Edward stood at the door, his face dark and unreadable. He threw sharp, warning looks at Ellis, but the anger burning inside him was too strong to hide.
"To see if she's still breathing," Edward said coldly. His words were so cruel that even Mark, standing beside him, went still.
"Eddy…" Mark whispered in disbelief, gently nudging him to stop.
"You want her dead?" Ellis snapped, eyes wide and full of rage, as if willing Edward to disappear.
Edward shrugged with a mocking smirk. "Why would I want her dead? What would I gain from that?"
"Just ignore them," Alice whispered to her daughter when she noticed her trembling. Mabel was crying quietly.
But how could Mabel ignore this? Deep down, all she wanted was for Edward to walk over, take her hand, and whisper that everything would be okay. But his coldness crushed the tiny hope still left in her heart.
"You want her gone so you can chase other women!" Ellis shouted, his voice loud and accusing.
Edward raised his brows lazily, unbothered. "I hope you remember saying that, because I'll make you explain it."
"You think you can leave her behind just because she's been scarred? Never!" Ellis roared.
Edward tilted his head, a slow, bitter realization dawning on him. "Ah… So this is what it's really about," he thought.
He turned to Mabel, his eyes filled with hate. "Clever game, Mabel," he spat.
So her plan was to trap him into claiming her as his mate? She'll have to try harder.
"I didn't know you were this desperate," Edward sneered, his eyes burning with hatred as he looked at Mabel.
He shrugged, clicking his tongue indifferently. "Anyway, that's not why I came," he muttered before shoving Ellis aside and walking into the hospital ward. His eyes scanned the room like he was seeing it for the first time.
Mark rushed over to Mabel and knelt beside her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered gently.
The sight of her, bandages wrapped around her foot and back, stabbed at his heart. She must be in so much pain.
"I would've come yesterday, but I didn't know until today," he added, eyes locked on her tear-stained face.
Fresh tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks. Mark quickly wiped them away. "Don't cry. You'll be okay."
Mabel nodded and carefully dabbed her eyes. At least someone cared.
"When did the—"
"You lied she poured hot water on you," Edward's cold voice cut off Mark's intended words.
Mark stood up quickly, shooting Edward a sharp look, silently begging him to stop. This wasn't the time or the place.
But Edward didn't care. He had come with a purpose.
"How did your wolf react," Edward continued, his tone icy, "when you lied about an innocent girl?"
"Edward!" Ellis shouted, his voice echoing in the room, but Edward wasn't moved.
He turned to Ellis, locking eyes with him. "Did you even ask your sister what really happened?"
The day before, Edward had been too angry to say anything. But today, he was ready for all of them.
"Eddy, stop!" Mark grabbed Edward's hand, trying to pull him out of the room.
But Edward jerked his hand away and shoved Mark aside, refusing to back down.
"I didn't ask you to follow me," Edward said harshly without even looking at Mark.
Mark sighed and sealed his lips. He knew better than to argue when Edward was like this.
"I know she didn't tell the whole truth," Edward began, his voice low but firm. "So I'm here to tell it, right in front of her."
He started walking slowly toward Ellis.
Behind him, Mabel couldn't hold it in anymore. A deep sob escaped her chest, and her tears flowed freely. Edward hadn't come to check on her. He hadn't come to comfort her. He came to speak up, for Lucille. To question her. To expose her.
She regretted everything. Going to Edward's house. Forcing Lucille to serve her. Slapping her. Making her prepare the bath. None of it should've happened.
Alice stood frozen, speechless. Her heart stung watching her daughter break down. Edward didn't even wait for Mabel to recover before coming to rip her open like this. Her cheeks flushed with pain and helpless anger.
Mark felt just as lost. He knew Edward wouldn't stop until he said every word he came to say.
"The innocent girl was told to prepare your sister's bath," Edward said, his voice rising just a little. "She obeyed."
He turned to Ellis, his glare sharp. "Is that same girl supposed to test the water with her own skin? For your sister?"
His eyes blazed with challenge. "Shouldn't your sister have checked the temperature herself, adjusted it to her liking, before stepping in?"
Ellis's fists clenched, his jaw tight.
"But no," Edward added, stepping closer, "she walked straight into the hot water. On purpose. Just so she could paint me and my family as monsters in front of the executives."
His voice was steady, but the tension was thick. Ellis's hands shook, his body trembling with the effort not to lash out.
"Maybe I should head over to the criminal registry bureau and make a formal report," Edward said, his eyes locked on Ellis, daring him to react. He looked like he was ready to fight if needed.
"Go ahead," Ellis replied coldly. "The bureau's always open." If Edward thought he could intimidate him, he was wrong.
"Oh, I will," Edward said, a smug grin spreading across his face. "And I'll make sure her wolf is forced to shift. That way, we can hear the truth directly from it. What do you say to that?"
"You wouldn't dare!" Ellis exploded.
Edward let out a mocking laugh. "Do I look like someone you can threaten? I'm no commoner. She chose to lie, so I've got no choice now."
That was the last straw for Alice. She jumped up from her chair and stormed toward Edward. "All this… for a nobody?" she snapped.
"A girl who rejected you in public. Who was sentenced to serve you. Your slave!" she hissed, nostrils flaring.
Edward stepped back from Ellis and turned to face Alice, his expression unreadable.
"My slave, right? Not yours," he said slowly, his voice calm but dangerous.
Then he looked away for a moment, as if trying to collect himself. When he looked back at her, his face had hardened.
"Servitude, yes, but without any physical harm. Isn't that the agreement?"
"But she attacked my daughter!" Alice shot back, her heartbeat pounding.
Edward shook his head. "No. Your daughter attacked her. Why would she do that, knowing what that could mean for me?"
He turned his gaze between Ellis and Alice. "Don't you think that was intentional? Mr. Fletcher. Mrs. Fletcher."
Alice quickly turned to her daughter, her face twisted in confusion. "Mabel… did you hit her?"
Mabel didn't answer. Her trembling hands clutched the bedsheet, and her lips quivered as tears slid down her face.
"Mabel!" Alice's voice rose, almost a scream.
Edward raised his hands and shook his head. "There you go. She knows what she did. Your daughter hit her first, then stepped into hot water on purpose just to throw dirt on me."
He turned to Mark. "I'm done here. Let's go to the bureau."
With that, he walked out of the ward in big, angry strides, Mark following close behind.
Ellis rushed to Mabel's side, his eyes wide with urgency. "Tell me the truth. Did you touch that omega?"
"She disrespected me," Mabel whispered through her sobs, her voice cracking between each word.
"You hit her?" Alice asked, stepping back like she'd been slapped.
"What?" Ellis muttered, completely stunned.