“Elise, someone’s here to see you.”
After several days in detention, Elise had become noticeably thinner. Her face and body were covered with bruises.
Elise mechanically stood up, following the guard to the visitation area.
Upon seeing Julian, she immediately collapsed in terror, clutching the guard’s arm.
“Please, I don’t want to see him! I want to go back!”
The guard shook her off. “You signed the settlement agreement. I’ll process the paperwork. You can take her with you.”
Julian nodded.
Hearing the guard’s words, Elise assumed Julian had forgiven her and quickly grabbed his clothes.
“Julian, I knew you’d come save me.”
“Julian, get me out quickly! I can’t stand another day in here!”
Elise was a pampered heiress who had never experienced such hardship.
During her detention, unable to adapt, she’d been repeatedly “educated” by guards and cellmates, leaving her body bruised and battered.
Julian regarded her coldly. “Of course I won’t let you stay here. I’ve come to take you away.”
Julian’s words sounded gentle, and Elise immediately clung to him, terrified he might abandon her.
“Julian, I know you’re the best to me. I love you most.”
Elise only wanted to escape this hellish place. As for Julian attacking Carr Enterprises and driving her father to suicide, she could overlook all that as long as Julian treated her well.
Julian led Elise to his car.
“Julian, where’re we going?”
Elise watched the increasingly remote scenery with growing unease.
Julian maintained his gentle tone. “Don’t worry. I’m taking you to see a doctor. Look how beaten up you are—I’m concerned about you.”
Had Elise looked carefully at Julian, she would have noticed the coldness in his eyes as he spoke. But Elise was too overwhelmed with joy at escaping detention to notice such details.
“Julian, you’re so good to me.”
17:24
Chapter 25
Even now, Elise was thinking: Phoenix, you still lost. Julian will always be mine.
The car stopped, and Julian led Elise out.
She saw the institution’s entrance clearly labeled: “Psychiatric Hospital.”
Realizing something was wrong. Elise tried to escape but Julian gripped her wrist with iron strength.
Elise still clung to hope. “Julian, you’ve brought me to the wrong place. This is scary, let’s leave!”
Julian finally dropped his pretense, his expression turning vicious.
“This is exactly where I brought you. Prison was too comfortable. I’m afraid you’ll forget your atonement–this place suits you
better.”
Elise saw doctors and nurses approaching. She desperately bit and clawed at Julian’s hand, trying to make him release her. But Julian seemed immune to pain, maintaining his grip on her wrist.
“Julian, I was wrong! I’ll go to prison instead!”
Elise was dragged inside by the medical staff, struggling on the ground, trying to grab Julian’s leg.
Yet Julian kicked her hand away, instructing the staff:
“Give her the full treatment.”
Elise fought desperately. She knew once she entered such a place, she would never leave.
The medical staff dragged her inside.
“No! Julian, I was wrong!”
“I don’t want to go in! I’m not sick!”
Julian stood coldly watching as Elise was pulled inside.
He took out a handkerchief, methodically wiping where Elise had touched him, then dropped it on the ground and drove away.
Seeing Julian’s indifferent departure, she stared hopelessly at the closing doors and soon stopped struggling.
17.24
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