The world spun around her before her back crashed against the wall behind her. Pain spread all over her body and made her gasp.
Yet, before she could recollect herself, the manâs intimidating aura rushed toward her like tidal waves.
The man then grabbed her wrists and held them above her head. No matter how hard she struggled, she could not get out of his grasp.
âY-Y-You⦠Mr. Golding, letâs talk instead. Donât come so close to me!â Angeline stammered nervously.
They were in a dim environment, but she could see the clear outline of his sharp features.
She could not help but tense up at his continuous stare as fear began growing in her chest.
Angeline could sense how dangerous Evander could be, so she quickly turned her head and averted her gaze from him.
âMs. Sorelle, werenât you doing all those things for this?â Evander asked, his tone flat.
His question made Angeline tense up even more. Her instincts yelled at her to retreat further from the man, but the wall was right behind herâthere was nowhere else she could run.
âMr. Golding, is there a misunderstanding somewhere? Iâll confess that thereâs another reason for my presence here. I was scared that youâd put me on a blacklist. After all, barely anyone in Hallsbay is a match for you in terms of power. Still, my concern for Floretta is genuine. After all, sheâs only a five-
year-old, and thereâs no reason for me to hurt her.â
Evanderâs eyes darkened even more when he heard her mention his daughterâs name. Before Angeline could finish her sentence, his slender fingers gripped Angelineâs chin painfully, and he forced her to lift her head to look at him again.
Then, he hunched over to lean closer to her ear and icily hissed, âMs. Sorelle, did you really drive all the way here to visit Floretta out of the kindness of your heart?â
âOf course!â
Angeline let the man study her face. After a while of meeting her eyes, Evander finally let go of her.
âIt seems like you donât bother hiding anything.â
Angeline felt as if she had been revived at his release. Her stiffened limbs finally regained their sensations, but her jaw continued to ache. It was a testament to the amount of force he had used earlier.
Although Angeline seemed calm on the outside, she was quaking in her boots inwardly. While Evanderâs focus was not on her, she discreetly inched toward the exit.
That way, she would be able to flee or scream for help if anything were to happen.
However, Evander noticed her actions and sneered. Then, he pulled out a handkerchief from his outbreast pocket.
As he wiped his hands, he uttered, âHave you come back to the country to fight for Sorelle Groupâs shares?â
Angeline did not understand why the man was raising that topic, so she grew suspicious again.
âBut youâre merely an abandoned child of the Sorelle family. What makes you think you have the right to fight for it?â
Right after he said that, the expensive handkerchief fell to the ground.
Angeline stiffened when she heard him, and her eyes moved away from the handkerchief on the ground to the man.
The dim spot the man stood in concealed half of his icy expression and tall figure, but it could not hide the noble yet aloof demeanor he had.
Instinctively, Angeline straightened her back. She did not want anyone to underestimate her. âThatâs a personal matter, so you donât need to worry about that, Mr. Golding.â
After all, she had been planning this for a long time.
Yet, right as those words left her mouth, Evander chuckled. Disdain crept into his eyes, and he uttered, âIs that so? That would be for the best. However, if I find out that youâre planning to use either Floretta or me to get the Sorelle family⦠My apologies, then. Iâll surely let you have a taste of how ruthless I can be.â
The last part of his sentence was spoken in a low but menacing voice. Anyone who heard the warning would feel a shiver running down their spine.
âI wonât be taking the food, but Iâll thank you, Ms. Sorelle, on behalf of Floretta for your kind intentions.â
After one last glance at Angelineâs food bag, Evander turned and left.
Only then, Angeline relaxed.
She rubbed her chest and let out a sigh of relief.
I donât think Evanderâs going to see me as an enemy anymore, right?
After leaving the hospital, Angeline went home and slept for three days straight.
On the third day, even after the sun was high up in the sky, Angeline still lay in her bed, not intending to leave it. That lasted until she abruptly heard the sounds of things clanging downstairs in the living room.
Her eyes flew open, and she flopped upright and perked her ears to focus on the sounds. After making sure that she was not still dreaming, she hastily put on a jacket and got out of bed.
Speeding out of her room, she heard a familiar voice coming from the living room just as she reached the stairs.
âAngeline, you made a mess! This place is so messy,â Nancy grumbled as she kept away the clothes on the couch.
âOh, youâre here.â
Angeline slowed her pace when she realized it was not a robber who had broken into her house. Once she reached Nancy, she said, âYou wouldnât have come for no good reason, so tell me why youâre here.â