Elianna dared not fight back. When the Stone family fell into crisis, she had no choice but to seek an alliance with Aaron.

    Aaron was reluctant at first, but when Elianna promised she could help him take down Yosef and gain control of the Campbell family, he agreed to assist

    her.

    Elianna thought, ‘If he hadn’t helped me, I’d probably be in prison right now, just like David and Zoe–all thanks to Skr’s schemes.

    Elianna waspletely at Aaron’s mercy, with no way to defy him. Hence, she clenched her jaw, tears welling up as she looked up at him. “Mr. Campbell, what have I done wrong? Why are you treating me like this?”

    Aaron flung her to the ground, his eyes zing with fury. “How dare you ask what you did wrong? Don’t pretend you don’t know your own mistakes!”

    ‘I’ve racked my brain, but I honestly can’t think of anything I’ve done wrongtely!‘ Elianna thought.

    She tilted her head back, putting on her most pitiful expression. “Mr. Campbell, please, just tell me. Even if you want to kill me, at least let me know why.”

    “Fine,” Aaron sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “This young man will magnanimously enlighten you.” He pulled out his phone and contemptuously hurled it at her. “Look for yourself!” !--

    /* ![CDATA[ */

    fpm_start( "true" );

    /* ]] */

    --

    The phone was hard and heavy. When Aaron hurled it at her, it struck with a sharp, painful thud. Elianna dared not make a sound, biting her lip hard as she choked back every sob in her throat.

    With trembling hands, Elianna picked up the phone from where it had fallen. She hesitated for a moment before unlocking it, bracing herself for what she might witness.

    Soon, Elianna gaped at the phone, her face paling before flushing crimson. ‘That scheming bitch Skr set me up!‘ she hissed.

    Aaron shot her a cold look. “You schemed against her, but why did your n backfire?” Aaron lounged on the sofa, crossing his legs with disdain.

    Aaron scoffed with a look of contempt. “You knew she’s not someone to be trifled with, and you still let your guard down. Why are you so clumsy?

    “She yed along with your scheme, making you overpay for all those worthless novel rights. What an utter fool!

    “I won’t cover this loss for you. So, find a way to pay me back every cent, or you’ll pay with your hide!”

    A chill shot down Elianna’s spine, and her body convulsed. Scrambling on her knees to Aaron’s feet, she desperately grabbed his pant leg and sobbed, “Mr. Campbell, it was all that scheming bitch Skr. She set me up!

    “Please, Mr. Campbell, for the sake of our partnership, spare me just this once. I swear, from now on, I’ll be at your beck and call. I’ll even serve you like a ve if I have to!”

    Aaron looked down at herb, /bnot an ounce of pity in his eyes. “You want to be my ve? As if I need that?

    “Stop ying the victim here. I won’t fall for your act. You’d better start figuring out how to repay every cent of that money right now!”

    “But, Mr. Campbell…” Elianna dropped to her knees, frantically hitting her head bout /bbof /bfrustration. “Pleaseb, /bspare me this once. I’m begging you, please…”

    Every time Elianna hit her head, she did it with brutal force. Purple bruises instantly appeared across her pale skin. Her once–sleek hair bthat /bcascaded over her shoulders had be a disheveled mess.

    Perhaps Elianna’s pitiful disy amused Aaron. With a coldugh, he kicked her aside without mercy. He bgripped /bher chin, bforcing /bbher /bto bmeet /bbhis /bbmocking /bgaze, “You’re right. After all, you’re still my ally. It would be evil of me to drive you away over thisb, /bbwouldn’t /bit?”

    bAaron /bnarrowed his eyes and said coldly, b“/bI’ll let you boff /bthe hook bthis /btime. bBut /bbif /bbyou /bscrew bup /bbone /bmore timeb… /b

    U6:19 bMon/b, 1 Sept TTR

    Before Aaron could finish, Elianna straightened up eagerly and interrupted, “Mr. Campbell, I promise. I won’t make the same mistake again!”

    “I don’t need empty promises.” Aaron released his grip and said calmly, “Get up. No matter what, you’re still technically my fiancée.

    “God knows what madness possessed my dad to insist you had to be my fiancée,” Aaron muttered, his itone /idripping with disdain.