Elaine was weak and weary along the way and could not compose herself. She was so sad that she
almost cried. On the one hand, she did not want to believe that she was adopted and on the other hand
she was upset with herself for her stubbornness.
Her father was so good to her even when she was adopted and she was not even grateful. She
realized that she was wrong.
She sobbed and was determined to be good to her father and would not throw tantrums anymore. After
half an hour, the car stopped at a private courtyard.
Elaine looked around after exiting the car and asked, “Didn’t you say that we’ll go back to Riverside
City? Where are we?”
“It’s too late tonight. We’ll go back tomorrow.”
“Oh.” Elaine lowered her head and followed him into the building.
Darnell sat on the sofa and was speaking to his men.
Elaine raised her head and looked Darnell in the eyes and lowered her head again. She said
nonchalantly, “I’m tired and going to bed.”
“There are empty rooms on level three. Pick one.”
Elaine went upstairs and Darnell asked, “What’s wrong with her?”
Vincent sat beside him and struggled not to laugh, “I told her that she was adopted.”
Darnell was speechless.
“Childish tricks.”
“Yeah, it’s childish but she still believed it.” Vincent continued, “No wonder she is not suspicious of
Caesar.”
Darnell rubbed his temples and did not know how to respond.
Vincent said, “It’s good anyway, at least she’ll remain quiet. Otherwise, she’ll escape when she sees
you.”
Darnell stood up and said, “I’m going to bed.”
Darnell paused when he was at the second floor. He stood for a few seconds before walking up to the
third floor.
Elaine lay on the bed and looked blankly ahead.
After a while, she heard a knock on the door and heaved feebly, “Come in.”
Darnell walked in and said calmly, “Go down and get the first aid box and take care of the abrasions on
your face.”
Elaine turned away and said, “Don’t bother. Just let me self-destruct.”
“Do not make me repeat myself,” Darnell warned.
The threat was effective. She got up and walked towards Darnell. “Although I’ve decided to be married
to you, you cannot order me like that! I have my dignity. I said that I don't…”
She looked into Darnell’s eyes and felt a chill running down her spine. She then quickly changed her
words and said, “I can accommodate.”
After that, she felt resigned to fate, closed her eyes, and approached him.
As she walked nearer to Darnell, he reached out to stop her by the forehead , “You don’t have to do
anything that you don’t want to. I said that I won’t marry you.”
“But… My father wants me to marry you.”
“So now you know that you were adopted by your father, and you feel bad for all these years. That's
why you want to sacrifice yourself to repay your father?”
Elaine gently nodded because he said correctly.
It was silent in the room for a while before Darnell burst into laughter, “You really know how to repay
your father.”
“Of course. I’m not an ungrateful person.”
“Didn’t you feel that you were ungrateful when you left Riverside City secretly?”
Elaine blushed, “Am I not making up for it now?”
Darnell suddenly realized why Vincent would joke with her. It was funny and rather satisfying.
He said, “Aren’t you afraid of me? Have you heard of what happened to the James family?”
“What… what…” She thought about the few elders who were killed and Elaine backed away.
When she saw the news, she did not think that Darnell was responsible for it. He could have dealt with
those elders far more effectively than to kill them. But now by the way he said, it seemed that he could
be the one who did it…
Elaine’s heart sank and then started to race.
Darnell continued, “Even under such circumstances, are you still willing to be married to me according
to your father’s wishes?”
Elaine was so terrified that she closed her eyes as if she was encouraging herself, and then she
shouted, “Yes! So long as my father wants me to marry you, I will…”
Before she could finish, she heard the door close. When she opened her eyes, Darnell was nowhere to
be seen.
Did he leave? He let her go so easily?
Elaine could not believe it and felt as though she had reincarnated.
Half an hour later, there was another knock on the door.
The servant entered and asked, “Ms. James, these are the clothes Mr. James prepared for you.
There's also ointment for your abrasions. Do you need my help?”
Elaine shook her head and took over the items. She said, “Thanks, I’ll manage myself.”
As she cleaned her wounds, it hurt so badly that she almost cried but she endured the pain.
She lay on the bed and stared at the moon. Somehow, she felt as though she was home. She
managed to fall asleep soundly.
…
On the second day, Stella woke up and was preparing breakfast. Clarence walked out of the bedroom
and asked, “Are you going to the studio today?”
Stella said, “I’ll decide later.”
Clarence’s phone rang and he answered the call. Thereafter he told Stella, “Elaine’s found.”
Stella looked around and asked, “Where is she now?”
“She’s taken away by Vincent.”
Stella was stunned and asked, “Then she…”
Clarence sat at the dining table and said, “Relax, she’ll be fine. Darnell arrived at City N yesterday
morning. Elaine must be with him now.”
Stella heaved a sigh of relief on hearing that Elaine was safe. But she asked curiously, “How did
Vincent find her?”
Clarence replied, “If I guess it correctly, when Elaine was taken away, Vincent’s man had already
followed them. They did not have a suitable opportunity to save her. Or perhaps they waited for Darnell
to arrive at City N before taking action.”
“How’s the situation at the James family?”
“It’s already settled.”
“So fast?”
“Before the news announcement, Darnell returned to Riverside City secretly. He remained low profile to
see if anyone was interfering.” Clarence said.
Stella clicked her tongue in awe as Darnell deserved to be the head of the James family with his
ruthlessness.
She pondered for a while before saying, “Now that he was at City N, does it mean…”
Clarence continued her sentence calmly, “Those people are all at City N.”
Stella pursed her lips slightly. Now that Elaine was rescued, Caesar no longer had a bargaining chip.
However, it was certain that he had other tricks up his sleeve.
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