bChapter /bb135/bb: /bbConfessions /bband /bbConfrontations /b

bChapter /bb135/bb: /bbConfessions /bband /bbConfrontations /b

b(/bbMarcus /bckwood’s POV)

I stopped bat /bbthe /bdoorway, my hand bfrozen /bon the handle. Sophia’s desperate voice echoed behind me.

“Don’t you want to know who saved you when you were kidn*pped years ago!”

I turned slowlyb, /bmy golden eyes meeting her tear–streaked face. “What did you say?b” /b

Sophia struggled against her restraints, her voice cracking with desperation. “bI /blied to you, Marcus. I wasn’t

the one who saved you.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. Ten years of believing her story, ten years of feeling indebted bto /bher.

“I can tell you who really saved you,” she continued, her voice growing stronger. “But I have one condition.”

I stepped closer, my jaw clenched. “You’re in no position to make demands.”

“If you ept my terms, I’ll never appear before you and Elena again,” she whispered. “I’ll disappear

I stared at her broken form on the operating table. The woman I’d protected for years had been living a lie.

“Tell me,” I said coldly.

(Elena ckwood’s POV)

One weekter, I sat in the examination chair as the pack nurse carefully removed the stitches from my right

hand. The silver wound had healed, but my grip remained weak.

Jane handed me a pair of chopsticks. “Try holding these.”

I attempted to grasp them, but they slipped from my fingers immediately. The simple task felt impossible.

“Elena, will iyou /iever be able to hold a scalpel again?” Jane’s voice was filled with worry.

I forced a smile, trying tofort her despite being the patient. “I’m still young. I’ll recover.”

Jane’s expression darkened with anger. “Whoever hurt you should die for this.”

I examined the scar on my right hand with calm detachment. The crimson birthmark on Sophia’s wrist

shed through my memory.

W

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How tragically ironic that my foster parents were killed by their own biological daughter. Such a dramatic and

absurd twist of fate.

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After Jane left, I heard footsteps in the corridor. The door opened to reveal Evelyn Ashworth with an

entourage bearing expensive gifts,

This was my first time meeting Hugo’s mother in person. Like Dorothea Whitmore, she possessed a distinctive beauty thatmanded attention.

When Evelyn first saw me, her brow furrowed slightly. “You look familiar, but I can’t ce where I’ve seen you before.”

bShe /bbapproached /bbmy /bbbedside /bbwith /bbpracticed /bbgrace/bb. /b“I bcame /bbto apologize /bbfor /bbthe /bbmisunderstanding/bb. /b

bI /bbmet her /bbgaze /bbdirectly/b. “bLady /bbAshworth’s /bbmisunderstanding /bwas bhaving /bbsomeone /bbstab /bbmy /bbhand /bbwith /bba /bbsilver /bbdagger/bb?/bb” /b

bEvelyn’s /bbposed /bexpression cracked. She hadn’t bexpected /bsuch blunt bconfrontation/b.

“bI /bbinvestigated /bwhat happened,” she said carefully. b“/bbI /bbrealize /bnow bthat /bI was manipted by Sophia bRivers/bb./bb” /b

bHer /bbvoice /bgrew more earnest. “I only intended to detain you temporarily. I never expected her bto /bexploit the

situation and bcause /bactual bharm/b.”

I remained silentb, /bstudying her face bfor /bsigns of deception.

“Please ept these gifts aspensation,” Evelyn insisted, gesturing to her entour

“bI /bdon’t need expensive gifts,” I replied firmly.

“I insist,” she said, her tone brooking no argument. “It’s the least I can do.”

After some back–and–forth, I reluctantly epted them. Evelyn’s entire demeanor transformed, bing

warm and caring.

“How are you feeling? Is the pain manageable?” she inquired with genuine concern.

“I’m recovering well, thank you.”

(God’s POV)

Outsid

to enter.

the room, Hugo Ashworth stood in the corridor. He watched through the window but made no move

Marcus appeared behind him silently. “Won’t you go in?”

Hugo didn’t turn around. “She has visitors.”

Their conversation was interrupted when Evelyn exited the room. She looked surprised to see both men

waiting.

“Marcus?” she said, confusion evident in her voice.

Marcus’s expression remained neutral. “I came to check on my mate.“

The emphasis on “my mate” wasn’t lost on Evelyn. Her eyebrows rose slightly at his possessive tone.

(Elena ckwood’s POV) After Evelyn and Hugo departed, Marcus entered my room. He moved to my bedside

and adjusted my nket with careful precision.

“Margaret knows about your injury,” he said calmly. “She’s very worried about you.”

bI /bnodded without speaking.

“Sophia’s right hand has been permanently disabled,” he continued withpleteposure. “She will never

appear before you again.”

2-

in

The ruthlessness in his voice struck me. I’d witnessed his cruelty toward me over the past six years, but seeing his decisive rejection of Sophia revealed a pattern.

bWere /ball Alphas the same? Capable of unconditional devotion when in love, but showing only cruelty when bthat /blove endedb? /b

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Chapter 135 Confessions.

bMarcus /bbmoved /bbcloser/bb, /bbhis breath warming /bbmy /bface as bhis /bbfingers caressed /bbmy /bbcheek/b. bI /bbrecognized /bbhis /bbdesire /bbto /bbkiss /bbme /bband /bbpulled away/b.

“If bI had /bbeen bthe /bbone /bbto /bstab Sophia with a silver dagger,” bI /bsaid quietly, “would byou /btreat bme /bbthe /bsame bway /bbyou’re /bbtreating /bbher /bbnow/bb?/bb” /b

His face stiffened imperceptibly, his expression bing unreadable.

I understood his silence. He couldn’t answer immediately, unwilling bto /blie to me.

“bI /bthought you might lie to appease me,” I remarked.

His chest heaved as he spoke. “I’m sorry.”

“Marcus, I want to-b” /b

“No,” he cut me off firmly. “I know what you’re going to ask, and the answer is no.”

His golden eyes burned with determination. “I will never let you go. I ept that you don’t love me now, but bI’ll /bwork hard to earn a ce in your heart.”

I avoided his gaze and turned away. “I’m tired.”

He didn’t expose my avoidance, instead tucking the nket around me more securely.

Marcus stayed at the hospital for over a week until my discharge. When I expressed my desire to return to Shadowmere Heights Residential Complex rather than Goldenpeak Mountain Territory, Amber Stone looked to him for direction.

His brow furrowed slightly, but he signaled for her to drive to the apartment.

Upon arriving at Shadowmere Heights, Marcus followed me upstairs. I opened the door with my passcode, acutely aware of his presence behind me.

He surveyed the entrance carefully, noting the absence of men’s shoes or signs of male cohabitation. His lips curved slightly in satisfaction.

i“/iAre you satisfied now?” I confronted him. “I’m not living with Professor Ashworth.”

Marcus touched a lucky cat figurine on the entrance table. “The five million I gave you could buy a better ce in Riverside City.”

“I need to save imoney /ifor my brother’s medical expenses,” I exined.

He paused, looking at me intently. Did she know she wasn’t actually a member of the ckthorne family?

“I can cover the medical expenses myself,” he offered.

The doorbell rang suddenly. Marcus opened it to find Hugo Ashworth standing outside.

“I guessed Elena was home after seeing your car downstairs,” Hugo exined.

I tried to reassure him. “Marcus is just visiting. He’ll leave soon.”

Marcus’s smile turned cold as he dered, “I’m living here.”

bComments /b

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