Jonah and his bodyguards had already gotten back up.
:-
But with Orion and hispanions blocking the doorway, they couldn’t get out.
From the moment Connor walked in, he couldn’t take his eyes off Xylia.
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Her hair was a mess, her dress smudged with dust, and the skin showing was covered in bruises, some worse than others.
Anyone could tell she’d taken a serious beating.
A heavy ache gripped Connor’s heart, and his gaze grew icy as he stared at Jonah.
“Jonah! How dare you beat my wife?” Connor demanded.
Even after getting caught red–handed, Jonah didn’t bat an eye.
“She messed with Tessa, so I just taught her a lesson, that’s all,” Jonah shrugged.
“Who the hell do you think you are toy a hand on my wife?” Connor snapped.
Connor let go of Orion, strode forward, andnded a punch right on Jonah’s face.
Orion shot Jonah a fierce re, his eyes cold and sharp.
“A lesson? Since when is it your ce to teach your cousin–inw a lesson? Turning on your own family for some outsider–are you even human?” Orion snapped.
“You’reing back to the Ford Mansion with me right now. You’re going to kneel there until you finally realize what you did wrong!” Orion ordered.
Xylia watched them putting on a show together, a cold smile creeping onto her face.
‘Kneeling in the Ford Mansion? He’s ying favorites again. Orion sure knows how to protect his own, Xylia scoffed inwardly.
Leon snorted and, without a second thought<b>, </b>whipped out his phone to call the police.
“This is straight–up deliberate assault. You can’t just handle it behind closed doors and pretend it’s a family issue. I’ll call the police,” Leon said, his voiceced with sarcasm.
When Leon called the police, Orion’s face instantly darkened. “Mr. Sadler, this is a family matter. I think it doesn’t concern you,”
Leon didn’t bother listening to Orion’sints–he just went ahead and told the police exactly what happened.
Orion felt a knot of frustration stuck in his chest, cursing inwardly. ‘Why did Jonah have to drag this actor
into the mess? All he’s doing is stirring up trouble!‘
Xylia was in so much pain she could barely stand, her knees buckling as she staggered.
Leon was right there to steady her.
But Connor stepped in, pulling Leon away and supporting Xylia himself.
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” Connor said.
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He bent down, gently brushed the dust off Xylia’s dress, and tidied up her hair, his movements soft, his gaze full of pity and care.
‘Funny, Connor used to treat me just like this–so gentle, so protective, like he actually cared. Too bad it was all just an act, Xylia thought, a bitter pang in her chest.
Xylia yanked her hand free from Connor, her expression icy.
“Save it. I can handle myself,” she said coldly.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Connor snapped.
Connor seized Xylia’s wrist, about to just pick her up and carry her out by force, when Yana suddenly cut in. “Let me take her. You guys still have stuff to sort out here, and I could use some time with my young niece.”
Orion instantly grew wary, ncing over at Connor. “Let Connor go with her. I’ll take care of things here.”
Yana didn’t refuse. She stepped forward, took Xylia’s arm, and started leading her out.
Connor went to get the car.
Xylia turned to Yana. “I’m not really part of the Garcia family. There must be some mistake.”
Yana didn’t respond to that. Instead, she just looked over Xylia’s bruises, her voice gentle and full of affection. “With you beaten up like this, some people would be absolutely heartbroken to see it.”
“Huh?” Xylia blinked, a bit lost.
Yana nced up at Xylia, catching sight of Connor pulling up in the car from the corner of her eye.
‘Let’s talk about itter,” Yana said.
*****
Inside the hospital, Xylia was being examined. Outside, Yana and Connor waited in the hallway.
“The Garcia family has spent years searching for our beloved girl, and now that she’s married to you, she’s getting bullied by your family. Mr. Ford, I think you owe me an exnation,” Yana said, her tone sharp.
‘So Yana Garcia really believes Xylia is the Garcia family’s girl? That was almost too easy. Something feels off,‘ Connor thought, feeling uneasy.
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But no matter how deep the Garcia family dug, the Ford family already made sure everything was airtight.
Orion had gone to great lengths to use Xylia’s identity as a way to connect with the Garcia family.
Once they struck a deal with the Garcia family, Ford Group would finally have a shot at turning things. around.
No way was Connor going to let anything mess up this chance.
“Don’t worry, Aunt Yana. I’ll make sure Xylia gets the justice she deserves,” Connor promised.
Since Xylia had banged her head, the doctors decided to keep her in the hospital for observation, just to be safe.
Xylia couldn’t help but feel like she’d been cursedtely–always ending up in the hospital.
Yana didn’t leave; with just a few words, she talked Connor into heading out.
Before leaving, Connor shot Xylia a concerned nce and reminded her, “Be good and don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back.”
Xylia could tell Yana had something important to say.
Yana sat down beside Xylia’s bed and spoke in a gentle, low voice. “My brother’s youngest child is actually <i>a </i>son, and he was found years ago.
“Back then, my brother got tangled up in some business rivalries, and it ended up dragging his kid into the
mess.
“Ever since, he’s kept things pretty quiet, so hardly anyone outside the family even knows we ever had a missing child.”
Xylia realized instantly–Yana had known from the very beginning that she wasn’t really a Garcia.
“Then why…” Xylia stared at Yana, her eyes full of confusion. ‘If she knew all along, what was the point of going to the Ford family in the first ce?‘
“I had to see for myself what kind of game Orion Ford was ying. After chatting with your cold–blooded husband, I pretty much figured out his scheme,” Yana replied.
Xylia let out a bitterugh. “So they’re after a deal with Garcia Group, huh?”
Yana nced up at Xylia. “You already know?”
I’m not stupid. I figured it out,” Xylia said.
After Orion took her blood a while back, Xylia had asked a doctor friend to investigate for her.
She found out Orion had used it for a paternity test.
Back then, she didn’t know what the test was for–now she did.
Orion didn’t care about her as a daughter–inw; he cared that her identity was a nk canvas.
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She was an orphan, and as long as no one could trace her family, her whole background could be made up.
When the Ford family hit hard times, they could use her to fake being some other family’s missing kid.
Now that the Ford Group was in trouble, Connor had tried to work with the Sadler family and failed.
So now, Xylia’s identity was exactly what the Fords needed.
Yana looked at Xylia and couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. ‘She’s got no family to rely on, and now even her husband’s family is plotting against her,‘ Yana thought, her heart aching for the woman in front of her.
Xylia nced at Yana, her eyes full of quiet desperation. “Ms. Garcia, can I ask you for a favor?”
“Go ahead,” Yana replied.
Xylia hesitated, biting her lip as she tried to summon her courage. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “Ms. Garcia, could you please not tell Connor or Orion that I’m not really the Garcia family’s daughter? At least for now?”
“Why?” Yana asked, still not getting it.
She couldn’t wrap her head around it–Xylia had just told everyone at Han’s ce she wasn’t the Garcia family’s missing daughter, so why was she suddenly changing her mind?”
“Because I want to use this identity to get a divorce,” Xylia said.
Yana looked even more baffled. “Wouldn’t that just make Connor Ford even less likely to let you go?”
Xylia shook her head. “No. He’ll agree. I just need the right opportunity.”
Her eyes were full of determination.
Yana considered it for a moment, then nodded. “Alright, I’ll keep it to myself.”
*****
Joshua was driving to the hospital when Yana called him.
After hearing what Xylia wanted, a sly grin crept onto his face.
“Well, looks like the scaredy–cat is finally showing some bite. Just go along with her,” Joshua chuckled.
“Alright, brat. But you will exin this mess to your parents yourself,” Yana said.
As soon as Joshua hung up, his car rolled to a stop right at the hospital entrance.
He was just about to get out when he caught sight of Leon, mask on, hurrying through the hospital doors.
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