Chapter 15
Her voice was lighter than a passing breeze, as though she spoke of something entirely inconsequential.
Yet every word joined the next like an invisible hand clenching tight around the listener’s heart.
Annabelle Bernett burst into sobs first. “Oh God, Elena, you’ve suffered so much! How could they treat you like that? It’s my fault for taking your room. If you want to vent your anger, hit me-it’s all my fault!”
Still weeping, Annabelle seized Elena’s hand and tried to smack herself with it.
Elena’s brows knit, and she reflexively jerked her hand free.
She regarded Annabelle with icy detachment.
Diverting attention and painting Elena as a hysterical shrew-Annabelle had always relied on that little trick.
Julian’s fists tightened. “Who was it? Who bullied you?”
Elena said coolly, “Anyone who felt like it. The crueler they were, the better the reward-a chance to wine and dine with rich businessmen.”
Adaline clutched her chest, tears streaming. “Elena, was someone behind this? Tell us-I’ll drag every last culprit into the light!”
Elena slowly lifted her eyes, letting them settle at last on Annabelle’s face.
She almost wanted to hand this entire family a Best Actor trophy.
Elena asked softly, “Really? You think that? Then why, during the full year I was locked up, did none of you visit me? Had you come even once, wouldn’t you have seen my situation?”
Annabelle bit her lip, voice quavering. “Elena, please stop saying things that hurt Mom, Dad, and Julian. It’s all my fault-I never should have come back! Blame me if you want; I’ll kneel, just don’t make them sad…”
With that, Annabelle dropped to her knees beside the hospital bed.
Julian hurriedly hauled her upright. “Annie, what are you doing? You’re a Bennett-the house and everything in it are yours.”
He turned back toward the bed; Elena’s indifferent expression stabbed at his heart like a needle.
He seethed at that look-how had the lively, affectionate girl he once knew grown so distant from him?
Julian pressed on, “Elena, Annie’s right. You blame us for not visiting, but how were we to know you were being bullied? Look how many tears Mom has shed-do you want her to cry herself blind?”
Elena listened without a flicker of emotion, wondering how the blame had swung back to her yet again.
Annabelle pleaded, “Brother, don’t scold Elena. Let me peel an apple for you, Sis-please forgive me, okay?”
A knock sounded; a nurse pushed in a cart with IV supplies.
Elena rolled up her sleeve. The nurse examined the scarred back of her hand and shook her head in pity. “There’s no intact skin here for a needle. Let’s try the other hand.”
Elena offered the other hand, but the nurse kept shaking her head. “Neither hand has a single patch of good skin. In this day and age, I can’t believe someone’s hands are frostbitten like this.”
Even the nurse’s words were laced with sympathy.
Chapter 15
Adaline looked at those hands, her eyes reddening with pain.
Beside her, Julian clenched his fists, wanting to touch the scars yet unable to bear the sight.
