In the early morning, glistening dewdrops gathered on the grass blades, forming oval-shaped water droplets that fell softly into the flowerpot’s soft soil.
Alisa’s long eyelashes quivered slightly as she stared, unblinking, at the scene of dewdrops falling.
The door was knocked, but this didn’t break Alisa’s concentration. She was lost in her thoughts until she heard Maggie’s voice.
“Alisa, how are you feeling today?”
“I don’t want to lie to my only family. My bone marrow is aching terribly.”
Maggie held her hand. “I wish I could share your pain.”
“It’s impossible. We are different individuals, just like we can’t hear the thunderous crash of a dewdrop falling into the soil. You can’t feel the profound pain inside me.”
“Are you resentful towards me?”
Alisa finally looked at Maggie. “You didn’t bring him here, but I won’t hold it against you.”
Yes, Maggie had come alone, and it seemed that Marvin was avoiding her. Aldrich couldn’t do much about it either.
“Marvin is not the kind of person who easily loses his temper. The incident with you…”
Maggie couldn’t continue her sentence as she looked at Alisa’s plastered leg, the bandages around her arms and waist, and she couldn’t make excuses for Marvin.
Maggie took a deep breath. “I will make him apologize to you.”
“Forced apologies are insincere. They are a mockery to the victim. Please don’t put me in such a miserable situation.”
“What can I do for you, then?”
“Stay with me more. Don’t leave me alone here, like in a cage.”
“Don’t worry. The doctor Aldrich arranged for you is highly skilled, and the medications are top-notch. You’ll recover as soon as possible without any lasting effects.”
“I have no affection left for the wolves here.”
“Don’t be like this. Perhaps this is just a period of adjustment between you and the wolves. Not all relationships have harmonious beginnings, right?”
“Maggie, I’ve never been as optimistic as you.”
“Believe me, everything will be fine. We’ve worked so hard. Fate won’t let us down. Just a few months ago, I was betrayed, and the chance of pregnancy seemed bleak…”
Alisa suddenly pulled her hand away, a reaction to Maggie’s words. It was a hurtful reminder that she wasn’t the same kind person anymore. Fate had been very critical of her, and she willingly embraced that.
Maggie gently touched Alisa’s hair. Her eyes reflected sympathy and tenderness. “It will pass.”
In the surveillance room, Aldrich couldn’t help but clench his fists. Marvin rolled his eyes.
“The way you’re obsessing over wanting to devour Maggie, with that red mark right on your forehead, you’re a classic low-level creep!”
Aldrich gritted his teeth. “Maggie has never touched my head.”
“Pathetic. You’ve stooped so low as to be jealous of a woman!”
“Thomas said that Alisa and I are unconventional rivals!”
“Stop! I don’t want to discuss that woman with you. I’m more concerned about how you got that red mark on your head.”
Aldrich shot a sidelong glance at Marvin. “Maybe I should bring Maggie in front of you.”
“Surrender! Having to apologize to Alisa is even more unbearable than being tormented with a blunt knife.”
Nonetheless, Aldrich called Thomas, which left Marvin discontent. “My good brother wouldn’t be so ruthless.”
Aldrich nodded. “If Maggie catches you, then I can’t help you.”
When Thomas arrived, he still had his ever-present handheld notebook. Hearing the conversation between the two brothers, he felt relieved. At least, the two brothers were getting along much better than before. One lived in BarretBarrett Manor, and the other hid in their father Elwin’s Barrett Manor, barely speaking to each other.
He inquired of Aldrich, “Mr. Barret, do you have any orders?”
“He requests that you drag the woman on the top floor to the street in the middle of the night and let her fend for herself!” Marvin eagerly added.
Thomas naturally didn’t take that seriously. “Marvin is quite spirited. That’s a good thing, at least he’s not drowning in the pain of Grace leaving again.”
Aldrich, watching Maggie in the surveillance, said, “Have Elizabeth find a reason to get Maggie out and keep her occupied so she won’t go back to Alisa.”
The unspoken understanding between Thomas and Aldrich didn’t require many words. He immediately grasped Aldrich’s intention. “Do you need to temporarily turn off the surveillance?”
Aldrich nodded appreciatively. “Of course.”
Thomas quickly issued the command to Elizabeth through his smart notebook. Soon, Elizabeth appeared in the surveillance and, after getting Maggie’s approval, entered the cage where Alisa was held.
Elizabeth asked Maggie, “Madam, regarding the renovation in the living room, the designer has provided a few feasible plans, but they still need to be adjusted on-site. The designer hopes to get your help.”
Maggie stood up. “Alright, I’ll go with you. Alisa, I’ll come to see you again.”
“Of course, I trust you,” Alisa replied with downcast eyes, appearing fragile. This stirred Maggie’s guilt and reluctance.
Aldrich, in front of the monitor, snorted. Marvin, who enjoyed the spectacle, silently told Thomas, “A certain low-level wolf is feeling jealous.”
Thomas, wearing a kindly smile, thought to himself that Alisa might not be all bad for the two brothers. At least, she had become a common enemy for them, uniting them.
Aldrich turned off the surveillance and left the control room in big strides. Naturally, Marvin followed him. The kind-hearted Thomas reminded Marvin, “You might not want to go to the same place as Mr. Barret.”
Marvin hesitated. “Isn’t he planning to get rid of Alisa completely? That’s much more exciting than just tossing her away. I can’t miss that.”
“Mr. Barret is a wise politician and a great leader. He won’t be as extreme and immature as you imagine.”
“Has he lost his wolfish fierceness too?”
“Mr. Barret just knows how to weigh the pros and cons and control his emotions to make the best choices.”
This time, Marvin didn’t argue. He had accepted the fact that he wasn’t as good as Aldrich, and there was much he needed to learn from him.
“All of Barrett Manor, and there’s nowhere for me to go…,” Marvin sighed.
Thomas chuckled as he locked the door to the control room. “Perhaps the living room that’s currently being renovated is a good choice.”
“Unless I’m just a simple little lamb. Well, thank you for your kind offer.”
He hadn’t even avoided Alisa yet; there was no way he would willingly approach her. These wolves, each one of them wanted to see him humiliate himself by apologizing to Alisa. He wasn’t going to do that!
Charlie suddenly appeared behind him. Marvin, who had been tense, immediately relaxed.
Charlie found Marvin’s nervousness amusing. “Master Marvin, do you want me to remind you that Barrett Manor’s security defense system is top-notch? There won’t be any rogue attacks here. You’re very safe.”
Marvin shook his head. “What’s rogue? The real deadly danger comes from within.”
“Have the rogues evolved and infiltrated Barrett Manor?”
Charlie’s expression also turned serious. “Has rogue undergone mutations and expansion? I have to worry about it; Mr. Barret will be busy in the near future.”
Marvin felt ashamed of his own joke. “We should sit down and have a good chat before Aldrich joins us.”