Now They Want My Forgiveness - Chapter 171: Chapter 171
You are reading Now They Want My Forgiveness, Chapter 171: Chapter 171. Read more chapters of Now They Want My Forgiveness.
"You wouldn't dare touch me." Joey's eyes burned crimson as he stared at Jordan's retreating back. When he tried to leave with Lillian, Jordan's security team blocked their path. "How dare you block my way!"
The assistant remained stone-faced. "Mr. Erwin's orders. No exceptions—especially not for you two."
"Do you even know who I am?" Joey snarled, pulling rank.
"I answer to Mr. Erwin alone," the assistant replied flatly.
When Joey attempted to force his way through, the assistant didn't hesitate—he physically restrained him. Joey, who'd never known defeat, couldn't believe he was being bested in public. After several failed attempts to overpower the man, he stood fuming, humiliated.
In the private lounge, hotel staff had summoned a doctor. Though Stella had no internal injuries, the external damage was horrifying enough—jagged cuts, purpling bruises, and raw abrasions covering her skin.
Jordan's hands clenched into white-knuckled fists as he took in the damage. How much pain had she endured? The thought gutted him. 'If only I'd arrived sooner—God damn it!'
After her wounds were treated, Stella fell into an exhausted sleep. Jordan remained steadfast at her side, having obtained the surveillance footage from the hotel. With cold precision, he ordered copies delivered to Joey.
The video revealed the ugly truth: Stella had barely stepped into the venue before Lillian intercepted her. Within moments, without provocation, Lillian's goons had attacked—beating Stella mercilessly, even tearing at her clothes.
But what truly shattered Jordan was seeing Stella's scars for the first time. The lattice of old wounds crisscrossing her skin spoke of brutal mountain beatings. And that grotesque, jagged scar near her lower back—a kidney removal.
The crude, uneven stitching made it painfully clear they'd done it without anesthesia, carving into her flesh while she was fully conscious.
His stomach churned imagining her agony. He'd thought he understood what she'd been through, but now he realized how much he still didn't know—how much pain she'd hidden from him.
Not a single person in that crowd had stepped forward to help her. The only moment of reprieve came when Stella, summoning her last strength, had managed to fight back against Lillian.
But then Joey arrived. That ice-cold, murderous look in his eyes... If Kevin hadn't shown up when he did, Jordan was certain Stella would be dead right now.
Those three years they'd been apart—when he had no idea where she'd disappeared to—had been torture.
He'd spent every day scouring the internet, sometimes glued to his screen for hours, desperate for any sign she was still alive. If she had died... he would never have forgiven himself.
Nearly two hours later, Stella stirred awake. Jordan was at her side in an instant. "How are you feeling?" he asked, gently brushing hair from her forehead.
"Better," she murmured, blinking up at him. "Why am I still here?"
"I haven't settled accounts with them yet," he said, jaw tightening. "We're not leaving until this is finished. Do you think you can come back to the main hall with me?"
The way he looked at her—with such tenderness, such quiet pleading—made her breath catch. Her entire life, people had only ever looked down on her. Even when she excelled, even when she achieved more than anyone expected, it never mattered.
Parent-teacher conferences with no parents showing up. Everyone knew she was the Hayes family's unwanted daughter. But this look in Jordan's eyes... for the first time, Stella felt truly seen.
She nodded. Jordan offered his arm, and she took it, steadying herself. Dressed in fresh clothes he'd provided, Stella straightened her shoulders as they walked back toward the hall together.
The assistant remained stone-faced. "Mr. Erwin's orders. No exceptions—especially not for you two."
"Do you even know who I am?" Joey snarled, pulling rank.
"I answer to Mr. Erwin alone," the assistant replied flatly.
When Joey attempted to force his way through, the assistant didn't hesitate—he physically restrained him. Joey, who'd never known defeat, couldn't believe he was being bested in public. After several failed attempts to overpower the man, he stood fuming, humiliated.
In the private lounge, hotel staff had summoned a doctor. Though Stella had no internal injuries, the external damage was horrifying enough—jagged cuts, purpling bruises, and raw abrasions covering her skin.
Jordan's hands clenched into white-knuckled fists as he took in the damage. How much pain had she endured? The thought gutted him. 'If only I'd arrived sooner—God damn it!'
After her wounds were treated, Stella fell into an exhausted sleep. Jordan remained steadfast at her side, having obtained the surveillance footage from the hotel. With cold precision, he ordered copies delivered to Joey.
The video revealed the ugly truth: Stella had barely stepped into the venue before Lillian intercepted her. Within moments, without provocation, Lillian's goons had attacked—beating Stella mercilessly, even tearing at her clothes.
But what truly shattered Jordan was seeing Stella's scars for the first time. The lattice of old wounds crisscrossing her skin spoke of brutal mountain beatings. And that grotesque, jagged scar near her lower back—a kidney removal.
The crude, uneven stitching made it painfully clear they'd done it without anesthesia, carving into her flesh while she was fully conscious.
His stomach churned imagining her agony. He'd thought he understood what she'd been through, but now he realized how much he still didn't know—how much pain she'd hidden from him.
Not a single person in that crowd had stepped forward to help her. The only moment of reprieve came when Stella, summoning her last strength, had managed to fight back against Lillian.
But then Joey arrived. That ice-cold, murderous look in his eyes... If Kevin hadn't shown up when he did, Jordan was certain Stella would be dead right now.
Those three years they'd been apart—when he had no idea where she'd disappeared to—had been torture.
He'd spent every day scouring the internet, sometimes glued to his screen for hours, desperate for any sign she was still alive. If she had died... he would never have forgiven himself.
Nearly two hours later, Stella stirred awake. Jordan was at her side in an instant. "How are you feeling?" he asked, gently brushing hair from her forehead.
"Better," she murmured, blinking up at him. "Why am I still here?"
"I haven't settled accounts with them yet," he said, jaw tightening. "We're not leaving until this is finished. Do you think you can come back to the main hall with me?"
The way he looked at her—with such tenderness, such quiet pleading—made her breath catch. Her entire life, people had only ever looked down on her. Even when she excelled, even when she achieved more than anyone expected, it never mattered.
Parent-teacher conferences with no parents showing up. Everyone knew she was the Hayes family's unwanted daughter. But this look in Jordan's eyes... for the first time, Stella felt truly seen.
She nodded. Jordan offered his arm, and she took it, steadying herself. Dressed in fresh clothes he'd provided, Stella straightened her shoulders as they walked back toward the hall together.
End of Now They Want My Forgiveness Chapter 171. Continue reading Chapter 172 or return to Now They Want My Forgiveness book page.