Chapter 43

Eliana felt her heart tighten at Aidan’s words - “Is...is he still alive?” she muttered quietly. Instead of giving her a reply, Aidan wrinkled his nose slightly as he took note of how the musty smell of the basement had been replaced by the sweet fragrance of Eliana’s hair. Seeing that he was not saying a word, Eliana tugged on Aidan’s clothes and asked anxiously, “Tell me, is he dead?!” Aidan couldn’t help but furrow his brows slightly when he noticed that Eliana was pulling on his clothes - he still remembered how much she liked to do this when they’d been so happy together. Noticing this, Eliana immediately let go and took two steps back to place some distance between the two of them. As soon as she stepped back, Aidan scoffed before looking up at the former - “What do you think?” he barked, “Your idiot of a brother owes so much money to so many loan sharks - whether or not he’s dead or alive...well, I guess that all depends on his behavior.” Eliana felt her heart skip a beat - “L-Loan sharks?” she stammered. Eliana was well aware of how Bryan was - even when they’d been rich and prosperous, Bryan gambled so much that he borrowed money to fund his gambling habit. There hadn’t been much damage done at that time - their father would always be able to find a way somehow to get Bryan out of trouble. However, now that the Harvey Family had completely fallen from grace, not only was Bryan incredulously still unable to cease his gambling habit, he continued to borrow more money than ever and eventually fell into great debt… “Did...did you hand him over to the loan sharks?” Eliana asked quietly as she braced herself for the impending answer. Aidan scoffed, “What else would I have done? What makes you think that I would want to keep that good-for-nothing piece of filth around? Ugh, the Harvey Family - every single member of your family is dirty and disgraceful. I despise every single one of you.” Eliana’s shoulders sagged as she felt her heart sink at the revelation - she couldn’t believe that Aidan had actually handed her brother over to the loan sharks...she didn’t even know whether or not he was dead or alive… Aidan couldn’t help but smirk at Eliana’s distraught reaction - he gripped her chin and sneered, “Aw, don’t act as though you’re both lovey-dovey brother and sister who care deeply about each other - after all, didn’t Bryan throw you under the bus as soon as he felt threatened? Besides...do you know what was the first thing he said to the loan sharks when he’d been caught by them?” Eliana looked up at Aidan, but did not say anything - Aidan scoffed, “He said, I quote - My sister is the most beautiful young lady in all of Mallstrick City. I’ll let you have her to cover my debts.” He then took two steps back and scanned the former up and down - “You should know well what he meant when he said that.” Eliana clenched her fists as her chest heaved up and down - she couldn’t believe that her brother would use her like that. “Then again...I suppose that you wouldn’t mind,” Aidan drawled, “After all, that’s how you like to settle things, right? Seducing men with your body...isn’t that the only thing that you’re good at, hmm?” “Aidan…” Eliana said warningly, “Don’t...don’t push my buttons.” Aidan scoffed, “Or what? If it weren’t for me, you would’ve been taken and used by thousands of people a long time ago - do you really think that they would show you any sort of mercy?” “Y-You…” Eliana stammered in disbelief - she couldn’t believe that Aidan would say such humiliating things about her to torment and taunt her. “I...I would rather be used by any men but you around than see your disgusting face...you...you make me sick, Aidan…!” Eliana exclaimed. Aidan grabbed Eliana roughly by the collar and growled, “I dare you to say that again.” Eliana gulped - she was trembling violently from both fear and anger. Even though she knew what would probably happen should she provoke the former, she felt as though she would go out of her mind should she let herself continued to be trampled all over by the man whom she once loved so deeply. And so, Eliana mustered all of her strength to grab Aidan by the collar - she snarled. “Aidan, you’ll never the change the way that you are, hmm? You only choose what you want to believe no matter how much I may try to explain myself - you didn’t believe me when I told you that you were the only man whom I wanted. You didn’t believe me when I insisted that I didn’t hurt your loved ones. But when it comes to me being every single negative thing - filthy, dirty, cheap...you believe all of those words.” Aidan could see Eliana shivering in front of him - even though the latter was clearly afraid, she was still indignantly and adamantly resisting and going against him. She hated him so much...she hated him to the core… “Aidan, you always say that you want to send me to hell - but aren’t I already living in the hell that you’ve created for me? I regret choosing to love you back then - it’s my mistake. It’s my fault. Aidan, I understand if you want to keep me wrapped around your finger and to put me down - but please, I beg you, can you let me at least have just a bit of my dignity?” Aidan gritted his teeth as he wondered, Oh, so you regret loving me? Good - I resent you and your so-called love for me. You absolutely revolting and treacherous woman… He then grabbed Eliana by the collar and dragged her out of the basement and into her room - he proceeded to shove her onto the bed, where she came face to face with a picture of the face of the man from that fateful night on the opposite side of the bed. Eliana got so frightened that she shrank back - interpreting this as her immense guilt, Aidan snorted, “Do you see what I mean now? Exactly - so, tell me, what kind of dignity are you even talking about? Do you even have any?”