Chapter 2: Don’t Provoke Her
“You’ve played this trick once, that’s enough. Do it again and your act will fall apart.”
To think he almost pitied Ella, believing she had been abused in prison.
Now it was clear Ella was still putting on an act!
Meeting Liam’s cold gaze, Ella knew that no matter how she explained, Liam wouldn’t believe her
anymore.
But she didn’t want to be like this either. Those self–harming behaviors had long become ingrained
survival instincts.
Fighting the urge to hurt herself, she distanced herself from Liam.
“Sorry, Mr. Byrne. I didn’t mean to.”
“What did you call me?”
Liam’s eyes turned cold in an instant. His narrow eyes narrowed as he looked at her, his tone hard and biting. “Mr. Byrne? Ella, what game are you playing now?”
Ella pressed her lips together and lowered her head. Her eyes quickly reddened.
It seemed that in front of someone who didn’t love her, everything she did was wrong.
Curling into herself, she whispered, “Sorry. I’ll clean the mat when…”
Before she could finish, Liam cut her off, voice sharp. “No need. It’s getting thrown out.”
Thrown out?
Because she touched it?
Ella’s lips moved slightly. A bitter look crossed her face.
། ། །་ས།་་
She was dirty.
Her
In Liam’s eyes, even the things she touched were dirty and had to be thrown away.
“In your eyes, only Natalie is clean, huh?”
His expression darkened. For once, he got angry. “Don’t you dare mention her. This is your last warning. If you ever go near Natalie again and prison didn’t teach you, I’ll make sure someone else
does.”
Ella’s face lost its color in an instant, her eyes dimming.
Of course,
Three years of hell had taught her a lesson she wouldn’t forget.
She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the swirling emotions inside her, her fingers unconsciously clenching.
The car passed under a bridge, and the light flickered across Liam’s face, casting it in shadows and
then revealing it again.
Just like before, cold and distant.
Unwilling to give up, Ella asked one last question, “Mr. Byrne… those people in prison, did you really
bribe them?”
She didn’t believe he could be so cruel to her.
But when their gazes met, Liam’s voice was indifferent, “What kind of answer do you want to hear?”
Ella froze, then a bitter smile tugged at her lips.
Was this his way of admitting it?
Ella suddenly realized how ridiculous her seven–year love was.
The car soon stopped in front of the Rossi family’s mansion.
Chapter 2: Don’t Provoke Her
Though Natalic was the fake daughter, every year for her birthday, the Rossi family threw a grand
celebration.
Looking at the crowded golden hall, Ella felt a surge of trepidation. She nervously tugged at her
tattered T–shirt.
The prison guards never gave her a chance to use the bathroom, so she hadn’t bathed in a month. Her body emitted a strong, sour stench.
Liam had already gotten out of the car. Seeing Ella still dawdling, he couldn’t help but feel annoyed.
“What are you trying to do now? I’m warning you, don’t try any tricks. Behave yourself in the hall later and don’t provoke Natalie, or I’ll throw you out immediately.”
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She unconsciously gripped the edge of her sleeve. She wanted to ask Liam to let her take a shower first, but he had already impatiently pulled her out of the car.
With a ripping sound, the old T–shirt tore open.
Liam froze. Just as he was about to speak, his phone suddenly rang. It was Natalie.
“Liam, why aren’t you here yet? I miss you!”
Liam’s expression instantly softened. “I’ll be right there. Wait for me.”
Hanging up, Liam spoke rapidly, “Remember the back door of your house? Go in from there. I’ll have the maid leave a dress for you there.”
Before Ella could respond, he hurriedly left.
Ella stood there helplessly for a long time before composing herself and heading for the back door.
She waited a long time at the back door, but the maid Liam mentioned never came. Instead, a group of wealthy ladies came out to chat.
“Natalie isn’t of Rossi blood, yet she’s so favored. Could there be some secret? Mr. Rossi’s illegitimate daughter?” one woman wondered aloud.
“She can bring benefits to the family. I heard Natalie has only been in the company for half a year,
Chapter 2: Don’t Provoke Her
but she’s already closed several multi–million dollar deals. She’s very likely to become the heir,” another well–maintained lady explained.
“But it’s strange. Logically, Bianca Reed Rossi, who adopted Ella, should have been Natalie’s mother. But when they did a paternity test, it turned out they weren’t related.”
Ella clenched her fists upon hearing this.
She still hadn’t figured out why Natalie wasn’t related to Bianca.
She used to think that Bianca had swapped her for Natalie, but it turned out Natalie wasn’t her daughter either.
What went wrong? No one knew.
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As the ladies chatted, their eyes inadvertently turned to Ella standing at the back door.
One of them asked curiously, “Doesn’t that woman look a little like Ella?”
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