Genevieve hung up the phone, her mood heavier even though Paul had promised to save Zachary. But Paul had long been ousted from the Montgomery Group, notorious from past incidents, and was currently in the midst of a divorce with Kimberly. Having lost the support of both the Black and Montgomery families, what could he really do?
“Mom, what did he say?”
Ivy asked.
“He said he’ll find a way. Ivy, go pack your things, we need to leave quickly.”
Genevieve still trusted Paul; he wouldn’t joke about such matters.
Kimberly’s arrogance stemmed from being the sole heiress of the Black family. Now, having nearly killed the only child of the Black family, both she and Ivy were also in danger.
“Leave? Mom, we’re fine here, why do we need to go?”
Ivy was unaware of the full situation.
“Fine? Your brother almost killed Kimberly and has been arrested. Do you think the Black family will let us off? If you don’t want to be beaten half to death, we need to leave now.”
Genevieve was not joking, knowing all too well the bitterness of losing loved ones.
“Okay, Mom, I understand.”
Ivy, remembering the scene of Kimberly bursting in with bodyguards, which left Genevieve severely injured, knew they had to leave immediately!
They didn’t have many belongings, and Ivy packed in less than ten minutes. Escaping was their priority; they didn’t even care if they left without makeup, dragging their suitcases to the elevator.
Seeing the elevator ascending, Genevieve suddenly grabbed Ivy’s hand, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease.
“We’re not taking the elevator, let’s use the stairs.”
Ivy trusted her decision, and as they reached the safety of the stairwell, the elevator stopped on their floor. A group of black-clad bodyguards emerged, “Boss, this is the place, right?”
“Of course, I was here not long ago. Remember, the boss said, as long as you don’t kill them, you can do whatever you want.”
“I’ve never seen such a shameless mistress. They’ve deceived Magnus Montgomery for so many years. How stupid must he be? He was cuckolded and even raised another man’s child.”
“These rich families look glamorous on the surface but are filthy behind closed doors. That wench’s daughter made headlines in her teens; like mother, like daughter.”
“Boss, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a woman. Can I…”
“As long as you don’t kill them, do whatever you want.”
Still in the safety of the stairwell, the mother and daughter heard every word from the bodyguards, chilling them to the bone. The horrific images of that night in the warehouse flashed through Ivy’s mind, tears rolling down her cheeks. Genevieve quickly covered her mouth to keep her silent.
Once the bodyguards moved toward the apartment, Genevieve hurriedly pulled Ivy away. She was grateful for her intuition; taking the elevator would have put them face to face with those men.
They quickly left through the stairwell, not daring to imagine the fate that would have awaited them had they not escaped.
Genevieve, avoiding any ostentatious hotels, opted for a modest motel where they could afford to stay and avoid familiar faces from her previous social circle.
Once inside the room, Ivy burst into tears.
“Mom, how did we end up like this? Even rats are probably freer than us.”
Genevieve’s heart, tense all this while, finally eased. She held Ivy tightly.
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I couldn’t settle for an ordinary life. When I was pregnant with you, I thought about abortion, but the doctor said you were lovely twins, and my uterine walls were thin.”
“If I had gone through with it, you would never be able to have children in this lifetime. I couldn’t bear to leave you,” she said with regret.
“I didn’t want you to live a disgraceful life with me, which is why I harbored such wicked thoughts. I wanted you to come from a reputable family, to never be looked down upon by anyone, but I never expected that it would still harm you.”
Ivy shook her head, “No, mom, it’s not your fault. You did everything you could. It’s all Aurora’s doing. She ruined us. I swear, as long as I live, I will never let her get away with this!”
“Don’t be foolish,” her mother replied.
“We were never able to defeat her before, and now that we’re destitute and scorned like rats in the streets, it’s even less likely. My only wish now is for your brother to come back, and then we can live a simple and quiet life as a family.”
Genevieve had risen from a lowly barmaid to a wealthy household twenty years ago, accustomed to a life of luxury and now returned to her former self. She had a moment of enlightenment-nothing was more important than health and family. Tired of fighting, she no longer wished to continue.
Ivy’s eyes blazed with fury, “Impossible! It’s either her or me. No matter the cost, I will make Aurora lose everything! She will pay a bloody price.”
Genevieve’s world was shrouded in darkness, unlike Aurora’s, which was filled with warm sunlight.
Zachary’s situation soon reached Julian’s ears, and he relayed the entire matter to Aurora.
“Should I go and say hello, maybe get a few extra years added to Zachary’s sentence?”
Julian suggested casually, holding Aurora in his arms in the car.
Aurora hadn’t expected things to escalate to this extent. Initially, she thought that having Kimberly evict Genevieve from the apartment would suffice. She had never imagined such an outcome.
“No need. Kimberly won’t let her off easily. As long as they don’t provoke me further, I’m willing to consider our grievances settled,” Aurora said, not one to kick someone when they’re down.
Genevieve had made many mistakes and was now paying the price. Besides, Kimberly wasn’t someone to show mercy; Genevieve was in for a rough time, so Aurora decided to let the matter rest.
“Alright, if that’s what you want,” Julian murmured seductively nipping Aurora’s ear, his tone full of unspoken desires and intimacy.
Aurora giggled, uncomfortable, “Stop it, we’re almost at the hospital.”
“Little Bunny, I want you,” Julian declared, pinning her to the seat, ready to misbehave again.
“Julian, stop.”
Hayden stood by the window like a statue, his heart in turmoil. On one hand, seeing Aurora with Julian made him want to let go. But such matters weren’t so easily resolved; otherwise, the world wouldn’t be full of heartache.
He foolishly stood there, wanting just to look at her a little longer, even if it meant keeping her in his life this way.
He had no idea what had happened to her last night, and Julian had rushed off. He had called her not long ago; she was on her way to the hospital. The thought of seeing her soon brought a slight joy to Hayden’s heart. He even got out of bed to stand by the window, hoping to catch the first glimpse of her.
“Hayden, let go. She has Julian now, and there’s no possibility for you,” Susan said, knowing what he was thinking.
“Let go? Then let go of me. Can you do that?”
Hayden replied softly.
“We’re married. How can I let go? I will never let go in this lifetime,” Susan said stubbornly.
Hayden didn’t respond. Watching Julian’s car slowly rolling in, his eyes brightened.
The car door opened, but it was just the driver. Julian and Aurora were not seen. The doors remained closed, the windows unopened. What were the two of them doing inside?