Chapter 296

Suddenly, a large group of people in several cars appeared and rushed toward them.

Damn it! The man had backup.

Gerald didn’t feel like the situation was favorable to him anymore. If he and his men continued to fight,

they would most likely lose.

He gritted his teeth and ordered reluctantly, “Everyone, retreat!”

But it was too late. Maurice’s men had already surrounded Gerald’s men and instantly subdued them.

“What do we do now, boss?” Sean was flustered to see the critical situation.

“Forget it. Let’s go.”

Gerald didn’t care about his subordinates. He ordered Sean to drive away. His men were all captured

by Maurice’s men.

Thanks to Preston’s backup, Eliana was finally out of danger.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

While the others cleaned up the mess after the fight, she turned to look worriedly at Preston who had

bravely protected her.

After all the chaos, he was still standing in front of her. He was trying to catch his breath. Sweat trickled

down the side of his face from his forehead, and he was shaking slightly.

Eliana approached him and asked, “Are you okay, Preston?”

Maurice shook his head. He was in pain after the fight, but seeing the bruises on Eliana hurt more than

his own injuries.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Maurice fought the urge to touch Eliana’s red, swollen cheek. He led her to his car and left the damned

place.

In a dark corner, Ethan, who was still bleeding from his head, saw everything. His unwillingness and

resentment were rolling in his heart, making him look like the devil.

In the car, Eliana and Maurice sat in the back seat. Maurice leaned against the seat with his eyes

closed, frowning as if he was enduring a great pain.

Seeing that, Eliana felt restless. She was worried out of her mind.

“Where did you get injured, Preston?” She couldn’t help reaching out to touch him, but he leaned away.

As he moved, Maurice felt a sharp pain in his injured left arm. His whole back was wet with cold sweat.

If he and Eliana stayed in one place together much longer, Eliana would eventually realize where he

was hurting, and then he wouldn’t be able to hide his true identity anymore.

“Don’t pretend to care about me, Eliana. I don’t need it.” Maurice deliberately put on a cold face and

acted like he was disgusted. “Can you not be so stupid next time? I can’t come to your rescue every

time you need me. And didn’t you already break up with me? It’s too late to regret your decision now.”

Eliana’s hand froze in the air, and her courage to touch Preston suddenly vanished.

Preston’s words weighed on her heart like a massive boulder. They felt so heavy that she found herself

having trouble breathing. She opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. She couldn’t

say caring words to Preston anymore. He just said himself that he didn’t need them.

In the end, Eliana dejectedly put down her hand.

What Preston said was right. She couldn’t expect him to be there for her or ask him to stay.

Their entire trip downtown, they kept dead silent.

“I’ll get out of the car here.” Eliana finally voiced out what she had been thinking since Preston avoided

her touch.

Maurice didn’t ask her to stay. He just let her out on the street on her own.

As soon as Eliana stepped out of the car, it sped away as if it was desperate to get away from her.

As the car disappeared from her sight, her eyes welled up with tears.

She wiped her eyes stubbornly.

She owed Preston. She couldn’t feel aggrieved.

Maurice felt bad, too, after leaving.

He tried hard not to look back because he was afraid that if he glanced at Eliana’s pitiful eyes again, he

would completely surrender and then tell her everything.

Maurice had a vague feeling that it wouldn’t be long before the truth came out, and it would be time to

tell Eliana about his double life.

When that happened, they would either start over or end up as strangers. No one knew which.