<b>Chapter </b>41


    Joshua’s eyes darkened, and he remained silent.


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    On the other end of the <b>line</b>, Tessa wasughing. “We’ve met before, you know. You’re easy on the eyes, but I don’t believe you actually like Xylia, a total troublemaker with a bad rep. Your taste is seriously questionable.”


    Joshua’s gaze turned fierce. “Where is she?” he snapped, his voice cold <b>like </b>ice.


    Tessa could feel the chill even through the phone, but she just kept <bughing</b>. “Xylia messed up, so Connor’s punishing her.


    “He locked her up in a dark room to think about what she did. Want to y the hero ande save her? Trust me. She’ll cling to you if you do so. After all, that’s exactly how shetched onto Connor to begin with.”


    With that, Tessa hung up.


    Joshua’s grip on his phone was so tight his knuckles turned white and veins stood out. His face was clouded with fury, his eyes burning red with anger.


    <b>Joshua </b>was itching to storm into the Ford Mansion right now and rip Connor and Tessa to shreds. But he couldn’t just go charging in.


    Xylia and Connor were still married. If Joshua barged into the Ford Mansion, Connor would totally use it to smear Xylia’s name; it’d just make things worse for her.


    It took every ounce of self–control Joshua <b>had </b>to keep his anger in check. Without wasting a second, Joshua made a call. “Hello, I need to report a case of domestic violence,” he said.


    Half an hourter, the wail of police sirens filled the air around the Ford Mansion.


    Meanwhile, Xylia was huddled in the pitch–ck room, her nerves strung so tight they felt ready to snap.


    Even though there were no bugs or rats, she couldn’t <b>shake </b>the feeling that some wild beast was lurking in the shadows, watching her every move; her heart was hanging by a thread.


    Xylia kept crying, her whole body trembling nonstop. It felt like she was about to break downpletely at any second.


    Suddenly, footsteps thundered up the stairs. The attic door finally burst open.


    Xylia, slumped against the door, toppled to the ground as it opened. A servant rushed to her side and helped Xylia up.


    “Mrs. Ford, the police are here for you. Pleasee downstairs, quick,” the servant urged.


    The sudden burst of light stung her eyes, but to Xylia, it was like grabbing onto a lifeline after drowning.


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    She scrambled desperately toward the doorway, half crawling, half stumbling, so frantic that the servant couldn’t even hold her back.


    “Mrs. Ford, be careful, the servant called out..


    Xylia dragged herself to the stairwaynding, clutching the railing as she struggled to haul herself upright. <b>But </b>her legs buckled, and she nearly went tumbling down the stairs.


    The servant turned pale with fright and rushed forward to support Xylia. She practically dragged and hauled Xylia down the stairs.


    The living room was packed with people, including Connor, Mnie, Orion, Tessa, and two police officers.


    When Xylia finally made it downstairs, the police looked her up and down before one of them spoke gently. “Are you Xylia? Has your husband ever hit you or locked you up? Don’t be scared. You can tell us the truth.”


    It slowly dawned on Xylia that someone had called the police, saying she was a victim of domestic abuse.


    Xylia looked up and caught Mnie shooting her a fierce re, clearly warning her not to say anything


    reckless.


    Connor, meanwhile, looked utterly unmoved, as if her pain had nothing to do with him. He stared at her coldly, a warning flickering in his eyes.


    Xylia forced a small, strained smile. She turned to the police and nodded decisively.


    “Officer, my husband just locked me in the attic. It waspletely <b>dark</b>–no light at all. He told me I couldn’t leave unless I admitted I was wrong, Xylia said.


    “Xylia, What nonsense are you spouting?” Mnie blurted out, terrified that this would ruin Connor’s reputation.


    Xylia knew nobody here was going to have her back. All she could do now was pray the cops would get her out. of this ce. No way she was ever going back to that attic.


    The police officer shot Connor a sharp look. “Are you kidding me? You can’t just lock up your wife. Do your even realize that’s <b>illegal</b>?”


    Connor’s face turned icy, his eyes locking onto Xylia like a venomous snake ready to strike.


    After a long moment, he mped down on Xylia’s wrist and gave the police a casual smile. “It’s just a little domestic squabble for a husband and wife, nothing to make a fuss about.”


    Mnie stepped in to smooth things over with the police. “You know how it is. Couples bicker all the time. Officer, no need to make a big deal out of it. Just look at her, not a mark on her. We were just messing around.”


    “You can’t just call that a joke; there are limits, the officer snapped, clearly not buying it.


    Just as the police were about <b>to </b>take Xylia away. Orion brought his cane down hard on Connor’s back.


    Connor let out a muffled groan, cold sweat instantly breaking out on his forehead. “Who allowed you to treat.


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    ΕΠΙ


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    your wife like this?


    “Xylia’s been part of this family for years, <b>and </b>you’ve never so much as touched her before. Even if she <b>screwed </b>up.


    locking her in the attic? Are you out of your mind? Is this what I taught you?”


    “No, Mr. Ford,” Tessa cried out, rushing over to shield Connor. Please don’t be angry. Connor just saw <b>Xylia </b>getting too close to another man and got upset. That’s why he lost his temper at her.”


    “Another man? You bitch, how dare you cheat on Connor?” Mnie’s eyes went wide, ring at Xylia. She marched right up to Xylia and, without hesitation, pped her across the face with all her strength.


    Smack. The p left Xylia dazed, her mind going nk. She could taste blood in her mouth, and her ears were ringing so loud that she could barely hear anything else.


    Mnie had hit her so hard that Xylia’s cheek swelled up instantly.


    Seeing that, Connor instinctively stepped forward, a shadow ofplicated pain flickering in his eyes.


    But Tessa quickly pulled Connor back.


    <b>“</b><b>Are </b>you okay? Let me check, Tessa said, her voice full of concern.


    Connor stopped in his tracks, looking at Tessa’s worried face, and gently shook his head. “I’m fine,” he replied.


    Mnie raised her hand to strike again, but Xylia flinched back, staying just out of reach


    “It wasn’t me who cheated. If you hit me again, I’ll hit you back,” Xylia said, her tone cold and unflinching.


    The cops quickly jumped in and held Mnie back.


    Mnie shot Xylia a venomous re before turning to the cops. “Officer, honestly, this is just family business. My son would never hit her, but she really cheated on him here. So tell me<b>, </b>who’s the one you should be arresting?


    “And the guy who called the cops? Bet it <b>was </b>a man. He’s the one Xylia’s been fooling around with behind <b>our </b>backs.”


    The cops could tell this was just a domestic dispute. They gave the Ford family a verbal warning about domestic violence, reassured Xylia a bit, and then left.


    After all that went down, Xylia knew one thing for sure. If she stayed at the Ford Mansion any longer, she would be doomed. She had to leave.


    “Xylia, I know Connor was in the wrong. For my <b>sake</b><b>, </b>could you try not to hold it against him?” Orion’s voice called out to her just as Xylia was about to leave.


    Orion <b>leaned </b>on his cane, watching her with a kind, grandfatherly warmth in his eyes.


    Xylia forced a bitter smile. After exposing Orion’s true colors, she finally saw it for what it was. His so–called concern was just a cover. Deep down<b>, </b>he was always pulling strings to make sure Connor came out on top.


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    Orion had only smacked Connor to throw the cops off his trail, worried they’de down hard on his precious grandson. Orion was just covering his bases.


    Xylia gave a soft, almost mockingugh. “Mr. Ford, you know better than anyone why I stayed at the Ford Mansion. But now? I don’t want to stay here anymore. And as for Connor? I’m definitely divorcing him.”


    “Divorce? Perfect. Someone as shameless and unfaithful as you never deserved to be Connor’s wife, Mnie snapped. She looked absolutely thrilled at the prospect of Xylia leaving.


    Xylia didn’t bother responding and just spun around, heading straight upstairs


    “Xylia, stop right here,” Connor shouted, storming after her with a furious look on his face.


    Xylia picked up her pace, practically sprinting.


    She rushed into the bedroom and tried to shut the door, but Connor was quicker. He caught it with his hand before it could close and shoved it open.