Chapter 7
“How could that be? I only left him on the island for five days! There was no danger at all–how could he have died?“}
She asked the question in a daze, but Hardy remained silent, disappointment etched deep in his features.
Billie, stepping forward, tried to comfort her, his voice soft and soothing:”
“Shena, you didn’t do it on purpose. Maybe it was Theo’s fault that Bastian had the accident. You shouldn’t blame yourself too much.” But his words only made Shena’s frown deepen and even Hardy’s expression darkened.
The old man gestured for his assistant, signaling him to intervene. In a swift motion, the assistant grabbed Billie and slapped him across the face several times.
“Do you have the right to speak here?” Hardy roared. “You think the Collins Family’s son–in–law is some title a gutter rat like you can snatch? First, you caused the young lady’s car accident. Now you’ve schemed your way into getting the young master killed. You think you deserve to enter this family? Look at yourself!“}}
The beating came fast and merciless. In no time, Billie’s face was bruised and swollen beyond recognition.”
He struggled, but it was useless. Blood streamed from his nose, tears mixing with it as he turned to Shena in desperation.}
“Shena… help me! Say something! I didn’t do any of this! I was just rescued by the doctor–are you going to stand there and let Grandpa beat me to death?”
His pitiful cries finally pulled Shena out of her daze. She rushed to shield him, spreading her arms in front of him.
“Grandpa, this has nothing to do with Billie! I was the one who decided to send Bastian to the island. If you want someone to blame, blame me!“}
“You’re still defending him?”
Hardy’s voice trembled with fury. He slammed the table with his cane and gestured to the guards at the door. “Bring her in!”
Shena’s brows furrowed in confusion–until she saw who walked in.}]
It was the caretaker from the island.}
The woman dropped to her knees the moment she entered, clinging to Shena’s pant leg, sobbing uncontrollably.
“I didn’t mean to hurt the young master–please, have mercy!“}]
Shena’s eyes instantly turned red. Realization crashed down on her like a wave. She kicked the woman back with a force fueled by fury. “You dare plot against your master?!“}
The caretaker cowered, waving her hands frantically. “It wasn’t me! It was him! He gave me the snake and said it wasn’t poisonous–that it was just to scare the child! He also threw the food meant for the young master into the sea! I didn’t know the snake was actually deadly!“} Before she finished, Billie, pale as a ghost, tried to escape. But the bodyguards at the door caught him easily and dragged him back. This time, Shena understood everything.“]
“You really… killed Bastian?”
She advanced on Billie step by step, her voice trembling with rage.
“Just because he bumped into you? You took his life for that?! Billie, when did you become so cruel?“}
“Give me back Bastian!”
Without thinking, she snatched up a fruit knife from the table and lunged at him.
All tenderness was gone–no trace remained of the woman who once stood beside him.
Billie backed away in panic, grabbing her wrist to stop the knife.
“Shena, don’t listen to her lies! Grandpa must’ve gotten to her first. We’ve been together for years–you know me. Would I ever hurt a child?”
“Besides, if it weren’t for me taking care of you after your accident, would you have even woken up? Have you forgotten all of that?”
For a moment, hesitation flickered across Shena’s face. Her grip on the knife weakened slightly.
But Hardy had anticipated it. He pulled a folder from his coat and slammed it down on the table.
“Let’s see how long you can keep up this farce!“}
Inside was a thick stack of medical records–Billie’s. Each documented injury, each hospital visit, laid bare the truth. Many of them were clearly labeled as results of beatings.
Then came the photos–him gambling, drinking, laughing in foreign casinos.
Hardy’s voice was cold and bitter.}
C
But Hardy had anticipated it. He pulled a folder from his coat and slammed it down on the table.”
“Let’s see how long you can keep up this farce!“}
Inside was a thick stack of medical records–Billie’s. Each documented injury, each hospital visit, laid bare the truth. Many of them were clearly labeled as results of beatings.
Then came the photos–him gambling, drinking, laughing in foreign casinos.
Hardy’s voice was cold and bitter.}
“Take a good look. While you were unconscious, he wasn’t by your side. He was in Europe, gambling away everything you gave him. He sold your things and ran abroad.“@
“When you got into that car accident, he wasn’t nursing you back to health. He was lying in a hospital bed himself after being beaten over his debts. I was the one who covered it up–because I didn’t want to break your spirit just as you woke up. But I never imagined you’d be fooled again by a few sweet words.“}
“He ran back here only after racking up hundreds of millions in gambling debt. And that dog of his–Pudding–he killed it himself. Just to drive a wedge between you and Theo.”
“You damn fool!”
