?Chapter 519:
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.
“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.
That night, Ellie’s sleep was anything but peaceful. She tossed and turned, her rest disturbed by difort and unease.
The next morning, she woke up feeling utterly drained, her body weak and her mind foggy. Despite this, she rushed to teach a ss, ignoring the warning signs her body was giving her.
Leaving the dormitory, Ellie’s eyes searched for the Maybach, but it was gone. Kaiden had left.
Ellie barely made it through her ss. Just as it was ending, dizziness overtook her, and she copsed, her students’ cries of concern echoing around her.
“Ellie!” they shouted as they scrambled to help.
Howard, quick to react, caught her just in time.
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