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Once I Was His Moon, Now I’m His Regret
NovelShort
Hoàn thành
“I’ve decided. I willingly entered the world’s leading medical research team and joined the confidential project.”
Chương (6)
第1章
“I’ve decided. I willingly entered the world’s leading medical research team and joined the confidential project.”
Beatrice Elliott spoke on the phone, her fingers shaking a little because she had finally chosen.
The professor on the other end felt extremely excited, almost thinking he had heard wrong when Beatrice called.
Beatrice’s talent in scientific research was extremely good. Even people who were not part of the research field knew the rumors about her; her husband Hendrix Hawkins was not just the President of the company, but also a famous underground arms dealer businessman.
The intelligence in Hendrix’s hands could, at any moment, lead to the fall of a small regime, yet he was willing to weaken for his wife, Beatrice, carrying the title of “spoiling his wife as if she were his whole world”... but now Beatrice actually wanted to leave her family and join their private project team for at least twenty years?
“Beatrice, do you want to think about it once more? After you join, there will be no way to contact your family again. What about your husband?” The professor valued talent, yet he still could not stop himself from reminding her.
“I already thought it through. As for family, I will get divorced.” Beatrice spoke the words she had kept buried in her heart and instantly felt relieved.
Beatrice and Hendrix had been married for eight years.
But three years earlier, the issue of the Elliott family’s “real and fake daughter” became trending news.
Beatrice fell from being the real daughter to becoming the fake one. Meanwhile, the real daughter, Liora Elliott, was sent by her parents to the Hawkins family with Hendrix’s silent approval.
Everyone told Beatrice that she was the one who stole Liora’s life, and even stole Hendrix, the husband who should have belonged to Liora from the beginning.
After that, Beatrice often received photos from Liora.
Hendrix said he was going overseas for business, but he was actually celebrating Liora’s birthday; after Liora got drunk, Hendrix helped her change clothes, and the two were completely open with each other. Even on the day Beatrice miscarried, Hendrix left her behind and chose to stay by Liora’s side after she was admitted to the same hospital because of a cut on her finger.
“I will arrange for a specialist to handle the divorce procedures for you.” After hearing such a firm answer from Beatrice, the professor sighed heavily.
“Sorry for troubling you. The sooner, the better.” Beatrice bitterly smiled. The movement pulled at her wound, making her quietly support herself.
A week ago, the night before Beatrice and Hendrix’s wedding anniversary, information about an international arms order was suddenly leaked, bringing huge losses to their partner. The other side demanded that Hendrix explain the matter and send the culprit to receive punishment.
Hendrix later found out that Liora had accidentally leaked the information after casually forwarding confidential files without understanding the industry’s rules.
However, because Hendrix wanted to protect Liora, he placed the blame for the leak on Beatrice while facing pressure from the other party.
As a result, on what should have been her wedding anniversary celebration, Beatrice was taken away by strangers for punishment and questioning.
On the first day, she was drained of 1000cc of blood by the opposing side, and she fell into a coma afterward.
On the second day, she was forced onto the training field as a living target. Those people did not shoot her, but every gunshot was meant to frighten and torture her.
On the third day, her clothes were ripped apart, and humiliating photos were taken from different angles for people to view and enjoy on special platforms.
When she was finally freed and returned home in a miserable state, she saw Liora lying on Hendrix’s lap, and even her room had become Liora’s private bedroom.
Hendrix told her, “Beatrice, the intelligence leak happened because of Liora’s mistake. But if you both had not been switched when you were young, she should have been strong and independent like you, and she would not have made such a foolish mistake.”
“If the other side punishes Liora, her weak condition would not allow her to survive it. We can only ask you to suffer the punishment in her place.”
At that moment, Beatrice finally saw the truth clearly: Hendrix did not love her at all. Liora was the one he truly cared about.
This marriage was originally a family alliance between the Elliott and the Hawkin families. Since everyone believed she had taken Liora’s place and marriage, she decided to return everything to Liora and complete their love story.
As she thought about it, Beatrice’s eyes slowly reddened.
The professor was still talking on the phone. “The divorce becomes official after seven days, but you still need your previous research data to prove your skills before joining the team. Don’t forget to bring it!”
When Beatrice and Hendrix were newly married, they had made an agreement that the laboratory containing the research samples needed both their fingerprints and passwords to unlock.
Beatrice replied without hesitation, “Don’t worry, I will personally take back my research work!”
——
After ending the call, Beatrice got up and started arranging her luggage.
The house was huge. Ironically, there were only a few things that belonged to her.
Long before Liora came into this home, Beatrice and Hendrix, both workaholics, stayed at the company most of the time.
Until Liora arrived, Beatrice felt the company was cold and lifeless and should not be treated as a home.
Hendrix quickly bought this luxurious mansion and moved into it.
Liora wanted to set up a flower display wall, so Hendrix removed the file storage shelf that Beatrice had originally placed there.
Liora wanted an old-style crystal chandelier, so Hendrix paid no attention to Beatrice’s work needs and changed the soft lights inside the house.
Liora could not find a couch that satisfied her, so the couch Beatrice had used since childhood was quietly claimed instead, leaving her unable to get used to it and making her suffer from insomnia every night…
When Beatrice went to question Hendrix, he placed an arm around her shoulders and sighed.
“Beatrice, if you hadn’t stolen the life that should have belonged to Liora, how could she have gone through so much pain?”
“This is only a little compensation for everything she lost.”
“You’ve always been kind. You can understand, can’t you?”
As Beatrice thought about those memories, she smiled at herself mockingly, and her hands moved more quickly.
After she was sent to the partner’s house, Liora cleared out all of Beatrice’s things and took over her bedroom. At that moment, it helped her a lot.
Only after Beatrice had sorted out most of the items and still had no time to rest, did she hear footsteps from the doorway.
Hendrix came back with Liora.
After Liora leaked confidential company information, Hendrix not only refused to blame her but even officially brought her into the company to learn.
Because Beatrice took the blame for Liora’s leak, her original position was removed, and today, her work was officially handed over to Liora.
The moment Liora saw her, panic flashed across her face.
“Sorry, Sister. I took your position at the company. You’re not angry, right?”
Hendrix gently tapped her nose and comforted her lovingly.
“If you hadn’t been switched by mistake, this position should have been yours from the beginning, according to the family arrangement. How can this be called stealing? Beatrice, don’t you agree?”
He shot her a look, signaling for Beatrice to follow his words and continue.
Beatrice smiled. “If everyone found out that the person sitting in that position was the one who truly leaked the company’s confidential information, what do you think would happen to you?”
Liora’s face froze, slowly turning pale as she looked at Hendrix with lingering fear.
The smile on Hendrix’s face disappeared, replaced by clear anger.
“Beatrice, stop scaring her! That matter is already over. There’s no need to bring up the past again! As long as I’m here, no one will hurt her!”
Yes, Liora would never be harmed because Beatrice had already taken the blame for her.
Beatrice did not speak about it anymore. After a long silence, she turned to look at Hendrix.
She tried to think of a reason. Her hand clenched tightly at her side as nervousness filled her heart.
“There’s a batch of old data in our laboratory with some issues. When do you have time to come to the lab with me?”
Once she got there, she intended to take the data with her.
Hendrix paused briefly before saying, “Tomorrow.”
In the next moment, Liora sat on his lap while he gently massaged her calf.
Hearing that, she pulled lightly on his sleeve, her voice carrying a trace of grievance.
“But you promised to take me for a full-body examination tomorrow. That medical expert is especially difficult to arrange...”
Beatrice’s eyes darkened.
It had originally been her scheduled appointment with the doctor. However, after she accepted punishment for Liora and hurt her body, she was not suitable for a medical examination for now. Because of that, Hendrix gave her examination appointment to Liora.
Hendrix called her Liora’s “good sister” and said he wanted Liora to be healthy and safe, but he forgot who had given her those injuries.
“Don’t tell me little sister can’t even attend a physical examination alone? Does she still need Hendrix to take you there?”
Beatrice coldly smiled. She did not want to delay any longer and wanted to retrieve the research data from the laboratory as soon as possible.
Hendrix frowned and scolded her.
“So what if Liora is quiet and needs me beside her? If you had suffered like her while growing up, instead of living as the Elliott family’s oldest daughter, maybe you would be even more fearful than her!”
“Liora, I’ll still stay with you tomorrow!”
Liora nodded with a happy smile. The way she looked at Beatrice showed a bit of pride along with sympathy.
“Then the following day.”
Beatrice went past Liora, though her heart felt slightly bitter.
Back then, when she stayed in the hospital and felt afraid, she wanted Hendrix to stay with her, yet Hendrix always refused because of his work.
He could pay people to watch over her in the hospital and arrange caretakers for her. The people staying beside her were even more than the doctors and nurses, but he never came to stay with her himself.
But if it were the weak Liora, he could push aside all his work.
Hendrix agreed and said he would go with Beatrice to the laboratory the day after tomorrow.
Only after that did Beatrice head back to her room.
There were still six days left before the divorce became official. As long as she got the data in those six days, she could leave.
第2章
The following day, Beatrice went to the laboratory by herself.
The heavy door separated her from the research work she had spent half her life on.
She still remembered that after she married Hendrix, everyone believed that as the Elliott family’s daughter, after the marriage arrangement, she only needed to look after Hendrix well.
Even her parents believed that this was her only duty, to properly become a good Mrs. Hawkins.
But Hendrix respected the path she chose.
She wanted to keep doing medical research, so Hendrix built a laboratory for her.
No matter what high-level equipment she wanted, Hendrix used his connections to get it for her.
Other people mocked her and said she did not deserve those advanced instruments, but Hendrix said, “My wife, what does she not deserve?”
Because of that, more people believed that Hendrix cared deeply for his wife.
Later, after the real daughter Liora returned, Hendrix slowly started treating her more specially.
Liora said laboratory work was dangerous and did not like that Beatrice brought risky materials back home.
After that, Hendrix quietly stopped all the research projects that had originally been done there.
She pleaded with Hendrix. That was the most important part of her work life, but Hendrix still did not agree to let her continue the research.
“Liora is living with us now. What if your experiments hurt her?”
“I can’t let any danger stay around me. Besides, I was the one who gave you this laboratory, so I can also take it away whenever I want.”
Leaving this place now also became part of Beatrice’s dream to continue her career and escape from these limits.
While she was lost in her thoughts, the sound of organized footsteps suddenly came from the entrance.
“Ma’am, sir wants to meet you. Please come back right away!”
What happened? Why did so many bodyguards suddenly come here together?
Beatrice became slightly nervous. She thought her choice had been found out, and she instinctively felt worried and wanted to refuse.
“I’m not going back now!”
The bodyguards she turned down looked at one another before walking toward her.
“Please forgive us, Ma’am.”
They held her arms and shoulders and forcefully placed her inside the nanny car.
Beatrice bit her lips and looked coldly at them as she warned them strictly.
“No matter what, I’m still the Elliott family’s daughter and your young miss. Aren’t you afraid the family will punish you for treating me this way?”
One of the bodyguards answered coldly.
“This is Sir’s command. No matter what happens, we have to bring you back! Even if you are the Elliott family’s young lady, now that the real daughter has returned, you are only an adopted daughter.”
Inside the car, Beatrice’s hands were already free. She held back her shaking and lifted her hand to hit the bodyguard.
“Even then, it’s still not your place to speak! You should remember who you are!”
The man covered his face and lowered his head, not daring to say another word.
Beatrice did not feel any better. Her heart hurt heavily and felt numb, as if many needles were stabbing into it.
She was brought back home.
Inside the living room, Hendrix was smoking.
The room was covered in smoke, and the ashtray was full of cigarette butts and ash. Beatrice could not stop herself from coughing.
She was very sensitive to cigarette smoke. In the past, Hendrix tried his best to control his smoking so she would not feel uncomfortable. Now, he did not try to hide it anymore.
Beatrice noticed his anger, but she did not know why he was upset.
Hendrix stared at Beatrice, his questioning voice dark and cold.
“So you still know how to come back?”
“Do you know what you’ve done yourself?”
Beatrice felt completely lost, though she slowly realized it might have something to do with Liora.
Watching her look innocent, the anger in Hendrix’s eyes grew stronger.
“Just because I arranged for your doctor to examine Liora, you let your doctor hurt her?”
“Do you know he touched Liora inappropriately?!”
Beatrice opened her eyes wide. The shock made her unable to respond, and she kept shaking her head again and again.
“That’s not possible!”
This doctor had a strong reputation both in the country and abroad. She had invited him all these years. There must be some misunderstanding here!
Just then, Liora appeared near the staircase.
She wore Hendrix’s white shirt. Under the oversized shirt, several pale purple marks could be seen.
Her soft face was full of fear and panic.
“Sister, I-I really won’t fight with you over anything anymore, alright? Please don’t arrange a doctor like this again!”
Liora looked at Beatrice sadly and helplessly.
Hendrix had already gotten up from the couch. He walked toward Liora near the stairs.
His fingers brushed her hair away, showing the red handprint on her face.
Liora leaned into Hendrix’s arms and cried.
“The doctor who mistreated me even laughed at me for coming from the countryside. He said someone ordered him to treat me this way. As long as he did this to me, Mr. Hawkins would stop liking me and wouldn’t keep me beside him anymore.”
“Sister, after I returned, you’ve always cared for me well. I know you wouldn’t ask him to hurt me.”
When Hendrix heard this, the coldness in his eyes grew heavier as he looked toward Beatrice nearby.
“Beatrice, maybe you dislike Liora, but don’t forget, if your identities were never swapped, then the woman who married me would have been Liora!”
“What right does a beneficiary like you have to hurt Liora?”
“I gave in again and again, but instead it only let you hurt Liora more deeply!”
Beatrice slowly breathed in. Facing such blame and suspicion without any evidence, she would never admit to it.
“Hendrix, if the doctor truly did those things, then you should call the police first and let the law deal with him instead of blaming me!”
“With your power, you could even shoot him or use countless ways to force him to tell the truth instead of accusing me like this!”
As soon as Liora heard her words, she cried even more painfully.
“Sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have quietly endured everything. Sorry, sister!”
Liora’s tears seemed to make Hendrix lose control. He immediately lifted Liora into his arms, his eyes cold and frightening as he looked at Beatrice.
“I’ll calm Liora down first. After she feels better, I’ll speak with you again!”
After saying that, he carried Liora upstairs.
Beatrice remained standing in the middle of the living room, only feeling a deep coldness.
After resting for a long while, she finally went back to her room.
As she returned to her room and passed by Hendrix’s bedroom, she saw the scene through the small gap in the door.
Hendrix pinned Liora onto the bed, his hand moving under Liora’s shirt as it slowly moved around. Liora’s face was red with excitement.
So this was the comfort Hendrix talked about?
Beatrice forced herself to stay calm while walking past the bedroom door, but her heart still hurt uncontrollably.
第3章
Beatrice returned to her room and kept trying to calm herself down.
There were still five days left before the divorce officially became valid. As long as she got her research data within those five days, she could completely leave this place.
After some time had passed, Hendrix finally calmed Liora down and asked the servants to call Beatrice to the study to talk.
Only after Beatrice entered the study did she notice that, at some point, it had become full of signs left behind by Liora.
There were her paintings, the jewelry she wore, along with different snacks and ripped wrappers.
Even menstrual products were left scattered around.
But when Liora was not there, it was not like this.
Hendrix always believed the study was the most important place for discussing work, and nobody was allowed to disturb it. Even Beatrice, as Mrs. Hawkins, was never allowed to touch the study carelessly.
Back then, Beatrice only placed a small doll inside the study because she wanted the room to feel less cold and hoped to warm Hendrix a little, yet Hendrix still warned her about it.
“This is a place for discussing important work. Are we supposed to put childish things here and weaken our image? Beatrice, you really are too immature!”
But when it came to Liora, all of this became acceptable.
Seeing Beatrice standing there in a daze, Hendrix angrily threw a stack of confessions at her.
The papers were scattered everywhere. Beatrice only managed to catch one page.
Written on it was the doctor’s confession.
[Mrs. Hawkins ordered me to teach Miss Liora a lesson. She wanted Miss Liora to leave this house. I truly had no choice. I am powerless and unimportant, so I could only obey Mrs. Hawkins’s orders.]
Beatrice became so angry that her face turned red.
“This is a false accusation! Hendrix, is this the interrogation method you were once so proud of?”
Hendrix tapped the wooden box on the table, signaling for Beatrice to open it.
Beatrice opened the box. Inside was one of the doctor’s cut fingers.
Caught off guard, she became so scared that she screamed.
“No matter what, this finger touched Liora first, so I punished him. This matter ends here!”
After saying that, Hendrix paused and looked at Beatrice again.
“I will not take away your position as Mrs. Hawkins, but I still need to comfort Liora about this matter.”
“If you want to keep your place as Mrs. Hawkins, then from now on, get rid of those cruel thoughts!”
Beatrice no longer even had the energy to defend herself. She forced herself to stay calm.
She wanted to leave this place, to leave completely!
She could hardly wait to get the data from the laboratory.
She held back her fear and tried her best to stop her voice from shaking.
“About going to the laboratory tomorrow...”
Hendrix cut off her words.
“Move it back by another two days. Anyway, even if these research projects lose all profit, or mistakes cause huge compensation, the Hawkins family can still cover the losses for you.”
“Liora’s mood has become very bad. I want to bring her to the auction house so she can relax.”
Beatrice clenched her teeth, not wanting Hendrix to notice anything strange.
Hendrix, who once respected her work, now spoke about her career so casually because of Liora.
“Okay.”
Beatrice did not know how she managed to walk out of the study.
What happened today quickly spread through the servants.
Many people saw Hendrix harshly scold Beatrice just to comfort Liora. Before leaving, he even stayed in the room to act closely with Liora. Because of this, everyone mocked the image Beatrice had worked so hard to protect.
“A fake young lady will always be fake. How can a man like President Hawkins choose a replacement?”
“In the past, she always gave us orders and made us do things for her. Soon, she probably won’t even remain the lady of this house anymore!”
Hendrix did not defend Beatrice, nor did he stop the servants from gossiping.
Instead, Beatrice’s adoptive mother, the madam of the Elliott family, called her.
“Beatrice, if you really cannot keep Mr. Hawkins by your side, then why not give him back to your younger sister?”
“Since your last miscarriage, you still haven’t shown any signs of becoming pregnant again. If you cannot give birth to the oldest son, then even if you continue keeping this title in name only, you still cannot protect the long-term cooperation between the two families.”
Beatrice silently held the phone tighter.
That previous miscarriage was not caused naturally by her body. Liora had done something to the food.
But later, she failed to find evidence and could only let the matter end like that.
Instead, Hendrix accused her of always imagining Liora as a terrible person, saying it reflected the darkness inside her own heart.
“Beatrice, are you listening to me or not? Return Mr. Hawkins to your younger sister!”
Her mother’s voice from the other end of the call still kept stressing those words.
She answered with an “hmm,” and hung up the phone.
From the start until the end, she was only a piece in the marriage arrangement between the two powerful families. Her body and ability to have children were her greatest worth. Sadly, she realized it too late and foolishly believed that she could find real love.
Still, her adoptive mother’s words matched exactly with what she already planned to do. She could finally do it openly, then leave this place!
During these past few days, Hendrix stayed beside Liora to comfort her, while Beatrice packed away the things she no longer wished to keep.
Many expensive luxury bags would become useless to her after she joined the confidential medical project.
Most importantly, Hendrix had given all of them to her. She no longer wanted to look at them.
The servant thought Beatrice was going to be chased out, so they assumed she was nervously selling her valuables to raise money. In private, they laughed at how sad her situation looked.
The matter slowly reached Hendrix.
“What are you doing?”
Beatrice did not bother looking up.
“I only feel I won’t be using them anymore, so I decided to sell them.”
Hendrix was unhappy with how she acted and insisted on fixing her behavior.
Since she was his wife, looking rich and eye-catching also represented his image.
So the auction that was originally for accompanying Liora now had Beatrice attending too.
“This is one of the events for the family. Wear the most luxurious clothes possible.”
He especially reminded her and ordered the butler to bring a gown created by a famous designer.
The gems added to the dress were all real. It looked extremely gorgeous!
The nearby servants who secretly watched all quickly changed their earlier attitude and showed jealous looks.
Beatrice also paused for a moment. Her heart became a little soft.
Did Hendrix hear the gossip from the servants, so he purposely came to help her?
“Okay, I’ll wear it and attend.”
第4章
On the auction day, Beatrice was putting on makeup while telling the servants to bring her dress.
But after the servant entered the cloakroom, she did not return for a long while.
Beatrice became slightly unhappy and could only go there herself.
At this time, inside the cloakroom packed with costly jewelry and handmade clothing, Liora was changing clothes.
The gown on her body was exactly Beatrice’s dress. It did not fully fit her size, but the tailor beside her was recording adjustment details again.
The servant who earlier went to fetch the gown for Beatrice was kneeling on the ground, with a visible handprint still left on half her face.
“Miss Liora, this gown belongs to Miss Beatrice. You truly can’t take it!”
“If you act like this, I can’t explain it to Miss Beatrice. Please, I’m begging you!”
Listening to her nonstop talking, Liora impatiently looked at her.
“What does your explanation have to do with me?”
“But Sir gave this to Miss Liora.” The servant became so nervous that tears kept falling as she continuously bowed her head.
“What are all of you doing?” After seeing the situation in front of her, Beatrice coldly spoke, her eyes especially cold when looking at Liora.
Liora told the servant and tailor to leave first and wait outside before slowly replying to Beatrice.
“Big sister, this dress is very pretty. I want to wear it.”
“No.” Beatrice refused immediately. That dress belonged to her. “Take it off right now!”
At that moment, no other people stayed around them. The weak look on Liora usually acted out instantly disappeared after Beatrice refused her.
She brushed up the hair she had just arranged, a little mockery in her voice.
“Older sister, I already tried to leave you some respect, so why don’t you appreciate it? I am telling you this, not asking for your thoughts.”
“You do not need to keep pretending to be the lady of the house anymore. Mom wants Hendrix and me together, and in Hendrix’s heart, there is only me, too.”
She loosened her collar a little, revealing skin marked by intimacy.
“He said he can only feel joy when he is with me. Around his older sister, he cannot feel even a little excitement. If both families did not need a child to keep their relationship connected, he would never want to with you…”
Before her sentence ended, Beatrice raised her hand and gave her a hard slap, directly knocking her face to one side.
“No matter what, I am still Hendrix’s legal wife right now! Even if he already gets tired of me, he still cannot casually remove me from this place.”
“And you! Hendrix only felt sorry for you and cared about you a little, so he stayed with you for a few years. Do you really think you can stand above me?”
“Liora, I already put up with you for a very long time. Stop bothering me again and again!”
Beatrice originally did not want to waste her strength dealing with Liora.
They were the true and false daughters, and that was already a fact nobody could change. Besides, she had already fully decided to leave on her own.
But today, Liora completely ripped away the fake act she always kept, and Beatrice could no longer keep enduring it!
Liora looked at Beatrice with hatred covering her face. After seeing a person walking closer from behind Beatrice in the distance, her expression instantly changed back, showing a slight plotting smile.
At some point, she already held a pair of sewing scissors in her hand. She grabbed Beatrice’s hand and stabbed toward the side of her own waist.
The beautiful gown instantly ripped apart with a tearing sound, and the flesh at her waist became bloody as blood quickly poured out.
“I’m sorry, big sister, I was wrong! I never dare do it again!”
“I beg you, I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”
Her crying and screams sounded painful, and Hendrix’s footsteps rushed closer and closer.
When he arrived in front of Liora, Beatrice already had no time to respond.
Hendrix quickly held Liora in his arms. The moment he saw blood flowing from her body, his eyes immediately turned red from panic.
“Where is the family doctor? Hurry and bring the family doctor here! And where are the bodyguards? All of you are useless!”
The family doctor came over. Together, they carried Liora onto the bed to clean and stitch her wound. Only then did Hendrix have time to look at Beatrice standing nearby.
Beatrice wanted to explain that she did not hurt Liora. Everything was only Liora pretending and acting by herself!
But Hendrix stood up and suddenly slapped her hard across the face.
This was the first time Hendrix hit Beatrice.
The corner of Beatrice’s mouth split from the slap, and tears quickly fell from her eyes.
“Hendrix, I did not hurt Liora! She is only pretending to fool you!”
“At first, she was also the one trying to take my gown!”
Right after that, Hendrix’s second slap landed on her face again.
“So just because of this dress, you nearly killed your younger sister? Beatrice, you really are insane!”
He breathed deeply, doing everything he could to hold back the anger in his chest.
“You have to apologize to Liora!”
Beatrice held the side of her mouth, tasting blood slowly spreading inside.
“Why can’t you trust me? That dirty woman who plays with men also deserves an apology from me? No way!”
Hendrix got mad again at the way she acted. He raised his hand again, but when he saw the slap marks and blood on her cheeks, he froze for a moment and slowly put his hand down.
Even he did not notice that, because he had panicked from worry before, he had slapped her so hard.
But when he turned to look at Liora again, lying weakly on the bed with her eyes shut tight, he could not completely hold back his anger.
“I promise on the family’s name, if you keep refusing to say sorry to Liora, I surely will not spare you!”
He told the bodyguards to lock Beatrice in the bedroom and not give her any food or water, wanting to see when she would finally give in.
Beatrice stared at his cold figure from behind. Her heart hurt like it was bleeding, but she still lifted her head proudly. While wiping away tears and blood, she kept speaking to herself inside her heart.
Beatrice, you are going away, so do not cry over him anymore!
Beatrice was shoved into the room by the same bodyguard from before, who had always treated her badly.
His actions were forceful. She dropped onto the floor, pain spreading through her whole body as if every bone had shattered from the hit.
“Mrs. Hawkin’s position without receiving Mr. Hawkins’s affection is only a useless shell.”
Before she could recover, the bedroom door shut, and her adoptive mother called her. The moment the call connected, angry curses and insults came from the other end.
“You ungrateful girl, I told you to give the Mrs. Hawkins role to Liora. Not only did you disobey me, but you even caused her injury.”
“If I had known you were this evil, when I discovered you were not the real daughter, I should have used the Elliott family’s influence to make you vanish completely from this world!”
第5章
Beatrice heard her adoptive mother’s remarks while tears kept falling nonstop. In the end, she was still the mother who cared for her for over twenty years. Saying her heart did not feel even a little pain was a lie.
Yet before she managed to speak and explain, her adoptive mother already blocked the number. No matter how often she tried calling again, only busy signals answered her.
Beatrice’s wounded heart fully broke apart.
After that, she spent the whole day unable to swallow even one bite of food or drink one sip of water.
Every three hours, the bodyguards came over and asked her, “Is Miss Beatrice ready to say sorry to Miss Liora?”
Beatrice stayed quiet the entire time.
Again and again, she reminded herself that there were still three days left before the marriage relationship inside the system ended.
After she received the experimental data, she could leave.
Again and again, she pleaded with the servants outside the door to send a message to Hendrix, saying she wished to visit the laboratory to correct the incorrect data.
Yet inside her room, not even one servant came to bring her daily needs. The only moment a servant entered was when they walked into the wrong room.
“Pardon me, Ma’am, where do I place the jewelry sent from the auction house?”
“Oh, forgive me, Ma’am, I got the wrong room, these are for Miss Liora!”
Even though Liora could not go to the auction due to her injury, Hendrix still arranged for people to attend and purchase the presents she wanted.
One after another, the presents were carried into Liora’s room, quietly showing everyone that Beatrice had already lost Hendrix’s care.
Beatrice bitterly smiled at herself and blankly waited for another day to come.
The moment morning arrived, after not drinking even one sip of water, she shakily stood up.
Who could have expected Hendrix to appear while also bringing news that struck like thunder?
“When Liora checks her injury, the doctor finds out she is pregnant, and the baby is mine.”
“If you did not make the doctor handle that matter before, this baby should already have been found much earlier; it does not wait until now.”
“Beatrice, by now, just honestly admit you are wrong. Then take this child, care for it under your name, and I can still let you keep Mrs. Hawkins title.”
Beatrice opened her eyes wide at Hendrix, her lips parting and closing, but she could not say even one word.
If Liora had not done that before, her baby would not have miscarried.
But now, Liora was pregnant and carrying her husband’s baby!
And they still expected her to raise it?
It really was too ridiculous.
Beatrice’s eyes turned red. After staying quiet for a long while, she finally rasped, “Understood.”
She was not bowing down to Liora, but telling herself, leave, get away from this place!
Liora appeared by the doorway at the right moment, holding out a glass of water to Beatrice.
Beatrice unconsciously wet her lips. They felt slightly dry, and she almost naturally wanted to stretch out her hand.
Right after that, she heard Liora speak.
“Elder sister, later on, you should be more accepting; this child still needs to grow up under elder sister’s name.”
“The doctor says this baby will most likely be a boy; later, he might take over Hendrix’s family business.”
“I wish he stays healthy and safe, not like the baby before inside elder sister’s stomach, living for such a brief time……”
Those words plainly wanted to expose Beatrice’s painful wound in front of everyone!
At once, anger rose inside her chest. She shoved aside the cup Liora handed toward her.
Even though she did not use much strength, the cup in Liora’s hand still fell down.
Water spread across the floor. Liora hurriedly tried to dodge it, but fell heavily over.
Terrified, she held her stomach and kept crying loudly.
“Elder sister, why do you treat me this way?”
“Hendrix, can our baby still survive? I beg you to save him, please save him no matter what!”
Everything took place too fast. When Beatrice finally returned to her senses, the bodyguards had already shoved her into the emergency vehicle.
The line of cars looked large and impressive as they drove straight toward the closest luxury private hospital.
Liora was taken for a checkup, while Beatrice stayed under Hendrix’s bodyguards’ watch, unable to move at all.
After not drinking even one sip of water for an entire day and night, and then facing another sudden situation, Beatrice’s sight repeatedly turned black.
Right when she nearly lost consciousness, Hendrix threw a cup of cold water onto her to wake her up.
The coldness sank deep into her body, making her unable to stop shaking.
“I never wanted to hurt Liora and the child inside her stomach!” Beatrice instinctively spoke to defend herself.
Hendrix said nothing. After seeing her wake up, he brought her away from the hospital.
This time, they headed toward the laboratory.
Beatrice believed Hendrix had finally remembered his promise to let her return to the laboratory and correct the wrong data, and she could finally leave as well.
She did not pause at all. Together, they entered the password and fingerprints, while the laboratory’s huge doors gradually opened.
Inside stood the only things Beatrice had built up, the only belongings that were truly hers!
She felt overjoyed and wanted to step ahead, yet the bodyguards once again held her down.
Hendrix’s hands repeatedly moved across the screen, erasing one completed data file after another from her earlier work.
“What are you doing! Stop! Hendrix!”
Beatrice released a painful scream, her voice rough to a terrifying level, sounding like a mad person crawling out from hell.
Hendrix stopped moving, his hand remaining raised in the air as he gave his last warning.
“You have done far too many wrong things! All I ever wanted was for you to apologize to Liora. That was the last respect I left for you because of the family’s reputation. Yet you kept refusing.”
“You greatly disappoint me. The low background of a fake daughter truly makes it hard to develop good character. So I can only use this method to make you give in. I will ask you once again, Beatrice, do you really still refuse to admit your mistake?”
第6章
Beatrice’s tears slowly fell from her face one drop at a time.
During the first year of the arranged marriage, Hendrix followed all her wishes, saying she was his most outstanding and capable wife.
Now he disliked that she was not the real eldest daughter of the Elliott family, believing her character was not noble enough, and thinking she was beneath him.
Hendrix truly reached a point where he hated her this much!
Was she wrong? She was wrong.
She was wrong because from the start, she should never have developed feelings for Hendrix.
The “delete” command in Hendrix’s hand kept running because Beatrice stayed silent.
The work gathered over many years disappeared into nothing in only a short moment.
Pain spread through Beatrice’s lower stomach. She collapsed onto the floor, the pain making her body curl up uncontrollably.
Sadly, Hendrix did not even look at her and instead turned his back on her.
The other bodyguards kept cold looks on their faces, ignoring her pain completely.
A fake daughter, a “fake wife” who was about to be thrown out, was not important enough for them to care too much about.
Beatrice wanted to give in, but her lower stomach felt like knives were turning inside it, making even the words “willing to apologize” too painful to speak.
At last, when only a few files of data were left, Beatrice painfully found her voice again.
“I apologize.”
After Beatrice spoke, Hendrix stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her.
What Hendrix did not expect was that blood had already spread beneath Beatrice, while her whole body lay on the floor, shaking nonstop.
Even though he understood too late, he still realized at that moment what had happened. He quickly lifted Beatrice up.
“Return to the hospital!”
Beatrice tightly grabbed his hand. Even though the pain made her mind go blurry, she still begged him.
“The experiment, the data, please.”
When Beatrice opened her eyes again, she did not know how much time had already gone by.
The nurse informed Beatrice that she had been pregnant for over a month, but sadly, the child could not survive.
Unexpectedly, this kind of thing happened again.
Back when she took the blame for others, she still managed to protect this child, yet now she could no longer keep it.
Beatrice’s face looked somewhat blank, as though the news she heard had nothing to do with her.
The accidents coming one after another made her mind automatically protect itself.
It felt as though she had already lost all human feelings.
After sitting silently for a long while, she finally noticed the dampness on her face, while tears dropped onto the blanket and soaked a large area.
She slowly turned on her phone and saw the message the professor had sent.
[The divorce procedures are finished, and you are free again.]
[Do not feel sad. Remember to take your experimental results with you. The team representing the highest level of scientific research welcomes you!]
Beatrice tightly held the phone, her fingers slowly turning pale.
Because she kept insisting before she lost consciousness, Hendrix finally softened for a brief moment. He saved all the remaining data for her and left it beside the bed.
She finally obtained the thing she wanted!
She carefully stood up and walked away. While passing Liora’s hospital room, she saw Hendrix gently touching Liora’s lower stomach, looking loving and happy.
She had lost her child, but Liora was still lucky.
Right after that, she heard Hendrix speak.
“After Beatrice miscarried, as punishment for the things she did before, I already ordered people to secretly clear her uterus. She will never become pregnant again.”
“Liora, your baby later on will be my only child. Even if I cannot let you become Mrs. Hawkins by name, after many years, everything here still will have your share. This is my honesty.”
Beatrice placed her hand over her lower abdomen, almost like she really felt the emptiness below.
She held back her tears and leaned against the wall while slowly leaving the hospital. After getting into the car, she went directly to the airport.
The people waiting to bring her away had already arrived there.
Hendrix, for the rest of their lives, they would never see each other again!