Evadne's lips were trembling, "Percy, are you doubting me?"Percival's eyes were dark, his face so grim it looked like it could drip water. He swallowed hard before speaking, "Evadne, you know I like people who are obedient and honest. I despise deceit."He gripped Evadne's chin tightly, as if he wanted to crush her jawbone. Forced to tilt her head back, her face was utterly pale. Whether it was from fear or pain, she tried to remain calm. But under Percival's piercing gaze, she felt guilty and her eyes flickered.Percival saw every nuance of Evadne's expression and let out a cold laugh.That laugh sent chills down Evadne's spine, making her legs tremble uncontrollably.Percival was already starting to doubt her. It wouldn't be long before he found out she had intentionally fallen down the stairs to frame Eulalia.Evadne didn't know how to dispel Percival's suspicions. The more she spoke, the more mistakes she'd make. Percival hated being deceived the most. Evadne felt her face drain
"Packing your stuff when you get home. Call me when you're ready to move, I'll arrange a driver," Percival said, his voice devoid of any warmth.Evadne was stunned. She hadn't expected Percival to kick her out so abruptly. After a long pause, she finally managed to say, "Alright."Mabel, who was standing nearby, was equally shocked. Not only had Evadne been discharged from the hospital, but now Percival was kicking her out. Could it be because he found out that Evadne had deliberately fallen down the stairs to frame Eulalia? Mabel wanted to speak up for Evadne, but guilt held her tongue. She didn't say another word until they left the hospital.Oliver quickly obtained the day's security footage from the building and rushed home, not even stopping for dinner. He began searching for the specific clip Percival had mentioned in his text. Percival had only given a rough time frame, not specifying what had happened during that
Eulalia was in a daze, Percival’s words echoing in her ears.—“You can have as many kids as you want in the future.”She was reminded of the nauseating words Percival had said earlier in the day when he brought Evadne to her hospital room.Eulalia shook her head, her reddened eyes staring blankly out the window. She mumbled to herself, her throat choked with sobs.Percival felt a sudden jolt in his heart. Before he could react, Eulalia let out a piercing scream and burst into tears.People break in an instant. Furious, Eulalia threw her head back, catching Percival off guard. He almost bit his tongue as his chin collided with her head.Quickly, Percival wrapped one arm tightly around Eulalia’s upper body while his other hand frantically pressed the call button on the wall.Worried she might hurt herself again, he swiftly grabbed both her wrists, restraining her in his arms.He had never really comforted anyone before; even his tenderness towards Evadne was half-hearted. Now, with Eula
“People with mental issues should really go to a psych ward, you know? Saves everyone else from getting hurt.” The crowd chimed in, nodding in agreement. “These days, you can’t even press charges if someone with a mental illness hurts you.”“Yeah, and they’ve got specialized equipment for treating mental disorders over there,” someone added.“You guys should move. It’s for the greater good,” another voice chimed in.The crowd had gathered to suggest that Eulalia should be moved out. Percival’s face darkened with each passing second. His hawk-like eyes glared menacingly, making the once-aggressive family members of other patients step back.“Whether she moves or not is none of your damn business!” Percival snapped. With his family’s wealth, he could buy the entire hospital if they pissed him off. Then they’d see who’d be rolling out.Percival’
Percival had always been arrogant, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. They say all roads lead to Rome, but Percival was born in Rome—truly a golden child.With talent comes ego, and everyone around him bowed to his whims. Add to that his good looks, high status, and charisma, and he never lacked for admirers.But he was emotionally detached, never desiring anyone—until he met Eulalia. A woman he thought he’d loathe for a lifetime, yet she shattered all his preconceptions.He believed she loved him to death, especially after four years of a dutiful marriage where she put up with his every whim.But now, someone told him that all of Eulalia’s affection was misplaced. She had mistaken him for another man.He had been enjoying another man’s love; Eulalia was never meant to be his.The thought was a gut punch, veins popping on his forehead. Pressing his temples, Percival leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths to suppress the rage boiling within.“Don’t run your mouth around her a
Evadne stood under the sun, holding a thermal lunch box. Her face was flushed from the heat. When she saw Percival come out, her eyes couldn’t hide her joy, but she tried her best to suppress it.“Percy, I made some soup for you and Eulalia. It’s got your favorite veggies in it.”Percival looked her up and down before finally resting his gaze on the lunch box she was holding. It looked heavy.He took it from her. “You don’t have to bring this over anymore.”“I was worried you wouldn’t like takeout.”He’d been eating Eulalia’s cooking for a few days and had gotten used to it. Takeout just didn’t cut it anymore. But he couldn’t afford to be picky now. Besides, Evadne’s cooking wasn’t much better than takeout. It was a waste of time.Percival was a rational guy, good at time management and planning his day. To others, this made him seem cold and unlikable.“Do you want to come in for a bit?” Percival noticed the sweat on her forehead.Evadne forced a smile. “I’d better not. Eulalia might
Eulalia had been in a bad mental state for the past few weeks, mostly lost in a foggy illusion. She saw her deceased father and the unborn child she lost. Every time she thought about it, the pain was unbearable, so much so that she even considered ending her life during her therapy sessions.All this agony was brought on by Percival. She had initially planned to use the remaining year of her life to get back at him, but the man was like a fortress—impenetrable. Even with her burning resolve, she couldn’t melt his icy heart.She had overestimated herself and underestimated Percival’s cold-heartedness. She foolishly thought she could warm his heart with her touch, only to find out that Percival had no heart to begin with.“Percival, I owe you nothing. Or rather, I’ve paid back whatever I owed you, with interest,” Eulalia said.Percival acted as if he hadn’t heard her. “I know you resent me. I’ll make it
Percival could see that Eulalia was in a foul mood, so he changed the subject, "Do you want to hire a maid to take care of you, now that you're home alone?""I don't need one. I can take care of myself," Eulalia responded listlessly, sipping her soup with a lack of interest."You can choose the maid yourself. Having someone to talk to at home could be good for you." He genuinely cared for Eulalia's wellbeing, aware that her mental state hadn't fully recovered yet, displaying a tendency towards self-isolation that needed addressing.With his unavoidable obligations, he couldn't be by her side at all times. He hadn't been to his company for a month, leaving a pile of documents needing his signature and social obligations that required his presence.After her discharge from the hospital, Eulalia had changed; the once gentle and soft demeanor now occasionally erupted in unexplained fits of anger.Before her illness, a frustrated Eulalia would merely scoff at Percival, but now, she would r
#Barry AnimalAbuse#This trending topic suddenly appeared at the top of social media.Barry rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating from stress or if there was an issue with her phone. Hadn't Evette just told her on the call that #Eulalia AnimalAbuse# was trending? Why was she seeing something different?Barry's heart pounded, and a growing sense of unease filled her. She carefully opened her eyes again and looked at her phone. Nothing had changed from what she saw earlier, except the trending topic kept rising in popularity.Barry's face went pale, and her breath grew cold. Though autumn hadn't arrived yet, she felt a winter chill. The air entering her nose felt like icy vapor, freezing her heart. The cold sensation spread down her spine.How could this be happening?Why was it completely different from what Evette had said?Didn't Evette say Eulalia was trending? Why was she herself the top trend instead?Though animal abuse wasn't technically illegal, and what's done wa
Victor's large, warm hands enveloped Eulalia's cold ones completely.Victor was the golden boy, a perfect specimen in the entertainment world. This perfection wasn't just about his looks, but also his voice and his very soul.They say that pretty faces are a dime a dozen, while fascinating souls are one in a million. Victor had both.Those who knew him well were aware of his quirks - he could be a total dork sometimes, clueless about romance despite being overly narcissistic. His face would betray his Evettery emotion, and his ears would wiggle when he got cocky. For all his self-admiration, he'd turn beet red whenEvetter his crush was near.With Eulalia, he was gentle, wanting to get close but afraid of scaring her off. When she was in trouble, he stood firmly by her side, even if she didn't spare him a glance.Victor's affection for Eulalia was obvious, but his approach was cautious.Eulalia watched his lips move, his soft voice reaching her ears like a gentle breeze, slowly soothin
Eulalia gently stroked the singed fur of the ragdoll cat, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Her gray eyes were filled with moisture, stinging painfully.Her eyes were either unable to cry or unable to stop once they started. Now they seemed almost blind with grief. She tilted her head back, veins bulging in her neck, mouth slightly open and eyes tightly shut as she let out a hoarse, anguished cry.Her choked, raspy voice was broken, like a rusty knife scraping against a whetstone - so harsh and painful to hear that it made one's heart clench.Victor's eyes were red too, but he turned away silently. He couldn't show any weakness, afraid he wouldn't be able to support Eulalia if he did.Kneeling on the ground, Eulalia slowly scattered dirt over Misty's body, burying her until she was no longer visible. Eulalia's thin frame shook violently, her fragmented sobs growing from quiet to loud as her grief reached its peak.Eulalia had never imagined she could feel heartbreak like t
As much as she wanted to block out the world, cruel voices kept invading Eulalia's ears. Misty wasn't just a cat; she had saved Eulalia's life. They had promised to be together forever. Misty was family, a lifeline in her darkest moments, a light in the shadows.Eulalia's voice was hoarse, her tear-choked words barely intelligible as she called out "Misty" over and over. The pain in her chest was unbearable, desperately needing something to fill the void. Her grip on Victor's shirt loosened as she clutched Misty's collar tightly to her heart."Eulalia," Victor whispered. The girl in his arms was ice-cold, shivering uncontrollably. Her anguished sobs had faded to quiet whimpers.Even after crying her heart out, Eulalia wasn't feeling any better. Her veins were bulging, her temples throbbing. Her body alternated between freezing shivers and feverish heat, her back burning and itching.Victor's heart clenched. He opened his mouth, but no words of comfort came out.Kneeling down, Victor g
Eulalia's hands trembled as she reached out to touch Misty's wounded body. Her hands came away bloody. Ropes had cut deeply into Misty's limbs, and blood covered the cat's body, tail, paws, and head."Misty..." Eulalia's eyes were terrifyingly red, dry from the intensity of her grief. The pain was so extreme she couldn't even cry.In a daze, Eulalia somehow managed to untie the ropes binding Misty. All she could see were the burn wounds on Misty's skin and the blood oozing from four small punctures in the cat's mouth. Misty's sharpest fangs had been viciously pulled out. How much agony had Misty endured?"Misty, I'm here now. Look at me. Didn't we promise to always be together?" Eulalia's body shook as she cradled the bloodied cat. "I'll cancel all my work... I'll stay by your side from now on. I'll never leave you with anyone else again. Please, just hang on a little longer..."Misty lay in Eulalia's arms, struggling to open her eyes at the sound of Eulalia's voice.It's Eulalia... E
Barry noticed the collar around the cat's neck and tried to cut it off with a knife, but it wouldn't budge. Frustrated, she gave up—she couldn’t waste time on a collar.Gripping the cat's jaw, she forced its mouth open, grabbing its sharp teeth with pliers. "You want to bite me? I’ll pull out every last tooth and see if you try that again."Misty trembled, lying helpless on the ground, bound and unable to move. After all, it was just a cat—no way to beg for mercy.Barry's eyes darkened, and with a sharp tug, a sickening crack rang out, like bones being torn from flesh. Misty's scream filled the air."Meow..." Blood spilled from the cat's mouth, staining its once-pristine fur. Misty lay there, defeated, and in that moment, all it could think about was Eulalia."I just wanted to spend more time with you... I wanted to see you again…"...After dinner, Eulalia was told to get ready for the next scene. She glanced at the door, feeling uneasy—Jane hadn't returned yet. Eulalia called her, a
Eulalia took the phone Jane handed her and attached the tracking device to Misty’s collar. “Misty's well-behaved; she won't run off.” “I know, but just in case… too many people dislike me. If they can’t get to me, they might target Misty. A tracker at least adds some safety.” Eulalia focused on the device, missing the brief flicker in Jane’s expression. Jane pressed her lips together, hesitating like she wanted to say something, but held back. “All done,” Eulalia returned the phone, noticing Jane still looked tense. She ruffled her hair. “If something’s on your mind, tell me, don’t bottle it up.” “I…” Jane started, then glanced at Misty in her arms, “I’m fine, really.” “Alright, if you say so.” Eulalia could sense something off, but couldn’t quite place it. Maybe Jane had issues at home these past few days. It wasn’t her place to pry if Jane didn’t want to talk.Just then, Reid called, telling Eulalia to get ready for her scenes. The day was packed with her shoot, and wrap
Percival’s heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand arrows at the thought of Eulalia in bed with Victor. It was only 1 a.m. when he glanced at the clock, and he reached under his pillow for the wedding photo of him and Eulalia. In the picture, she smiled cautiously, her dimples soft, eyes gentle. The photo wasn’t big, but he pressed it to his chest alongside the well-worn journal he often read, then lay back down.That night, he didn’t dream. But when he woke, his eyes were damp, his face sticky with tears that left his skin stinging.As a cancer patient, Percival's body was weak, and he often caught colds easily. The open window and a night of cold wind, combined with the emotional breakdown after seeing the picture Victor posted, left him feverish.The housekeeper was the first to notice and rushed to inform Mr. Lee, who promptly called for a doctor. The doctor came, measured Percival's temperature, and set up an IV. But as the doctor tried to insert the needle, he noticed
Eulalia had never seen a post about herself deleted so quickly before.She sat cradling Misty in one arm, absently fingering the tag on the cat's collar. After a few minutes, her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number:"Eulalia, I don't want you as a replacement anymore. Stay by my side and I can protect you. Percival is ruthless - if you want a better life, stay far away from that madman."Eulalia frowned as she read the message. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard to reply "Go to hell," but she thought better of it and deleted the draft. There was nothing worth saying to someone like Trent. She blocked the number and set up a custom auto-reply instead.Meanwhile, Trent was anxiously awaiting Eulalia's response. He thought he had made himself clear - surely the small-town girl would get the hint. But after half an hour of silence, doubt crept in. Had she not seen the message? Or was she too afraid to reply?He sent another text:"If you come back to me obediently, I'm will