Chapter 9

What had she done to deserve Emmanuel going this far? He was straight-up forcing her—forcing Elena to donate her kidney to Lilith, the woman he actually cared about. So really, it was the Larkins who got caught in the crossfire for no good reason. Elena pushed open the study door. "Tobias, I don't want to go abroad anymore." "Why not?" Tobias looked surprised. "No reason. Just don't feel like it. I'm leaving tomorrow." "Elena, did you hear something?" Tobias quickly caught on. "Don't worry, it's not a big deal." "You really think this is nothing? Tobias, stop lying to me. I know exactly how ruthless Emmanuel can be." "Elena, trust me, I can handle it. I swear I can." Tobias grabbed her hand, trying to reassure her. "The Larkin family isn't nothing, and Emmanuel isn't some kind of god. Don't worry—I've got this. If you're really scared, I'll take you out of the country myself. We'll leave tomorrow." The next day at noon, Tobias took Elena to the airport, ready to leave Velmont. But before they could go far, Emmanuel showed up and blocked them right inside the departure hall. Completely dressed in black, Emmanuel looked like death himself. "Elena, where do you think you're going?" The moment she saw him, Elena instinctively stepped behind Tobias. Tobias gently squeezed her hand, whispering, "It's okay." He then looked Emmanuel right in the eye. "I'm just taking her on a short trip out of the country. Got a problem with that, Mr. Mitchell?" "You're taking her abroad? Seriously?" Emmanuel let out a cold laugh. "Tobias, you sure you think it's okay to take my woman on a trip?" "My woman? Since when is she yours? She's not married, and neither am I. We're both single. What's the big deal?" Emmanuel snorted. "Wow, never thought Mr. Larkin would stoop so low. You really gonna pick up my leftovers? What, all the women in the world disappear or something?" Normally, Emmanuel wouldn't go this far. But seeing Elena holding onto Tobias like he was her whole world just made him snap. The words came out poisoned. And as soon as those words hit, Elena felt her whole body tremble. She had never really understood what she meant to Emmanuel—until now. In his eyes, she was just someone he used. Nothing more than some cheap fling he played with and tossed aside. Tobias was stunned by just how vicious Emmanuel could be. He stared him down, voice sharp with rage. "Emmanuel, what kind of man are you?" "You're asking her that. She'd know best, wouldn't she?" Emmanuel sneered. "I spent three years with her. There's not a part of her I don't know. You know what she liked most? When I took her from behind. Every damn time she was begging for it. And you—Tobias—you don't feel dirty being with her after that?" Those words—filthy, cruel—came so casually from Emmanuel's mouth. Elena just stood there, frozen, staring at him in disbelief. Was this really coming from the man she loved? The one she gave three years of her life to without regret? Tobias's face was livid, full of fury. He couldn't hold back anymore. He launched at Emmanuel, punching him hard. "You bastard!" Shockingly, Emmanuel didn't hit back. He just stood there, sneering coldly while taking the hits. Tobias, burning with anger, didn't even notice something was off—why wasn't Emmanuel fighting back? He just kept throwing punch after punch into Emmanuel's face and gut. Emmanuel stood like a statue, unsettling grin never leaving. That smile chilled Elena to the bone. Something was wrong. Just as the realization hit her and she rushed forward to stop Tobias, it was already too late. A group of uniformed SWAT officers had already surrounded them.