?Chapter 147:


    Elyse pressed her lips together, preparing to speak up, but the physician’s expression darkened. “Unfortunately, the wrong ointment was used. His wounds require hemostatic treatment, but instead, someone applied bruise-relief ointment. Not only is it ineffective, but it may also lead to infection.”


    Elyse’s expression froze. She silently withdrew the foot she had just stepped forward with.


    Javier, still lying in bed, stiffened. His gaze flickered toward Elyse, who had shrunk behind Samira, her head lowered in silence.


    Samira’s chest tightened. Anger surged through her as she demanded, “Who applied that ointment? Such recklessness! Were they intent on harming him?”


    Samira assumed it was a household staff member’s doing. “If you want to keep working here, do your job properly. If not, leave! Such carelessness is uneptable! If my son ends up with scars, I will hold you responsible!”


    The servants exchanged uneasy nces. None of them had touched Javier’s wounds. Frustration simmered among them. They were being scolded for something they hadn’t done—and if things escted, they could even lose their jobs.


    Elyse stood frozen, her face unreadable, unwilling to utter a word.


    Javier scowled. His tone was sharp. “Mom, enough!” He was already irritated, and this only added to his frustration.


    Seeing her son’s displeasure, Samira softened. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop. Let’s just focus on applying the correct ointment.” Her heart ached as she looked at his bruised back. “Your father went too far this time. He punished you so harshly, as if you weren’t his own flesh and blood. How could he not feel any remorse? Family matters should remain private, yet he insists on listening to outsiders and beating you like this.”


    Knowing it was Elena who had exposed Javier’s theft, Samira seethed. Trouble always seemed to follow whenever Elena was involved. Elyse had been cast aside by Alexander. The Leopardex project had fallen into Elena’s hands. Now, Javier had suffered a severe beating. What was Elena’s goal? Did she think their family was easy to trample on? The more Samira dwelled on it, the angrier she became. “Elena is just using Alexander’s position as CEO of the Harper Group to intimidate us! Javier, from now on, steer clear of that girl. Nothing good everes from being around her!”


    Javier had heard these words countless times. His mother never tired of repeating them, and he himself had echoed simr sentiments in the past. Yet today, for some reason, they grated on his nerves.


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    “I was punished because I stole those paintings. Elena has nothing to do with it,” Javier muttered. He knew perfectly well that this had nothing to do with Elena. Even if he hadn’t been caughtst night, it was only a matter of time. The beating was inevitable.


    His offhandment made Elyse’s brows furrow deeply. What did he just say? He was actually defending Elena. Hadn’t he hated Elena’s guts? Why on earth did he speak up for Elena? Had something happened that she didn’t know about?


    Samira was momentarily taken aback. She reached out and ced a hand on Javier’s forehead. “You’re not running a fever…” Javier pushed her hand away, clearly annoyed.


    Once the physician finished applying the proper treatment, Javier dismissed everyone from his room. At first, he considered seeking out Elena to demand an exnation. But before long, sleep overtook him. Being young had its perks—his exhaustion made it easy to drift off the moment his head hit the pillow.


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