?Chapter 518:


    With newfound resolve, Ellie gathered her clothes and made her way to the bathroom for a shower.


    Kaiden, left alone, gazed at the closed bathroom door, his grip on a ss tightening until it cracked and shattered in his hand. Blood began to trickle from his grasp, seemingly unnoticed.


    Emerging from the bathroom, Ellie was taken aback to find Kaiden still present. She moved to retrieve her belongings from the coffee table, only to have a man’s coat unexpectedly ced over her shoulders.


    “Your clothes are dirty,” Kaiden exined.


    Ellie had chosen a woolen long skirt for the day, which she had removed before showering, ensuring it remained clean from their earlier interactions. Yet, it had somehow be tainted with his mess.


    “I’ve arranged for someone to bring me clothes,” she informed him, her tone cool as she set his coat aside on the sofa, disying her disinterest.


    When she caught a glimpse of Kaiden, he had hidden his injured hand from her view.


    Shortly after, there was a knock at the door.


    “Miss Gordon, I’ve brought your clothes,” announced Harry, the manager from Rich Bar, carefully avoiding a nce inside.


    “Did you drive here? I need a lift,” Ellie requested, handing over her bag to Harry. She donned her coat and departed, leaving the room and its upant behind without a backward nce.


    A fleeting moment of self-derision crossed Kaiden’s eyes. He had somehow forgotten that his wife was far from a fragile bloom in a sheltered garden. She was a formidable force, as resilient and unyielding as any.


    “Oh, Ellie… What happened to you?” Baylee inquired.


    As soon as Ellie walked into the dormitory, Baylee could tell something was amiss. The marks on Ellie’s neck and corbone were ringly evident.


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    “It was Kaiden’s doing,” Ellie muttered, exining it as a breakup fling before grabbing a nightgown and heading for the shower.


    Baylee, though silent, seethed with anger toward Kaiden.


    Stripping down, Ellie caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her skin, usually so fair, was littered with red marks. Neck, corbone, arms, back, thighs, calves—she bore the imprints everywhere, like a wild beast had imed her as its own.


    After finishing her shower, Ellie came out of the bathroom and asked Baylee, “Weren’t you supposed to fly to Hagua at ten tonight?” She was concerned that Baylee might miss her flight.


    Baylee, set to attend an auction in Hagua, had been unable to leave for the trip without ensuring Ellie was all right, especially after failing to reach her by phone earlier. Now a celebrated auctioneer known for her unparalleled sess rate, Baylee hesitated.


    “Are you okay? Do you need me to stay with you?”


    “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”


    Ellie insisted she was fine, even though Baylee could see she was far from okay. Ultimately, Baylee declined Ellie’s offer to drive her to the airport, thinking it best for Ellie to rest.


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