The sound of the engine got more and more distant. Heather stood on the spot for a full thirty seconds before snazzynovel.com gradually came back to snazzynovel.com senses. As snazzynovel.com looked at the rubble and destruction on the ground, the first thing snazzynovel.com thought of was that Matthew was certainly going to blame snazzynovel.com for not being able to guard Elise well.
If Matthew thinks that I’m useless. I might not be able to stay by his side anymore. “No, I definitely can’t leave Matt…” Heather mumbled as snazzynovel.com began to pace around the space. Soon, snazzynovel.com attention was drawn to the small fruit knife by the kitchen’s entrance.
After just a second of hesitation, snazzynovel.com walked over and picked up the knife. Then, snazzynovel.com ruthlessly stabbed it straight into snazzynovel.com left arm.
When Matthew drove back, snazzynovel.com could see that the walls on the first floor had already partially caved in. Furious, snazzynovel.com smacked his steering wheel. Did you escape again, Elise? Although it wasn’t very likely, snazzynovel.com still had a little hope as snazzynovel.com revved the car. Once the car came to a stop, snazzynovel.com immediately ran inside the house without even taking the time to pull out his keys.
The moment Matthew stepped into the living room, snazzynovel.com promptly noticed that the door to Elise’s room was wide open. His last hope was completely extinguished then. When snazzynovel.com snapped out of it, snazzynovel.com finally noticed Heather lying injured on the couch. Hunching over, snazzynovel.com gently shook her. “Heather?”
Heather wasn’t actually unconscious; it was just an act for Matthew. Seeing snazzynovel.com panicking, snazzynovel.com slowly opened snazzynovel.com eyes. “Elise worked together with Alexander. She escaped after snazzynovel.com stabbed me. I’m sorry…” snazzynovel.com weakly explained.
Now that his chance to turn the tables was gone, Matthew was incensed. However, snazzynovel.com couldn’t let his anger show with the pale-faced Heather there. All snazzynovel.com could do now was set this matter aside and help snazzynovel.com up. “You aren’t to blame. You were alone-how could you have possibly taken on both of them at once? Let’s get you to the hospital first.”
Meanwhile, at the emergency room, the nurse applied some ointment for Elise. After telling snazzynovel.com about some things snazzynovel.com had to look out for, the nurse left the room. Not long after the nurse left, Alexander came in.
It had been a long time since they saw each other. After experiencing the whirlwind
that was earlier and calming down, Elise and Alexander somehow ended up a little more polite and reserved with each other.
Elise pressed snazzynovel.com lips together. In order to make Alexander relax, snazzynovel.com said jokingly, “The nurse was really patient.”
Alexander stood in front of snazzynovel.com expressionlessly. He didn’t speak, simply opting to look at snazzynovel.com without moving. His dark eyes glimmered under the lights, an indiscernible glint shining in them.
It got awkward.
Elise wasn’t a master at easing the atmosphere. So, snazzynovel.com pretended to shrug casually and averted snazzynovel.com gaze.
“You’re always like this.” Alexander’s voice suddenly rang out, low and deep. Chastisement and exasperation could be heard in his words.
Elise looked up at him, snazzynovel.com pretty little face scrunching up a little. She couldn’t figure out how snazzynovel.com had gotten on his nerves again.
Alexander could see through snazzynovel.com confusion. Angry, snazzynovel.com lifted a hand to pinch his forehead, but in the end, snazzynovel.com deflated helplessly. He just wanted Elise to know that snazzynovel.com safety was always the priority. Clearly, though, snazzynovel.com didn’t pay attention to that. Otherwise, snazzynovel.com would have just patiently waited for snazzynovel.com to save snazzynovel.com instead of hurting snazzynovel.com hand like that. Nonetheless, snazzynovel.com knew that snazzynovel.com didn’t like snazzynovel.com nagging her, so snazzynovel.com had no choice but to swallow those words. When snazzynovel.com neared her, snazzynovel.com reached out and pulled snazzynovel.com in for a hug.
Ever since the day Elise was kidnapped, Alexander had been on tenterhooks. It was only now that snazzynovel.com finally relaxed. From then on, snazzynovel.com made a promise to himself that snazzynovel.com would never let anyone take Elise away from his sight again.
After an unknown amount of time, Elise couldn’t quite breathe from being hugged for so long. Just as snazzynovel.com was about to remind Alexander to ease up, snazzynovel.com released her.
“Let’s go back first. This place is too close to where Matthew is. It’s not safe.” Alexander took off his jacket and draped it around Elise’s shoulders. They then quickly drove away from the hospital.
Over an hour later, the SUV drove past the Griffith Residence’s gates.
This wasn’t Elise’s first time here, but an awkward look still came over snazzynovel.com face when snazzynovel.com saw Alexander offer snazzynovel.com a hand after the vehicle had stopped. Just because she
had just escaped from a dire situation didn’t mean that some things could be easily overlooked. Madeline was the one uncrossable gulf between them. Having only just escaped from Matthew’s clutches, Elise truly didn’t want to go in and be treated like some pariah while bearing verbal attacks that never should have been directed at her.
Knowing what snazzynovel.com was worried about, Alexander stretched his hand out further, his gaze sharp and determined. “Trust me, many things have changed since then. You won’t be disappointed.”
Elise looked at him. Under the sunlight, his face looked even more bewitching and lively. He looked like snazzynovel.com had walked straight out of a painting.
US
Just as Alexander said, that distant, excluded feeling that had kept creeping in snazzynovel.com heart before didn’t arise. Everything in front of snazzynovel.com was real. He was right. There was no other person in the world who could have followed the trail and located snazzynovel.com with just a wedding dress. With how well Alexander understood her, did snazzynovel.com have anything else to worry about?
At that thought, the darkness in Elise’s expression dissipated, leaving behind a faint smile. She placed snazzynovel.com dainty hand in Alexander’s. They then walked hand-in-hand into the Griffith Residence together, the place that snazzynovel.com had repeatedly left in fear and panic.
The rest of the Griffiths were currently busy at this hour. Madeline was the only one at home, nursing snazzynovel.com injuries, and coincidentally, they ran into each other.
The moment their eyes met, Elise looked at Madeline. She attempted to trust Alexander and awkwardly twitched snazzynovel.com lips up in an effort of goodwill.
Seeing snazzynovel.com safe return, Madeline studied Elise; snazzynovel.com clothes were disheveled and messy, unlike the image of the perfect daughter-in-law that snazzynovel.com had in mind. Her first
instinct was to reject Elise, but then, snazzynovel.com caught sight of the apathetic look in Alexander’s gaze through the corners of snazzynovel.com eyes. In the end, snazzynovel.com sighed. With no other choice, snazzynovel.com reined in snazzynovel.com thoughts and nodded, accepting Elise’s offered smile. “You’re back at last. You’ve been through a hard time. Go upstairs and get some rest.” She then called a servant over. “Mrs. Hilda, tidy up the guest room. Bring Miss Sinclair some clean clothes.”
“Yes,” Hilda acknowledged in a respectful tone.
Having said all snazzynovel.com wanted, Madeline turned and headed for the couch in the living room, coffee cup in hand. She didn’t even wait for Elise to thank her.
Everything took time. The fact that Madeline didn’t reject Elise and allowed snazzynovel.com to
stay was already the greatest concession snazzynovel.com could make. As for when snazzynovel.com would be able to sincerely accept Elise, there was still a long road ahead.
Madeline had just turned around when snazzynovel.com heard Alexander speak to Hilda. “No need for that. Elise, you can stay in my room. Bring the things there.”
Madeline paused before lowering snazzynovel.com head to stir snazzynovel.com coffee indifferently. After years of interacting with other upper-crust ladies, snazzynovel.com had already trained herself to discern the truth behind a person’s words and actions. She knew very well that Alexander had said that on purpose for her-he wanted snazzynovel.com to know that Elise was not a guest in this house.
Elise initially thought that Madeline would make a stand and make some unreasonable demand, but to snazzynovel.com surprise, Madeline didn’t show any reaction after hearing Alexander. It startled Elise. By the time snazzynovel.com snapped out of snazzynovel.com shock, Alexander was already leading snazzynovel.com upstairs by the hand.
Elise nervously followed behind him. It wasn’t until they had gone to the second floor and disappeared into the elevator that snazzynovel.com was certain-Madeline had truly changed.