Chapter 6
From the moment I decided to leave Elliott, I began devising a way to escape with Noreen.
I knew Elliott well. Though he had cheated on me, he was a man of possessiveness and would never al- low us to leave.
As I was racking my brains for a solution, the memory of that kidnapping sparked an idea.
I hired men to pose as the kidnappers’ accomplices and stage our deaths.
It was the only way to be free of Elliott for good.
I presumed he had found the divorce papers on his desk by now. Perhaps he was already living a happy life with Vanessa and Bobby.
It was probably for the best. At least Noreen and I would never again live in fear of being kidnapped by
his enemies.
Having grown up in the south, Noreen loved the ocean here.
A friend of mine obtained new IDs for us, and I enrolled Noreen in a local kindergarten.
In the past, because of Elliott’s status, we had always hired private tutors to teach Noreen at home. Now that she could finally be with children of her age, she visibly became much more outgoing and cheerful.
As for me, I opened a flower shop. Waking up to see Noreen’s sweet, cute face and surrounded by a flo- ral scent every day, I felt reborn, the shadow haunting me fading away.
While we enjoyed a life of peace and freedom, the Gildon family in the north descended into chaos.
Within six months, Elliott led his men on a ruthless campaign, wiping out rival gangs one by one. He showed no mercy, not even to those who had never crossed him.
He would savagely beat every gang leader and demand the same question: “Where are my wife and my daughter?”
He didn’t get lucky every time. Once, one of his legs was broken.
Meanwhile, fragments of the truth began to reach him through the maids’ gossip.
For example, Vanessa had faked her morning sickness to stop him from rescuing me.
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Chapter 6
She had spread the false news of my death, which led to me being tortured for over a year.
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She had locked Noreen in the dog cage, hoping Rocky would maul her to death so that no one would ri- val Bobby for the family fortune.
She had even leaked our whereabouts to the motorcyclists that day to get rid of me for good. Fortunate- ly, Elliott, worried about me, had slipped a sleeping pill into her milk. Otherwise, she would have pestered him relentlessly, preventing him from leaving, and I would have died that day.
Utterly enraged, Elliott had her beaten severely.
Dragged before him, covered in blood, she pleaded for mercy in a pitiful voice, “Elliott, I had my rea- son. Ralph died so young, and I had to use whatever means necessary to secure my place in this fami- ly.”
Irritated, he massaged his temples. “You did have a place. I’ve never mistreated you. Besides, I told you long ago that I would name Bobby my heir. So why? Why target Rosa and Noreen like that?”
She retorted, “Even so, do you truly believe Rosalind would have stood by quietly while Noreen was disinherited? I couldn’t live under that threat. It was better to get rid of her before she…”
A loud smack rang out.
Unable to hold back anymore, Elliott slapped her hard and roared, “You crazy bitch! You’re unbeliev- ably unreasonable!
“Since the day I brought you back, has Rosa ever given you a hard time? I told her from the very begin- ning that Bobby would be my heir, and she never uttered a single word of complaint.
“The most sacred rule of this family is that we do not harm our own. How could you do this to your own sister-in-law and your niece? With a venomous snake like you for a mother, who knows what kind of monster Bobby will become?”
Keenly understanding the implication behind his words, Vanessa looked up in terror. “What are you im- plying? Don’t even think about taking Bobby from me. He’s my son, and I’m the mother of the Gildon family’s future heir. I will be the hostess of this family!
“I never forced you to bring me here. I never forced you into my bed. And I sure as hell never forced you to make Rosalind my shield! You are the one who betrayed her! You are the reason she wanted a divorce! Don’t you dare pin it all on me!
“I’m Ralph’s late wife. You can’t kill me. Or he’s gonna haunt you every night!”
Elliott finally saw her true colors. He scoffed, “Chill. I won’t kill you or take Bobby away from you. From today on, he’ll be mine and Rosa’s. And you? You’ll be a nobody. He’ll never call you ‘Mom’.
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“For a year, Rosa was tortured. She even suffered a broken leg and lost three fingers. And it was all be- cause of you. I’ll lock you in the dog cage, break every one of your limbs, and have your food served to you in a dog plate.
“You will remain confined in that cage until the day you die, Vanessa.”
With that, he signaled for someone to drag her away, ignoring her desperate pleas and cries.
As her wails drifted away, Aaron handed him a photo.
The moment his eyes fell upon it-upon the two beloved figures, one adult and one child-a light of un- precedented hope ignited within them.
“Rosa…”
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