Chapter 8%
“Adalyn, I will find you. You promised me–no matter what happened, you said you’d never leave me.”%
Robert slammed his fist against the wall, his knuckles splitting open as blood seeped through the cracks. “Robert, what’s wrong? You’re hurt!” Lexi’s delicate fingers brushed over his wounded hand before she leaned in, wrapping her arms around him.
“I still can’t believe Adalyn was the heiress of McLeod Holdings this whole time. She never told us…. maybe we never really mattered to her.“%
“It almost feels like she never even wanted to be your bride.“2
Lexi rose onto her tiptoes, tilting her head up until her warm lips brushed against his cold ones.
“Robert, I’m willing… I’ll be your bride.”
Just then, his phone vibrated again. His assistant had sent a series of photos and a video.%
Robert glanced down and tapped the video. The moment it started playing, a clear female voice rang out.
[“Forge a blindness diagnosis for me. I want Adalyn’s corneas. You know what to do, right?“]
Lexi’s soft, affectionate gaze shattered in an instant, replaced by sheer panic.
The video continued.
[“Take care of the person in the dressing room. I’ll pay you worth two millions.”]
Robert’s expression darkened, veins bulging across the back of his hand.
Before he could react, Lexi lunged at him, grabbing the phone and hurling it to the floor. Clutching his arm tightly, her eyes brimmed with tears, her face full of desperation and innocence–like she was the victim.
“No! It’s not true, Robert! This is all fake–Adalyn must have created this video to frame me! She’s jealous of me! Jealous of how much you care about me! You have to believe me, Robert!“>
Tears dripped onto the back of Robert’s hand. He had lost count of how many times Lexi had cried in front of him.”
Every time, those tears had made him hesitate, made him lower his guard, made him cross the line again and again. Because of those tears, he had hurt Adalyn–over and over.
Robert reached out and wiped the tears from the corner of Lexi’s eyes, his voice eerily calm. “Don’t cry. It’d be a shame if you went
blind.”
Then, without warning, his hand shot up, wrapping around Lexi’s slender throat. His grip was merciless, his eyes filled with nothing but hatred.”
“Who gave you permission to hurt Adalyn?” His fingers tightened, his rage suffocating any trace of reason.
The sweet, innocent Lexi he had once trusted–had once protected–was nothing more than a manipulative liar. A woman full of deceit and cruelty.”
Worst of all, she had dared to harm the one person he couldn’t bear to lose.
He had been played. Lied to. Used.
Lexi clawed desperately at his hands, struggling for breath as she choked out a few broken words.
“I’ll die… and even then… Adalyn will never forgive you…”
Robert’s grip loosened instantly, and he stepped back, watching coldly as Lexi collapsed to the floor, coughing violently.
“Then I’ll use you to earn Adalyn’s forgiveness. Worry not, you’re not going to die yet. You still owe her your uterus and corneas.“>
Lexi’s head snapped up. She fell to her knees, clutching at his pant leg, begging desperately.
Robert, however, didn’t even spare her a glance.}
As he walked away, his tall figure exuding nothing but indifference, Lexi suddenly let out a sharp, mocking laugh.
“Robert, you’re pathetic. The one who hurt Adalyn… was YOU!“}
“Her uterus, her corneas–you were the one who took them. Do you really think offering me up will make her forgive you? Do you think the McLeods will just let you walk away? Face it–we’re both going to hell.“”
Robert’s footsteps faltered for just a second, but he never looked back. Without another word, he walked out of the villa.
The crisp night air carried the sweet scent of lilacs. In his mind, my voice echoed, soft and full of love.!
“When the lilacs bloom, I’ll marry you. I’ll be your bride, Robert.”
A tear slid silently down Robert’s face.
As the wind whispered through the trees, his hoarse voice drifted into the night.
10
0
“I’m sorry, Adalyn. This was all my fault.”
