Chapter 14
Adaline’s eyes flew open. “What? Trash in her stomach?”
“What trash? Impossible!” Julian glared at the doctor.
The doctor handed over the images. “See for yourselves–the shaded areas are unidentified objects, indigestible, likely plastic fragments, bone shards, and the like. Her stomach lining is nearly eroded. We need an immediate gastroscopy.”
Adaline covered her mouth. “No wonder-no wonder she said even pickled greens were a treat. She was telling the truth. What on earth did she suffer in
there?”
The doctor continued, “She appears to have been force-fed. Prolonged intake of garbage has left her stomach prone to violent spasms at the slightest touch of meat or fish. She may have to avoid animal protein for quite a long time.”
“How could this happen…” Adaline wept, heartbroken.
Annabelle supported her. “Mom, please don’t cry. It’s my fault; if I’d known, I would’ve stopped it back then.”
The doctor frowned at them. “If she’s your daughter, how did you fail to notice prolonged abuse?”
His words filled them with shame.
Eyes lowered, Adaline murmured, “We only sent her away to study; we never dreamed she couldn’t even get enough to eat.”
Biting her lip, Annabelle declared fiercely, “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll dig out the truth. Whoever dared harm the Bennett family’s daughter will pay-I swear I’ll win justice for Sis!”
Adaline patted her hand, comforted. “Annie, you always think of your sister. Thank you.”
“Thank me? She’s my sister! Seeing her suffer breaks my heart, too.” Annabelle pressed a hand to her chest in showy pain.
Hospital Room.
Elena opened her eyes to find Adaline sitting at her bedside, wiping away tears.
Adaline said softly, “Elena, you’re awake?”
Elena glanced around and realized she was in a hospital room. Júlian, Lawrence, and Annabelle were all present.
Annabelle exclaimed, “Sis, finally! You have no idea-we were worried sick about you!”
Julian Bennett frowned and demanded, “What exactly happened in there? I’ve spoiled you for twenty years-how could anyone dare treat my kid sister
Jike this?”
Elena Bennett pressed her pale lips together; the moment before she had coughed up blood and blacked out kept replaying-especially the image of Julian pinning her down, forcing food between her teeth.
Yes, the man who had pampered her for twenty years was him-and the one who had shattered her body and spirit was still him.
Lawrence Bennett stepped closer and asked, “Elena, tell us–what really happened?”
Elena’s gaze drifted slowly across every familiar face in the room.
Had she not known her torment had been carried out on their orders, she might almost have believed their look of innocent concern.
So Annabelle truly belonged with them; even her acting felt heartbreakingly genuine.
Chapter 14
Julian snapped, “Dad’s talking to you-did you suddenly go mute?”
Elena lowered her lashes and said, “I told you already. Inside, I didn’t even get pickled greens-only swill. At first I couldn’t swallow it, so they pinned me down and forced it down my throat.
“When I still couldn’t eat, they beat me and locked me in the doghouse for seven days and nights. If you don’t eat, you die, so I made myself swallow it. In the end, even swill went down just fine.”
Chapter IS
