Chapter 19 Kenneth Forces Her to Apologize
Lauren stood by Elaine’s bedside, staring down at her motionless form. “Elaine, it’s me. Lauren. You hate me so much–you should recognize my voice, right? I’ve heard some coma patients are still aware of their surroundings. I wonder if you can hear me now. If you can, when are you going to wake up?”
She kept talking, her voice quiet and steady.
But the woman in the hospital bed didn’t stir. Not even the slightest response.
The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air, cold and sterile. The stark white walls and crisp hospital sheets only made Elaine’s frail, skeletal frame look even more fragile.
Lauren slowly sat down by the bed, her eyes fixed on Elaine’s pale, lifeless face.
“You know, everyone thinks I did this to you. But you know better than anyone that I’m innocent. You and I both know the truth. You’ve been in a coma for five years… and I spent those five years in prison for a crime Willow committed. You have no idea what it was like in there. They stabbed me with needles, beat me with sticks… they even took one of my kidneys. All because of Kenneth–he made sure I suffered, all in the name of revenge for you.”
Sunlight streamed through the small gaps in the curtains, casting fractured patterns of light across the floor. But no amount of warmth could cut through the cold, suffocating air in the hospital room
Lauren took a deep breath, forcing her tears back. “I still remember the first time I met you. You smiled so brightly, like a princess straight out of a fairy tale. Back then, 1 envied you. You had a family who adored you a life of privilege, and so many friends. And me? I finally returned to the Bennett family, but I never once felt like I belonged… And now. I’m nothing but a disgrace–a convicted criminal everyone despises. But we both know the truth. It wasn’t me who hurt you. It was Willow
Overwhelmed by a deep sense of injustice, tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them. She wiped them away quickly, unaware that, for the first time in five years, Elaine’s eyes twitched–just the slightest movement
Once she had composed herself, Lauren stood up. “Elaine, you have to wake up soon. I’ll come back to see you
She had barely stepped out of the hospital room when she froze.
A pair of piercing, ice–cold eyes locked onto hers.
The man standing before her was dressed in a sleek black suit, his tall frame exuding an overpowering presence. His sharp, chiseled features carried an almost ruthless precision–high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and deep–set eyes that seemed to pull everything into their depths.
His thick, arched brows angled slightly, sharpening the tensity of his gaze) Beneath his straight, well–defined nose, his lips were set in a firm, unreadable line. His clenched jaw and rigid posture exuded an air of dominance–cold, commanding, and impossible to ignore.
One look–just one–and Lauren’s body betrayed her. Her hands went cold. Her knees weakened. Every muscle in her body tensed, locked in place by sheer terror.
Her heart pounded against her chest, each beat hard and unsteady. Her breathing turned quick and shallow, struggling to keep up.
Kenneth took a slow, deliberate step forward, radiating an overwhelming sense of control–like a predator closing in on its
prey.
Lauren instinctively stepped back.
One step
Another
Then–bang
Her back hit the hospital room door, the dull thud echoing in the silent corridor.
His eyes locked onto her, making Lauren feel like prey caught in a predator’s sights–trapped, helpless, and with nowhere to
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Chapter 19 Kenneth Forces Her to Apologize
With nowhere left to run, Lauren was forced back into the hospital room.
Finished
His towering figure loomed over her, his presence suffocating. The air in the room grew thick, almost frozen: the only sound breaking the silence was the ragged rise and fall of Lauren’s breath.
She stumbled backward until her legs hit the hospital bed. There was nowhere left to go.
“Mr. Kenneth.”
Kenneth’s brow twitched slightly. His voice was deep and cold, dripping with authority
“Are you scared of me?”
Lauren lowered her gaze, barely able to breathe, Scared? How could I not be!
She had survived Bennett family cruelty. She had endured humiliation, suffering, and injustice. But him? He had broken her in ways no one else could
She had endured every one of his tactics in prison–he knew exactly how to strip away her dignity, push her to the edge of Jagony, yet never let her die. Instead, he left her barely clinging to life, trapped in a cycle of endless suffering
She could still summon the strength to fight back when facing the Bennetts.
But against him! Every last shred of courage disappeared, swallowed by the cold, paralyzing fear that gripped her entire body.
Her fingers twisted tightly into the fabric of her sleeves, her knuckles turning white.
Her breathing was erratic, her eyes wide with panic. Her terror was written all over her face.
“Mr. Kenneth, I’ve already spoken to Ms. Elaine. Can… can I leave now? Lauren’s voice was unsteady, trembling with fear.
She didn’t dare lift her head to meet Kenneth’s eyes, yet she could feel the suffocating chill radiating from him.
He tilted his head slightly, regarding her with the cold indifference of someone assessing something insignificant.
“Spoken to her?” His lips curled into a chilling smirk. Your father promised me you’d drop to your knees before Elaine and apologize. And you’ll keep going until I decide it’s enough.
Lauren’s face drained of color. Her head snapped up in shock, but under the weight of his piercing gaze, she quickly lowered it again.
Memories of the humiliation and suffering she endured in prison flooded her mind. The relentless torment, the days she wished for death just to escape, had conditioned her to instinctively fall at his feet and beg for mercy.
Kenneth took a step forward, his overwhelming presence pressing down on her.
“What’s wrong? Are you hesitating? Or do you actually think five years in prison was enough to make up for what you did to Elaine?”
Lauren trembled. She wanted to run, but her legs felt rooted to the ground, too heavy to move.
She wanted to speak, to defend herself, but she knew it was pointless. She knew he wouldn’t listen. He never had.
Five years ago, she had pleaded her innocence. He hadn’t believed a single word. Instead, he had made sure she suffered- ensuring that every day behind bars was pure hell
She feared him–not just in her mind, but in her very soul.
Lauren’s knees slowly buckled until she dropped to the floor.
Tam guilty. I how my head before Ms. Elaine and beg for forgiveness. Please, Mr. Kenneth, have mercy on me. With those words, she lowered her head–hard.
Bang Her forehead slammed against the cold floor with a dull, heavy thud.
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Chapter 19 Kenneth Forces Her to Apologize
Then again. And again. Each impact echoed through the room, each one heavier than the last
Dignity? She had given it up long ago–just to survive.
Finished
Kenneth watched in silence. But the satisfaction he had expected never came. Instead, a deep, unshakable irritation spread through him.
For years, he had wanted to see her like this–broken, on her knees, begging. Yet now that it was happening, there was no sense of victory, only an unshakable irritation gnawing at him.
Lauren’s forehead split open from the force of her bows, a thin stream of blood trickling down her face. Drop by drop, it fell onto the pristine white floor, blooming into a stark, crimson stain.
Yet she didn’t stop. Didn’t even flinch. She kept going, her movements mechanical, her voice raw as she repeated the same words. Tm guilty. I was wrong. Please, Mr. Kenneth, let me go
Each word left her lips in sync with the dull, heavy thud of her forehead striking the floor.
Kenneth’s fists clenched at his sides, the storm in his eyes raging
He didn’t notice that as Lauren kept bowing and pleading, Elaine’s eyes flickered beneath her closed lids. A single tear slid down her cheek, vanishing into the pillow
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