CHAPTER 35“Why Daddy and Momma acting weird again?” Lottie sighed, noticing her parents still giving each other the cold shoulder since yesterday.Earl disagreed. “It’s just Momma. She doesn’t want to talk to Dad. Momma is avoiding him.”“Are they fighting again? Is Daddy our enemy? Again?”“No. Dad wants to talk to Momma. Just look at him.”Both kids slumped their shoulders and watched their father who kept glancing at their mother.“Daddy looks like a puppy, Earl,” Lottie giggled sticking out her lips to mimic a cute puppy’s face.The eldest chuckled softly and reached out his hand to give Lottie a playful high-five.“Daddy might hear you.”“I’ll just be sweet to him so he won’t get mad.”“What did Daddy do this time?”Lottie shrugged and craned her neck to peek at the sliding door leading to the swimming pool. “Let’s ask Rufus.”Earl nodded, and the mischievous twins quickly slipped out of the living room.Rufus was taken aback when the twins cornered him.He immediately tossed aw
CHAPTER 36 (PART 1)"Liz, my goodness, is that you?" Cecil couldn’t contain her excitement when she approached her.Like her, the old woman wore a mask and a hat to hide their face from the public’s eye."I missed you too, Cecil. Where’s Sir Arthur?" Liz asked."He’s upstairs. We need to hurry before Martha’s guard catches us." Cecil had sternly instructed her not to tell anyone where Arthur was admitted.She grabbed Liz by the arm and pulled her towards the stairs as she spotted someone approaching. Panic was etched on her face."I'm sorry, Liz, but we can’t use the elevator. We have to be careful.""Are you sure you can manage, Cecil?" Liz asked, concerned, when Cecil mentioned that Arthur's room was on the 26th floor. "I can go on my own if it's too much.""I’ll manage. I should’ve done this a long time ago. I was too afraid of Martha."Liz carefully assisted Cecil with each step."I should’ve made sure you were safe back then," Cecil said regretfully."I’m okay now,” Liz reassured
CHAPTER 36 (PART 2)“Where’s Auntie Pretty, Momma?”She made sure Earl’s seatbelt was securely fastened before answering, “I’ll meet her later.”“But Daddy said you went out with Auntie. Who did you visit at the hospital?” Earl even pointed directly at the Mother Sedon building in the distance.“Just a friend, Baby.”“A guy friend, Momma?”Why is Earl suddenly so nosy?“How did you know I was here?” she asked instead and raised an eyebrow at her kids who simultaneously pointed at Wulfric behind her.“Daddy’s a stalker!” Lottie yelled, giggling. “It’s not our fault, Momma.”Wulfric calmly responded, “Rufus told me.”She wasn’t surprised at all by his answer. Elizabeth had asked Rufus to drop her off a few blocks away from Mother Sedon yet they still managed to track her.Shaking her head, she got into the car. She thought the two little ones would give her a break during the drive but they continued with their questions—especially Earl who interrogated her like a detective trying to ge
CHAPTER 37Dorothea and her plans for the day were canceled because something urgent had come up with her best friend. However, she texted Elizabeth the address she had been asking for:‘8 Burn Road #04 Soutshire City.’“Oh, Burn Road!” Liz exclaimed. Nearly stumbled into Wulfric’s hard chest and almost fell down the stairs.“Jesus! Careful,” Wulfric snapped.He inspected her left knee. Seeing no injury, he picked up her phone instead. She quickly snatched it back and glared at him."Nosy much?""What are you planning to do at that place?""I’m going for a little trip. Why? Do you want to come along?”Wulfric’s jaw clenched and his forehead creased with irritation at her sarcasm. It wasn’t like she could help it—he always got on her nerves, even though she had no right to feel this way."I'm asking you nicely, Elizabeth.”"Elizabeth. Elizabeth," she muttered under her breath, mimicking him. She wanted to yell at him to ask where his 'kitten' was now."You can’t leave tomorrow. There’s
CHAPTER 38Elizabeth had no idea how she managed to leave the compound. She sat in a daze for the entire ride straight to her friend’s apartment.The only thing she could remember was Rufus catching her as her knees finally gave way. The three receptionists who greeted her had panicked and rushed to fan her. Thankfully, she didn’t faint…“Dory!” she shouted as she frantically pressed the doorbell.Her best friend looked disheveled and groggy when finally opened the door.Liz brushed past her. “Dory, I think I’m going crazy!”Dorothea yawned as she flopped down onto the couch.“Do you know where I just went? To the Channing Empire!”“Hmm…”“Oh my God, that old man is NOT my husband!!!” She’s almost hyperventilating.“What happened to you?” Finally, her bestfriend sat up.“It’s not him, Dory! It’s not him!” she exclaimed, punctuating her words with frantic hand gestures to emphasize that Attorney Uztaz was not her husband.All this time, she thought that the old man was her husband!But
CHAPTER 39"Daddy’s here! Daddy’s here!"Charlotte’s excited squeal jolted Liz awake. Disoriented, she reached for her phone to check the time. It was already seven in the evening—she had cried herself to sleep.“Earl, Daddy’s here, and he brought many gifts!”There are piles of paper bags scattered around Dorothea’s living room. Lottie was excitedly bouncing in front of Wulfric, while Earl was content to hug his father tightly.“Where’s your mom?”Liz quietly closed the bedroom door, but she stayed close, listening.“Still sleeping like a baby. Auntie Pretty went out, but she said the nice gentlemen are outside watching us.”“Where have you been, Dad? Why didn’t you call?”“Yeah, we missed you! And we left our house. Momma said she was bored, but we know she’s lying.”“Is she mad?”Liz held her breath at the tender sound of Wulfric’s voice.“We don’t know, Dad. She was mad at you before you left. What did you do to Momma?” Earl’s small voice sounded accusing.Liz smiled faintly. Earl
CHAPTER 40Back at Southshire Center again. Elizabeth had been standing in front of the Channing Hotel for quite a while now.There was no other Channing who would want to meet with her except her husband. He already knew about the twins. There was no running away anymore.This was the same hotel where she and Catherine had clashed at the Elite Party. Surely, even that incident had made its way to Chairman Channing. After all, the man who was her husband on paper owned the hotel, and his influence was vast.A man approached her. He was impeccably dressed in a suit, his hair neatly cut and looked even more dignified with the specs he wore."Mrs. Channing, welcome to Channing Hotel," he greeted with a slight bow. The two receptionists behind the desk audibly gasped in surprise. “I’m Holand. This way, please.”He led her towards the elevator.“Aren’t you coming with me?” Elizabeth asked in confusion when Holand remained standing outside.“The elevator is reserved for VIPs. It will take
CHAPTER 41By late afternoon, she finally arrived at the house where her kids used to live. Earlier that day, she’d stopped by Sir Gustave’s mansion to let him know she’d decided to stay in the house he was renting out. Sir Gustave had been shocked to see her show up at the massive gates of the Hacienda. He even offered to let her stay at the mansion for the night, but she turned him down right away. Not wanting her to struggle, he had three maids clean the house for her—something he’d never done before. He also made sure she didn’t leave without eating, and since she was starving, she didn’t argue. “Montiner,” she muttered with a bitter smile and shook her head. How naive she had been to overlook so many things.Now it finally dawned on her—the clues had always been there.Montiner Construction wasn’t even among the top companies in Southshire, and yet this man could afford a luxury yacht, pay millions of dollars, and receive invitations to elite parties.She should’ve known then
CHAPTER 94“I’ll have the driver take you home, Elizabeth,” Cairus said while gently gripping her arm to lead her away from the interrogation room.Her entire body felt numb as she let him guide her.“My son didn’t mean what he said.”She gave a soft, bitter laugh and shook her head. “Please tell him I wish he hadn’t messed up my life.”Leaving him looking sympathetic, she walked away.She didn’t need Cairus’s pity. Even if he beat Wulfric to a pulp, it wouldn’t change the fact that his son had something to do with her father’s death. He’d mentioned her father’s name to Wulfric, knowing full well how violent her husband could be, yet he still mentioned it.Did Cairus not consider what that could lead to?“Condolences, Elizabeth. We didn’t expect Arthur to leave us this soon.”The woman who spoke reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before pulling her into a brief hug. Sensing Elizabeth’s stiffness, the woman let go and walked away, understanding that she needed space to gr
CHAPTER 93A Nightmare.She wished it was just a terrible nightmare. That she would wake up and still see Arthur's cheerful face lighting up whenever he looked at her.Not like the cold, lifeless body now lying before her.“P-Papa, why are you sleeping there?” Her voice was weak and trembling as she stared at her father’s pale body.He didn’t respond. Desperate, she gently shook him, but his eyes remained shut. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.“Papa…”Elizabeth clung to her father’s lifeless form while sobbing uncontrollably.“Wake up, Papa. Please. Please, wake up,” she pleaded. Her voice breaking like a child begging for a miracle.“You can’t leave me. You promised me. You said you’d make it up to me. I’ve only known you were my father for a year. Why did you leave me?”Her hands slipped from his lifeless body as her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the floor.Melba quickly rushed to her side, draping a coat over her trembling shoulders. Elizabeth hadn’
CHAPTER 92Elizabeth felt a surge of relief when she got home. The familiar sports car was parked in front of the mansion, and she could hear Lottie’s delighted squeals. The sound of two boys laughing and Wulfric’s deep voice echoed from inside.“Momma’s here! Momma’s here now!”Charlotte quickly slid off the couch when she spotted her mother. The children raced toward her and wrapped their little arms around her legs.“Daddy picked us up from school, Momma! Where were you?”“I went to your Grandpa Art’s house.”“You didn’t wait for us! We wanted to see Grandpa Art, too.”She gently pinched Lottie’s cheek. “Next time, okay?”Obediently, Lottie nodded before running back to Wulfric, proudly announcing her mother’s presence as though he hadn’t noticed.“Daddy’s home now! Momma, say ‘I miss you’ to him!”Elizabeth hesitated, unsure whether to approach Wulfric or stay where she was and wait for him to make the first move.Angus and Earl gave her a playful shove.She stumbled right into Wu
CHAPTER 91Dorothea handed her the invitation for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of her mall's opening.“That’s not until the end of the month. You have to come, Bestfriend. No excuses.”She gave her friend a faint smile and glanced at the names printed on the scented paper.She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. Dory could freely go out and meet people. Her best friend was a career woman, while she spent her days staring at the walls of a massive mansion.“Don’t be sad. Talk to Alpha again and tell him you want to work.”“I already did,” she said, shaking her head. She wanted to push her husband further, but how could she when even his shadow was nowhere to be found?She and the kids had been staying at the manor for several days, and during those three days, her husband hadn’t come home even once.“I’m sure you two will make up. Your husband loves you so much.”“He doesn’t trust me. He even accused me of having an affair with the Chairman. I’m not Eva. I would never stoop to her
CHAPTER 90 (PART 2)He shook his head in dismay, even though he’d always known how irresponsible his father could be. Saying something like that to Angus felt like treating the boy as a dog that could simply be given away.“I love Momma and Papa. But you’re my father, Chairman. Papa Wulf may not like it.”“Use your brain, kid. I’m giving you an idea to have a complete family. Your mother isn’t coming back.”“Don’t you like me, Chairman?”The sad tone of his brother’s voice made Wulfric’s jaw tighten. He could tell Angus was holding back tears and struggling not to break down.“You’re a bastard. There’s no place for you—”Wulfric’s patience snapped. He kicked the door open with force. His fists clenched as he stormed toward the two, and both frozen in shock at his sudden appearance.“You motherfucker! Heartless old man!”“We’re having a conversation, Nikolaus Wulfric. I didn’t ask you here to my office,” Chairman Channing said coldly.“Fuck your rules.” Wulfric pointed at Angus. “He’s
CHAPTER 90 (Part 1)Cairus let out a loud laugh, infuriating Wulfric even more. A sharp gasp escaped Elizabeth as her husband raised his hand, ready to punch his father.“Wulfric!”His eyes blazing with anger. Despite her fear, Elizabeth grabbed his arm and pulled down his clenched fist. But Wulfric yanked her down the stairs without care, his long strides dragging her along. The pain in her injured foot worsened with every step.Tears threatened to spill, but she bit them back and endured the ache.When they reached the car parked near the front door, Wulfric practically shoved her inside.“We’re going home,” he said coldly.“But you already agreed the kids and I could stay here tonight.”“That was before I saw you talking to Cairus!” he snapped, walking around to the driver’s seat.“He’s your father. My father-in-law. The children’s grandfather!” she reasoned, listing the obvious but none of it seemed to sink in.“I don’t want you talking to him. Or to any other man!”Elizabeth flin
CHAPTER 89“Hypocrite!” she fired back.The older woman gasped audibly, her face reddening with fury as she turned to her equally narrow-minded relatives. They encircled Elizabeth like predators cornering their prey.“Shut your mouth, woman!” One of the men barked while stepping forward. He grabbed her wrist, and nearly twisted it as he forcibly pulled her away from the older woman’s hand.“Let go of my mom!” Angus wailed and kicked the man’s legs in a desperate attempt to free her.The child’s cries grew louder when the man shoved him to the floor.“Uncle Itho, you're hurting our cousin!” Francheska screamed, before rushing to Angus’s side.Logan and the other cousins quickly stepped in, shielding Elizabeth from further harm. Holand seized Itho’s arm and yanked him away.“Stay away from Lady Channing,” Holand said coldly, his voice sharp enough to cut through the chaos.“You’re just a servant of the Chairman,” Itho sneered.Holand moved closer, his presence chilling the room further
CHAPTER 88 More than half of the guests were strangers to Elizabeth. When she was introduced as Wulfric’s wife, a few raised their brows, giving her a once-over from head to toe.Others, however, welcomed her warmly. Logan had been right—Chairman Channing’s distant relatives were traditional in their thinking. On the other hand, her husband’s generation was the complete opposite of their parents.“You should come with us, Lizzy!” Francheska exclaimed enthusiastically. She was Logan and Suzane’s sister, all three being second cousins to her husband on his father’s side.“Don’t influence my wife, Cheska. I know exactly what you’re up to,” Wulfric warned. His arm firmly wrapped around Elizabeth’s waist.“You’re such a killjoy, Wolfy.”“Don’t push it, Ches,” Logan said with a laugh. “Wulf could cut your allowance.”Francheska pouted dramatically, hooking her arm around Elizabeth’s and leaning on her as if pleading.“Wolfy is so grumpy,” she whispered that made Elizabeth stifle a giggle.
CHAPTER 87 (PART 2)“Stop messing around! The driver might hear us,” she protested, but her cheeks flushing.He chuckled lowly and shook his head. His nose brushed against the curve of her neck as he inhaled deeply. He had been craving the scent of her skin all evening.“It’s soundproof,” he murmured.“Even so…”He tightened his grip on her waist. “I can do whatever I want with you here, Kitten.”She gasped softly as his hand slid up the high slit of her gown.Men’s eyes would undoubtedly linger on Elizabeth’s creamy legs and delicate neck tonight—both of which needed his mark.Elizabeth winced as Wulfric’s lips grazed the sensitive curve of her neck, his hot breath sending a shiver down her spine.“Wulf…” she whispered, making him smirk with satisfaction.Her knees weakened as she leaned against him for s