?Chapter 18:
After escaping the hospital, Lise immediately sought Neil. Before meeting him, she darkened her lip injury with lipstick and disheveled her hair to enhance the appearance of her distress.
Once ready, Lise pressed the doorbell.
As the door swung open, tears cascaded down her cheeks, her voiceden with sorrow.
“Neil,” she uttered.
Startled by her appearance, Neil quickly brought her inside.
“Lise, what happened? Who did this to you?”
With tears brimming in her eyes, Lise replied shakily,
“Sharon did this. She tricked me into meeting at a coffee shop and attacked me without warning. They’ve been trying to exile me from the city, just like they forced me abroad years ago. Will they ever stop persecuting me?”
Neil fetched the first aid kit, his anger mounting as he listened.
“This is too much,” he dered, preparing the disinfectant.
Grinding his teeth, Neil spected, “It has to be Katelyn behind this. She pretends to be indifferent, wanting only our divorce, but she’s orchestrating these cruel games behind the scenes. She’s far more devious than she appears.”
Lise, her emotions overwhelming her,mented as she held back tears, “What did I ever do to deserve this? I only wanted to be with you. It was they who pulled us apart in the first ce.”
Neil gazed at Lise, whose eyes were shimmering with tears, and felt a profound sense ofpassion.
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Holding her uninjured hand tightly, he vowed, “Lise, as long as I’m here, no one will ever bully you again.”
Lise,forted by his promise, rested her head on his shoulder, sharing her relief and affection.
“I know you’ll always be there for me, Neil. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened in my life.”
Neil, his expression filled with both love and a deepening distaste for Katelyn, agreed with her sentiments. The schemes to prolong their marriage, driven by Katelyn’s desire to maintain her status, disgusted him.
“It’s clear now, you’re the one who truly loves me,” he said softly.
Lise’s eyes welled up with tears as she whispered, “Neil.”
As they drew closer, about to embrace in a kiss, Lise’s phone rang, halting the moment.
She saw Sharon’s name sh across the screen and tensed up, remembering Sharon’s aggressive past actions. Reflecting on her recent ordeal at the hospital, where she had feared for her life, Lise turned to Neil in desperation.
“What should we do? They seem determined to continue. Will they only stop when I’m gone?”
Neil clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. “Answer the phone! If they dare harm you again, I won’t hesitate to make them pay for their actions.”
Despite Neil’s reassurances, Lise was still visibly shaken, her voice quivering as she spoke, “Neil, they might be calling to use Katelyn’s situation against me.”
Neil responded with a cold sneer, tightening his grip reassuringly on her hand. “Don’t worry, I’m here. I won’t let anyone harm you.”
Lise, steeling herself amidst her anxiety, pressed the answer button after a brief hesitation.
She braced for the worst, knowing that distress would only fuel Neil’s disdain for Katelyn.
However, as soon as Sharon’s voice came through, vibrant and clear, the atmosphere shifted. “Lise, it’s me.”
Lise, attempting to steady her shaking hands, responded with feignedposure. “Mrs. Bailey, what do you need?”
Sharon quickly responded, “Lise, I realize the mistakes were mine. I am truly sorry, and I want to apologize.”
Both Lise and Neil were taken aback by Sharon’s words.
What could Sharon possibly intend by this sudden change of heart? Was this another deceit, perhaps another setup?
Lise, though wary, voiced her skepticism and fear. “Mrs. Bailey, why continue these games? Haven’t you done enough already? Look, I’ll apologize. Please, can you leave me alone?”
Sharon’s voice broke, tinged with genuine remorse. “It’s all my fault. Lise, please forgive me. You are my own daughter after all!”
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