Chapter 15

After several crisp slaps, Bianca lay on the ground, barely breathing. Her face was hideously swollen, completely unrecognizable from her original self.

However, she no longer cared. Only one thought remained in her mind: to escape.

Dominic was a madman!

She couldn't understand how the Dominic who had once been so doting and gentle toward her could change so completely overnight.

She thought she had hidden her true self so well.

Suddenly, a stabbing pain shot through her lower abdomen.

"Stop hitting me... my stomach hurts so much..."

Seeing the blood seeping from beneath her, the assistant quickly stopped. "Mr. Dominic... this..."

Dominic didn't even look. "Drag her down. Have someone watch her closely; don't let her die."

Assistant Zhang complied and immediately dragged Bianca away.

She looked at Dominic with eyes full of despair, unable to comprehend how things had reached this point.

In a final struggle, Bianca desperately lunged toward Dominic.

"Dominic, you said you would spoil me and indulge me! You said I could do whatever I wanted! But why have you become so heartless? I’m carrying your child—why treat me like this? Do you not love me anymore?"

She wept bitterly, obsessed with getting an answer, refusing to give up until she reached the very end.

Dominic’s eyes were deep and dangerous as he spoke with cold impatience: "I don't. I'm bored. Since Adeline left, you don't seem that interesting anymore."

"Besides, when you stayed at the house, you enjoyed the kindness Adeline gave you, only to turn around and seduce me."

"You should have expected this day the moment you did that. My doting on you was a gift; without it, you have no right to question my actions!"

"From today on, you will stay in your place. As long as Adeline is gone, you won't have a single day of peace!"

Dominic didn't want to waste any more words. "Call the bodyguards. Let her taste the same suffering Adeline endured."

The assistant rubbed his wrist. "Yes, sir."

The bodyguards outside entered immediately.

"Don't touch me! Don't touch me!" Bianca lost control, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Ignoring her pleas, the bodyguards dragged her to the stairwell and pushed her down ruthlessly.

Bianca fell, her head bleeding and a pool of blood forming beneath her.

But the bodyguards still didn't let her off. They brought large blocks of ice from the cold storage and forced her to kneel on them completely naked.

Frozen and terrified, Bianca fainted within two minutes.

By the time she woke up, she was on the verge of death. A doctor gave her special treatment to stabilize her condition.

Dominic didn't even bother to look at her, giving a direct order: "Drag her to the wharf. Beat her until she miscarries."

At those words, Bianca fell into total despair, her heart turning to ash as she was dragged away.

From then on, Bianca had to endure this agony every single day.

Dominic massaged his throbbing temples, his irritability becoming more apparent.

Since Adeline left, everything had become exceptionally dull. Even work had become tedious and annoying.

All along, it was he who couldn't leave Adeline, not the other way around.

He used to think he was bored with her and didn't hold her in high regard. He assumed that because she loved him and had nothing else, she would be trapped by his side forever.

But reality had slapped him hard in the face.

If the version of himself from years ago saw him today, that man would probably hate him for the rest of his life.

After all, back then, he had loved her with all his heart.

It was just that this love hadn't withstood the test of time.

Dominic looked at the heavy traffic outside the window and suddenly felt the urge to cry.

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Another sunrise.

Dominic sat on a dust-covered sofa, his phone flashing constantly with messages from his assistant.

Every single message was the same sentence: [No trace of the Madam has been found.]

It had been a week.

The people Dominic sent out still hadn't found Adeline.

The world was only so big, yet whether domestically or abroad, he had searched everywhere and simply couldn't find her.

"Increase the search efforts! If you still can't find her, publish a missing person's notice!"

The news of Adeline’s disappearance spread through every street and alley overnight, but still, no one could find her.

This was because Adeline was currently at the Formans Research Institute.

She had spent a quiet period here. She even bought a small villa and decorated it with flowers and plants according to her own taste.

After a period of treatment, her mother’s heart condition was gradually improving.

Adeline went out to buy daily necessities and stocked the fridge with food. Looking at her new home, her heart was filled with a sense of happiness.

From now on, she could start a new life here.

Days at the institute passed one after another.

Sunrises and sunsets, white gulls on the lawn, the sound of the wind at the church.

On weekends, she would take patients to the church to pray.

Looking at the merciful God and the grand, solemn murals, and listening to the prayers, she felt a sense of inner peace and stability.

"Dr. Adeline, could you help us with the accompaniment? The pianist is on leave today."

A kind elderly man looked at her with pleading eyes. Adeline initially wanted to decline, but she eventually agreed.

The music began, sounding like an invisible river flowing quietly through the heart of every believer.

Soft, bright, and full of hope...

As the piece ended, the church erupted in applause.

Clap, clap, clap.

Adeline bowed politely to the audience.

As she walked out of the church, someone called out to her from behind.

Adeline followed the sound. At the church entrance, a man with green eyes wearing a black coat was smiling at her, looking like a large, friendly dog.

His features were superior, with a silhouette that combined Western definition with Eastern softness—a beautiful person of mixed heritage.

"That was beautiful. Could you tell me your name?"

The man looked straight at her, seemingly understanding nothing of Eastern reserve.

Adeline hesitated for a moment, and the man took a step forward.

His tall figure completely enveloped her, radiating a powerful sense of presence.

Adeline didn't even want to maintain a polite facade and said bluntly, "I'm sorry, I don't understand English."

With that, she got into her car and drove away.

She left the man standing there.

Edward watched the taillights fade into the distance, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Young Master, what are you looking at?" the driver asked curiously.

"A... shy little cat."

Edward got into the car full of joy; for the first time, he didn't feel so averse to returning to the castle.

The car drove slowly down the forest road toward an ancient castle.

Evening.

Formans Research Institute.

Adeline was organizing patient files. Just as she was about to head out, the Director found her in a hurry.

"Adeline, there’s a favor I absolutely need you to help me with."