Esther didn’t struggle, she bit her lips tightly. The man’s roughness made her feel no pain. Her red lips became miserably white, and her long eyelashes stained with a thin layer of watery mist. She gazed vacantly at the man in front of her.
Any man saw this scene would have cherished her!
Elijah was suddenly irritated. Pretending to be pitiful? He wouldn’t go along with it!
However, as soon as his looked at her crying face, his hand could no longer exert any force. He then gritted his teeth and let her go!
A sudden freedom made Esther cry out. She was trembling and said in a choked voice, “I am such a troublemaker, so no one will like me! If I could, I’d rather hope it was me who was lying in there… Really, I would rather the person lying there was me…”
In these three days, she didn’t say a word. No matter how he threatened, abused and yelled at her, she didn’t have such an emotional outburst, until this moment. However, at this moment, Elijah could only suppress his angry emotions.
Esther continued to bawl. She was so sad.
Ten years of crush came to nothing, but then caused this Miss Cole to be a vegetative patient!
How could she not be sad?
The nurse looked at her out of the corner of her eyes. Elijah dragged her towards the other ward until the door closed and isolated her crying.
Elijah didn’t stop her from bawling. He only looked at her.
Esther apologized in a choked voice, “I’m a troublemaker, I’m the one who should be lying over there … It’s all my fault … It’s all my fault … I’m sorry … Sorry …”
She kept apologizing and kept wiping her tears, “If you hate me, just hate! You can hit me, as long as she can get better, it doesn’t matter if you beat me to death …”
Maybe she would be relieved if she died, she no longer felt the heartache!
Elijah took a deep breath, looked at her with a complicated expression. Suddenly he reached out and pulled Esther close to his arms.
Esther froze as she was enveloped in his chest. Although he had hatred for her and had been yelling at her all these days, his chest was warm.
His sudden movement made her tears flow down even more.
She didn’t understand why he lent her his chest, but his behavior made her blame herself even more.
Esther whimpered, “If Miss Cole can’t survive, I’ll pay the price with death. I’m sorry, I’m sorry …”
Elijah embraced her and said in a deep voice, “I won’t let you die. I want you to live a tough life!”
“Oh! Ok! I accept it!”
In these three days, she had really lived a hard life. She couldn’t sleep and eat well as she felt very guilty. She would rather be hated by this man. Perhaps being hated, her guilt would ease a bit and she could feel better.
Elijah just wrapped his arms around her. There were some complex emotions that unable to understand inside his deep eyes.
It was another three days.
Kattie was finally diagnosed as a vegetative patient.
Elijah’s face was getting gloomy.
When Hudson finally received the news that Esther had hit someone, he immediately rushed to the hospital.
The stitches on Esther’s forehead had been removed, and now she was curled up on a bench. She wasn’t saying a word. Esther’s eyes, which used to be lively, were gloomy now.
As soon as he saw that tiny figure, Hudson ‘s heart sank and he repressed the trembling in his heart, “Esther!”
Esther looked up dazedly, her eyes were elusive before she saw that it was Hudson. Instinctively she wanted to jump into his arms and cry, but once she thought of him getting married, she just got up and sat there again, whispering, “Mr. Ball, you just come back from your honeymoon?”
“Esther, go home with me! I’ll settle the rest!” Hudson said in a deep voice, suppressing the urge to put her in his arms.
“I won’t let you go easily!” Suddenly a low voice came from behind of Hudson, he turned around and was slightly surprised to see Elijah.
“It’s you?!” Hudson didn’t expect the one who came was Winnie’s elder brother.
Elijah sneered. He didn’t have much good feeling towards Hudson, because he couldn’t see the sincerity of Hudson to marry Winnie. However, as Winnie’s brother, he also couldn’t say anything about the man that his sister liked.
“Mr. Ball, you should go!” Esther spoke suddenly with her firm and detached voice. “I’ll take care of Miss Cole from now on until she gets well. If not, I won’t leave!”
“Esther, I’ll have someone take care of her and I’ll get the best caregiver!”
“No, it’s fine!” Esther shook her head. “Mr. Ball, please go back!”
She would only bring trouble to others. She had to bear her own mistake. From today onwards, she would be alone! She had no home.
“You imprisoned her?” Hudson looked at Elijah and raised his eyebrows.
“So, what if I did?” Elijah said in a very cold tone.
Hudson’s gaze was filled with complex emotions, and he furrowed his brows when he saw Esther’s pale, tired little face. “Esther, don’t be afraid! Just leave the problem to me! Go back with me!”
Elijah let out a cold snort. He didn’t expect Esther to have a relationship with Hudson. It was really interesting, then he said coldly, “You want to leave? It’s impossible!”
His voice was loud and strong. He exuded a sense of killing intent and had pushed the calm atmosphere to the freezing point in an instant. And Esther got nervous all of a sudden.
Hudson furrowed his eyebrows tightly then he stared at Elijah and said coldly “Traffic accidents are handled by the police. What gives Mr. Perry the right to hold her privately? The law doesn’t seem to give you the power to do that, does it?”
“Humph! Hudson, just don’t forget whose husband you are now!” Elijah snorted coldly. “Esther didn’t stay because she’s hit her!”
Esther shuddered and suddenly knew that Elijah was talking about the bet, the one in Las Vegas. Her face turned pale, and she not even realized that Elijah had called Hudson’s name.
She was afraid of what Elijah would say, she didn’t want Mr. Ball to know about the bet and she said hurriedly, “It has nothing to do with Mr. Perry! It’s I who can’t go!”
“Esther!” shouted Hudson in a heartbreaking whisper.
“Mr. Ball! It’s my intention. I can’t leave, at least not until Miss Cole gets recovered.” Esther said in a hoarse voice and it was gut wrenching. Mr. Ball already had his own family and Mr. Ball’s chest no longer belonged to her.
Elijah didn’t thought Esther would say these. His cold eyes squinted slightly, and he didn’t say anything. His sight just fell on that small face, her face became very thin within a week.
Esther froze as Hudson walked towards her, they were standing extremely close to each other. Esther thought he would stand still, but she didn’t expect him to suddenly hug her tightly.
The familiar scent instantly surrounded her, and her strength seemed to be drained, she mumbled softly, “Mr. Ball…”
This was the embrace of Mr. Ball, once her exclusive embrace. She held him for the last time, and never again! As she thought of that, Esther’s little hand wrapped around Mr. Ball’s waist.
Elijah frowned slightly. She hugged the man back when he hugged her, just like a pair of lovers that had been in relation for a long time.
Hudson hugged her even more tightly, as if he was holding a lost and found treasure. He murmured in a husky voice “Esther, just leave everything to me. Don’t be afraid! What did he threaten you?”
Elijah heard their conversation which had made him unbearable. He looked straight at the man and woman who were embracing each other.
“No! Mr. Ball, I’ll take the responsibility for what I’ve done!” Esther shook her head, and her eyes that used to be lively were gloomy now.
“Esther, go home with me!” Hudson said in a low voice.
Esther stopped talking and buried her head to enjoy his embrace. This warm embrace had given her countless support when she was lonely, but it no longer belonged to her.
She had never expected her Mr. Ball would get married with someone else one day. She never thought that suddenly one day she had to wake up from the happiness. She used to think that she could live happily ever with Mr. Ball. However, happiness was short-lived.
She reluctantly steadied herself and said softly, “Mr. Ball, I won’t go back. Don’t force me anymore! From the moment you got married, I have no home anymore.”
He started to feel pain uncontrollably when she said this sentence. His eyes were filled with sadness and he said bitterly, “But you’re still my Esther, no matter who I married, you are still my Esther!”
Elijah’s eyes narrowed. His Esther? How about Winnie?
An inexplicable emotion was accumulated in Elijah’s eyes.
“No!” Esther smiled bitterly. Once again, she hugged his waist tightly, breathed deeply the familiar scent of his body, and said in a desolate tone, “I’m Esther, from now on just Esther, no longer anyone’s Esther! Mr. Ball, goodbye!”
Hudson trembled as he didn’t expect such an outcome. But when he heard those words came out of her mouth, he still felt very shocked…
“Esther!” Hudson tried to control his emotions and said in a low voice, “What can you do? I’ll get the best doctor to treat Miss Cole.”
“No, Mr. Ball. I don’t want to rely on you anymore. Let me decide my own future!” Esther firmly shoved Hudson away.
Elijah was about to step forward to separate them, but he suddenly stopped.
Hudson said again, “Esther, are you angry with me?”
“No! I’m not. You’ll always my Mr. Ball in my heart!” Esther smiled. She turned back and curled up on the bench.
In Elijah’s mind, if losing her was so painful, why did he have to marry Winnie?
Hudson ‘s deep eyes were red and filled with pain. He wanted to embrace her into his arms again, but it seemed he couldn’t. She seemed skinny and weak. She was no longer cheerful as she used to be. He was upset to see her in such a state.
“Esther, you won’t be homeless, my place will always be your home!” Hudson said.
Esther didn’t look up, just said, “Please go back!”
Hudson pursed his sexy lips slightly but didn’t make a sound. He suppressed his sadness gradually to the deepest part where no one else could touch. Esther, forgive me …
He was gone!
Esther’s heart broke along with it.
She could feel Hudson ‘s scent drifting away little by little. Her dearest Mr. Ball was gone …
This was obviously the result she wanted, but she couldn’t stop herself from crying. She sniffed and buried her face in her knees.