Chapter 859: Then Stay in the Dog Kennel

Eric rushed to Stephanie, who lay crumpled on the floor, her breath shallow and uneven. “Stephanie!” he called, his voice trembling with urgency. Stephanie’s head barely lifted, her body trembling as if it might collapse further at any moment. Tears streaked her face, pooling in her swollen eyes as she forced herself to meet Eric’s gaze. “They… it was the Farrell family,” she gasped, her voice weak and rasping with pain. “Tina… she stepped on me. I think my spine’s broken. And she slapped me! My face… Eric, my face is swollen! Please, take me away. Please, just take me away!” Her voice cracked, the desperation raw and jagged. She clung to Eric’s arm, her grip weak but frantic, like a drowning person clutching at driftwood. Eric’s expression darkened, though not from grief. Hidden behind his furrowed brow and clenched jaw was a flicker of simmering disdain. He knew. The moment he stepped into the room and saw Stephanie’s pitiful state, he knew their plan had failed. The scheme to