When I walked out of the Rothwell mansion’s back door, I was wearing only my underwear.[]
Outside, a large group of reporters had somehow gathered, and they swarmed toward me as I emerged.
“Ms. North, how does it feel to be thrown out of the Rothwell family?”
“We hear you weren’t even allowed to keep your underwear. Is that true?“]
The blinding camera flashes forced me to squint.]
“Excuse me,” I said calmly, my voice hoarse and unfamiliar.[]
Laughter erupted from the crowd.[]
The lead male reporter deliberately aimed his camera at my private areas.]
His face looked familiar–probably someone who had appeared at one of Emilia’s birthday parties.
Covering my chest, I quickly pushed through the crowd.[]
Someone shoved me hard, and I fell heavily to the ground. My side hit a sharp rock, blood flowing freely.
I pressed the wound tightly, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop. Fighting through the excruciating pain, I got up and continued running.
The reporters pursued like sharks that had smelled blood, not letting up until I turned into a secluded alley and finally lost them.]
Just as I emerged from the alley, a black Maybach suddenly blocked my path.
The window lowered, revealing a handsome face.]
“Ms. North, I’m Julian Sinclair from the Sinclair Group.”
He took off his coat and gently draped it over me.[]
“My grandfather would like to meet you. Is that okay?“}
I was stunned.
Julian Sinclair, the famous heir to the Sinclair fortune.
The Sinclair family, a truly prestigious dynasty with deep roots.[]
In my previous life, it had taken me ten years to barely establish a connection with this powerhouse, and now they were approaching me?
! stood up straight and nodded solemnly.[]
“It would be my honor.”
The next day, at the Rothwell mansion, Blake stared blankly at his phone screen:
[Trending #1: Rothwell’s rejected fiancée Riley North loses daughter–in–law status, thrown out with nothing but her underwear!]]
[How disgraceful! The moral decay of our times!]]]
II heard if Blake Rothwell hadn’t been so merciful about their years together, she wouldn’t even have kept her underwear!]
Yesterday she was the high–and–mighty chief designer of Rothwell Jewelry, today she’s worse off than a beggar. How tragic!]]
[What’s the big deal? Rich people’s pets always get treated this way!]]]
He instinctively clicked on a video. The image of that half–naked, stumbling figure made his heart lurch
When the camera panned across Riley’s continuously bleeding waist and an old scar on her abdomen, his fingers suddenly froze.[] “Blake, what are you looking at?” (
Emilia hugged túm from behind, her gaze falling on his phone before she burst into laughter []
“Hahaha, that’s perfect worth every peruny I paid those reporters to wait for her!”
Blake stiffened: “So you arranged the reporters?“)
“Of course,” Emmilla kissed him smugly. “Now all of Westclift knows what kind of person Kley North really is.“]
Chapter 4
“No one will dare question your choice anymore.“[
Blake forced a smile, but an inexplicable irritation gnawed at him.]
The image of Riley’s bleeding body kept flashing in his mind.[]
Seconds later, he suddenly grabbed Emilia’s hand and pulled her into his embrace.
Emilia thought he was feeling amorous and immediately gave him a sultry look: “What’s wrong, Blake? You had me three times last night and you’re ready again?”
Blake remained silent, lightly running his hand over her slender waist.]
After caressing it three times, his heart skipped a beat.]
He reopened the video, carefully examining Riley’s body.
Seeing him so engrossed, Emilia grew jealous and said acidly: “Walking around without clothes in front of so many people–she has no shame.”
“Good thing she’s been thrown out, or she would have disgraced the Rothwell name.”
Unable to find what he was looking for, Blake ignored her.
After hesitating a moment, he left Emilia and rushed upstairs to Riley’s now–empty bedroom. Finding a storage box, he rummaged through childhood photos that belonged to the three of them.
But in the thick album, there was only one photo with Riley in it. It was taken over a decade ago during their beach trip to Westcliff Bay–in the photo, he was holding Emilia’s hand as they sat on the sand, looking exceptionally happy. Only Riley stood silently in the background, still holding his swim ring like a humble servant, completely out of place in the photo.]
But clearly visible were bandages wrapped around her shoulders and waist.
Blake froze as memories suddenly flooded back like a tidal wave.
That summer, he had snuck off to the hill behind the estate and accidentally tumbled down the slope, his abdomen slamming hard against a jagged rock.
As his consciousness began to fade, a girl picked him up and carried him on her back.
The hill path was extremely rough. His abdomen hurt so badly that he instinctively bit down on the girl’s shoulder.
The girl’s skin tore, blood flowing freely. Yet she didn’t make a sound, instead gently reassuring him: “Don’t be scared. We’re almost at the hospital.“]]
When he woke up, the first person he saw was Emilia.
The nurse explained that his kidney had been badly damaged by the rock, causing severe bleeding.
Thankfully, a girl had desperately rushed him to the hospital and even donated one of her kidneys, barely saving his life.
The girl had a blood clotting disorder and nearly died from blood loss on the operating table.
Blake, lying in his hospital bed, asked Emilia if she was the one who saved him.[]
Back then, Emilia looked momentarily surprised but never denied it.
Thinking of this, Blake’s entire body went rigid, his breathing suspended.]
At this moment, what else did he need to understand?
He had always believed Emilia was the one who saved him. That’s why he had developed special feelings for her and was so devastated by her death.[]
But only today did he realize how terribly wrong he had been![]
