hospital yourself. There’s an umbrella in the trunk.”
She was stunned for just a moment, then simply replied, “Okay,” and quietly opened the door.
As soon as Lena stepped out, Colette said, “But Robert, this new dress I’m wearing is also the one you gave me on my birthday. What if it gets wet?”
So Robert started the car and drove away, giving Lena no chance to get the umbrella. “I need the umbrella. I can’t give it to you.”
The car splashed water high from the puddles, and Lena stepped back to avoid it. When she looked up, she caught a glimpse of Colette’s delicate face in the car, along with her smug expression that she hadn’t managed to hide in time.
Lena sighed helplessly and quickly took shelter under the eaves of a roadside shop. The rain was pouring down heavily, and she was already soaked from just stepping out of the car. She was shivering from the cold. The recent abortion had left her weak. She crouched down powerlessly, hugging herself.
Usually, it was easy to get a taxi here, but today’s sudden
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downpour had turned the normally smooth roads into congested ones, with available taxis being scarce. Lena glanced at the people next to her constantly refreshing their ride–hailing apps. It seemed unrealistic to get a taxi home today. Fighting through the cold that gripped her body, she forced herself to stand and walk in the rain.
But she hadn’t gone far when sharp pain and waves of coldness shot through her abdomen. Lena hadn’t eaten all day. She hadn’t even had a moment to rest after her abortion procedure that morning. Now she couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed in the heavy rain.
When she regained consciousness, she saw white walls and Robert’s gloomy face. Startled, Lena quickly jumped off the bed, only to realize she had an IV in the back of her hand. She anxiously touched her abdomen, thinking, “I hope they haven’t discovered my abortion.”
“Why are you getting out of bed? Go back and lie down! You’re already eighteen, and you still forget to eat. Don’t you know your hypoglycemia has flared up again?”
Hearing about hypoglycemia, Lena finally relaxed. Under Robert’s watchful gaze, she obediently returned to bed. Only then did she survey her surroundings and realize she wasn’t in a hospital but in Colette’s home.
“Uncle Robert, didn’t you take Ms. Wilson home? How did
you…”
Robert impatiently cut her off, “How did I come back to pick you
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upat kang wavy wow much le vinder end wrong we solding because
Lean then learned that when she faded, she had dually touched her we, cutting heart, Tanary It had initially enggrated that her on how as her emergency contact, saying that while everyone else in the dy might w busy, he was always free and could unser her calle 24/7
This time, Lena had accidentally called Zachary, When be answered but received no response, he quickly called Robert Upon learning that Robert had abandoned her hallway, Zachary became furious,
Robert immediately turned back after hanging up. He didn’t even hear Colette’s questions. His mind was filled with thoughts of Lena. He thought, “She can’t be in trouble, or Grandpa will kill me!”
Robert soon found Lena unconscious not far from where she had gotten out of the car. He knew about her chronic hypoglycemia. Just as he was about to take her to the hospital, Colette mentioned that the hospital was still some distance away and the roads were congested. She suggested they go to her place first and call a family doctor to examine Lena.
So Lena ended up in the guest room at Colette’s house. She hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.
“I’m sorry, Uncle Robert, for causing you trouble. I’m feeling much better now, so I won’t impose on you and Ms. Wilson any
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longer.” Lena sincerely apologized to Robert, wanting to give him and Colette space.
In her previous life, she had argued with him too many times because of Colette. He had always accused her of being- unreasonable. But now that Lena was being compliant, he seemed even angrier.
“You’re unwell, and you still have the energy to worry about others?”
Although Lena wanted to leave immediately, she didn’t want to argue with Robert, so she had to follow his instructions and continue lying down.
She said softly, “Thank you, Uncle Robert.”
Robert’s cold gaze fell on Lena’s face. He felt that she seemed different from before.
In the past, she loved sticking close to him and would talk non–stop whenever she saw him. If she had encountered today’s situation before, she would have already been crying to him about her grievances.
Moreover, it had been a long time since she called him Uncle Robert. He couldn’t remember when she had started calling him by his first name.
Thunder continued to rumble, and the heavy rain kept falling.
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Lena obediently received the IV nutrition under Robert’s supervision.
“You…”
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Just as Robert was about to ask her what had been happening lately and why she had become so well–behaved, a scream came from next door.
With a grave expression, he instinctively rushed out.
“Colette must have been frightened awake by the thunder. Her depression is acting up again. I need to be with her.”
Lena nodded silently, tears falling from her eyes.
Although she knew Robert didn’t love her, when he abandoned her at that moment, she couldn’t help feeling sad.
But soon, a large hand landed on top of her head.
“Be good. I’ll be back soon. You sleep first. Later, I’ll take you home.”
Robert didn’t know why he unconsciously turned back after just stepping out of the bedroom door. He felt a sense of unease, as if Lena might disappear at any moment.
Then, he rushed back to the adjacent room, picked up the suffering and frantic Colette, and took her to the safe room in the basement.
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In Lena’s previous life, Colette would occasionally have episodes, and Robert would accompany her in the so–called safe room. They wouldn’t come out for days until she returned to normal
Lena remembered when her daughter was six months old and had a high fever with convulsions in the middle of the night. Terrified, she had no choice but to call Robert, begging him to take her daughter to the hospital.
But he cursed her for being selfish, saying Colette was having a depressive episode and couldn’t be without him, telling her to figure it out herself.
But Lena had just given birth to her daughter not long ago, and
she had no resources.
She had no choice but to brave the severe cold and snow, carrying her daughter to hail a taxi. She didn’t even have time to put on a coat, wearing only her pajamas and slippers.
After falling many times in the snow, she finally found a car to take them to the hospital.
At the hospital, her daughter was given a critical condition notice. Lena was only nineteen at the time and had never
experienced such an emergency. She was so frightened that her hand trembled as she signed the forms.
She called Robert many times from outside the ICU, but he never answered once.
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Afterward, he even blamed her and demanded that she not disturb them with such trivial matters when Colette was having a depressive episode.
A knock on the door brought Lena back from her thoughts.
“Colette wants clam chowder from Epicurean’s Haven. I’m going out to get it for her. Could you keep an eye on her for me?”
Lena hesitated. She had planned to send Robert a message and leave this place.
But under the circumstances, she had no choice but to agree.
Just a few minutes after Robert left, Colette walked out of the safe room.
She looked at Lena with disdain and smirked, not at all like someone suffering from depression who needed constant companionship.
Lena could immediately tell that Colette was faking. In her previous life, Lena had suffered from severe depression herself, so she knew what a real depression patient looked like.
“Even if you threaten him into marrying you by getting pregnant, what good will it do? He loves me, and that’s something you can never change.”
This time, Colette failed to provoke Lena as she had in the past, leaving her feeling frustrated.
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But suddenly she smiled and said, “Lena, he will come to despise you just as much as he once liked you!”
Lena looked at her in confusion.
Colette laughed loudly as she returned to the safe room in the basement. Soon, agonizing screams came from inside.
Alarmed, Lena rushed to the basement as fast as she could.
Lena prayed that nothing would happen to Colette. After all, she had just promised Robert she would help look after her.
She was about to leave this place and didn’t want to get involved in any unnecessary conflicts.
If something happened to Colette, Robert would surely punish Lena by locking her in the isolation room at Ashford Manor for reflection.
Lena trembled at the mere thought of that room.
The day her parents died unexpectedly, she stayed home alone for a night before Robert came to take her away the next day.
No one knew how she survived that night. She hid in a dark closet, too afraid to sleep, and had suffered from severe claustrophobia ever since.
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Robert knew this, which was why he never dared to leave Lena alone at home.
But in her previous life, after they got engaged, Colette
frequently provoked her, and Robert locked her up several times to appease Colette.
Even though it was always Colette’s fault, Robert only believed her words.
Most importantly, Lena had many things to do before going abroad for further studies, so she couldn’t afford to be confined.
Just as Lena reached the basement door, her heart skipped a
beat.
Colette stood with her back turned, surrounded by a large pool of blood.
“Colette, calm down!”
Lena rushed to Colette’s side, only to be horrified by what she
saw!
Colette was holding a bloody mass in her arms, turning to look at Lena with a sinister smile.
Then, she shoved the bloody mass into Lena’s hands and screamed, “Lena, why did you kill my dog? That was my emotional support dog of seven years. How could you be so cruel? Aren’t you afraid your child will suffer karma?”
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Lena finally realized that what she was holding was Colette’s emotional support dog. The carlier screams had come from it, and Colette had tortured it to death herself.
Lena instantly understood what was happening, but it was too
late.
Before she could throw away the dead dog, Colette firmly. gripped both her hands.
“Give me back my dog! Give it back!”
Colette’s grip was so strong that Lena couldn’t break free. Just then, Robert appeared behind her.
Furious, he shouted, “Lena, what are you doing?”
Robert felt his blood freeze. The corn chowder in his hands crashed to the floor, splattering everywhere.
He had only been gone for a short while, and such a terrible thing had happened.
Colette was now sobbing hoarsely in his arms.
“Robert, my dog has been with me for seven whole years. It kept me company every night as I fell asleep. How can I go on without it? I might as well die with it!”
He held her tightly.
“Colette, don’t talk nonsense. Seeing you like this worries me to
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death! You still have me. From now on, I’ll stay with you every night, okay?”
After saying this, he immediately turned to meet Lena’s gaze. Without giving her a chance to explain, he scolded, “Lena,
I asked you to look after Colette, but instead you killed her emotional support dog.
“Do you think her depression isn’t severe enough? Are you trying to drive her to death?
“You’re so young, yet your thoughts are so malicious. I must have spoiled you too much!
“Apologize to Colette right now, and don’t stop until she forgives you!”
Lena felt helpless. She saw Colette smirking at her, silently saying, “I won.”
But Lena couldn’t worry about that now. She just wanted to calm Robert’s anger quickly and explained, “Uncle Robert, it wasn’t me! She did it herself…”
Before she could finish, a heavy slap landed on her face.
Lena’s ears rang, and she tasted blood.
“You dare to make excuses! Are you suggesting Colette tortured her own emotional support dog of seven years and framed you?
“You’ve always lied to slander Colette. I thought you had
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improved after getting pregnant. Clearly, that was just my illusion. You’ve never changed! Go back to Ashford Manor right now and reflect in that room!”
Lena’s heart sank. She was going to be locked in the isolation · room she feared most after all.
Lena couldn’t remember how she got through that night. She felt like she was reliving the night her parents passed away unexpectedly.
Only when the first ray of sunlight shone through in the early morning did she feel a hint of life returning to her.
She then noticed that the sheets beneath her were torn from her grip, and her arms and palms were covered with bloody marks where her nails had dug deep into her skin.
Robert had assigned people to watch over Lena. Her daily routine was arranged according to pregnancy standards, with nutritious meals delivered to her room three times a day.
Her phone had been confiscated. The people watching her would simply drop things off and leave, never willing to say a word to her.
Lena felt anxious. She couldn’t contact Jane, and her phone and important documents were all in her confiscated backpack.
A week before the wedding, Robert had someone bring her a
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improved after getting pregnant. Clearly, that was just my
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illusion. You’ve never changed! Go back to Ashford Manor right now and reflect in that room!”
Lena’s heart sank. She was going to be locked in the isolation- room she feared most after all.
Lena couldn’t remember how she got through that night. She felt like she was reliving the night her parents passed away unexpectedly.
Only when the first ray of sunlight shone through in the early morning did she feel a hint of life returning to her.
She then noticed that the sheets beneath her were torn from her grip, and her arms and palms were covered with bloody marks where her nails had dug deep into her skin.
Robert had assigned people to watch over Lena. Her daily routine was arranged according to pregnancy standards, with nutritious meals delivered to her room three times a day.
Her phone had been confiscated. The people watching her would simply drop things off and leave, never willing to say at word to her.
Lena felt anxious. She couldn’t contact Jane, and her phone and important documents were all in her confiscated backpack.
A week before the wedding, Robert had someone bring her a
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wedding dress to try on, but he still wouldn’t let her leave.
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She didn’t miss this opportunity and tried to get the person to relay a message to Robert.
“Ms. Moreau, Mr. Ashford is currently out of the country. All these arrangements are being handled by his assistant. I can’t help you deliver any messages to him.”
Lena thought, “He’s abroad? The wedding is just around the corner, why would Zachary let him leave the country at a time like this? And I haven’t been back to the Ashford Manor for three days, why hasn’t Zachary asked about me?”
After answering, the staff member stepped aside to make a phone call. After a brief report, he handed the phone to Lena, gesturing for her to answer.
She thought it was Robert and immediately began to admit her mistakes. She was running out of time–she had only seven days. before flying abroad, and she needed to leave this place before
then.
But the person on the other end wasn’t Robert; it was hist assistant, Ethan Davis.
“Ms. Moreau, Mr. Ashford instructed before he left that if you acknowledge your mistakes, he will return to the Ashford Manor on the morning of the wedding to pick you up and fulfill his marriage commitment.”
Lena didn’t care about the wedding; she just wanted to get out
quickly.
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“Where is he? Can you let me speak to him?” she pressed.
Ethan paused, then apologetically said, “Mr. Ashford said if you asked about his whereabouts, I should tell you the truth. Ms. Wilson’s depression has worsened because of your actions, so he took her abroad to help her recover. Mr. Ashford also mentioned that he’s already told everyone at the Ashford Manor that since your belly will grow larger with the pregnancy, he’s taken you abroad for an early honeymoon. He emphasized repeatedly that when you return to the Ashford Manor, you shouldn’t say anything wrong, or he’ll confine you again and keep you in the villa until you give birth.”
Lena’s heart ached sharply, as if pierced by a blade. But she quickly dismissed those painful emotions that had once tormented her. She needed to find a way out.
Lena had considered pretending to have stomach pains. After all, everyone thought she was still pregnant, and those guarding her wouldn’t want anything to happen to her. But once a doctor examined her, the fact that she had already miscarried would be exposed. Robert might become angry and confine her for even longer. She couldn’t take that risk and could only continue to
wait.
Over the next few days, Lena behaved obediently, causing her guards to lower their vigilance. With Robert’s consent, she was allowed to move freely within the villa.
The day before the wedding, many staff members came to the
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villa to prepare for the next day’s
ceremony. Lena was cooperative and then asked Ethan to return her backpack so she could use her phone to invite Jane to the wedding.
He returned her backpack and watched her dial Jane’s number before turning away. Lena quickly hid the important documents from her backpack under the folds of her wedding dress.
She was relieved to learn that Jane, unable to contact her, had already taken care of all the necessary procedures for her. Then, she asked Jane to help her contact a lawyer to transfer the billion–dollar villa Robert had given her to Colette.
After hanging up, Lena glanced at the door. Ethan had given her some privacy
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Having finished everything, she handed the phone back to Ethan. Just then, the phone rang. She nervously glanced at the screen, her heart pounding.
Lena had just discussed with Jane her escape plan for when she was taken back to the Ashford Manor in the morning–that would be the best opportunity. When she saw Robert’s name on the screen, her panic subsided.
“Lena, be good and wait for me to pick you up tomorrow morning,” his voice was much gentler than usual.
“Okay.”
Lena hung up and followed Ethan back to the Ashford Manor, waiting for Robert to pick her up early the next morning.
As dawn broke, everyone began bustling about.
While it was still dim outside, Lena secretly changed into a maid’s outfit and slipped out through the back door. Jane was already waiting for her with a car at the street corner behind the door.
Lena hurried toward the corner. Before getting into the car, she turned back for one last look at the mansion.
She thought, “From now on, I’m free! Robert will disappear from my world. Goodbye to everything here. Goodbye, Robert.”
