Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 47: Chapter 47

'It's Sheila!' Lorraine thought, her lips quivering. Her throat burned like acid—not a single word came out. She could only thrash wildly, making desperate sounds.
Sheila hurled the brick in her hand at Stephen as he emerged from the bedroom, then darted past him.
With Lorraine half-undressed, Sheila wrapped her trench coat around Lorraine and yanked her out. Concealed by the smoke, they escaped unnoticed.
As they sped to the underground parking lot, Sheila shoved Lorraine into the car and blasted through the exit without stopping. She kept her foot on the gas until they reached a crowded area. Even then, Sheila couldn't stop trembling.
She parked, locked the doors, and smacked Lorraine's arm. "Lorraine, you jerk! How could you just take off like that? How could you put yourself in danger? You scared the hell out of me."
Sheila suddenly broke down crying. She'd rushed to the airport after reading that letter, only to see Stephen dragging Lorraine away. Too terrified to make a scene, she'd followed them secretly, planning a rescue.
As she listened at the door, panic had nearly suffocated her. She couldn't even imagine that if she hadn't gone to the airport, what might have happened.
Lorraine didn't even flinch when Sheila hit her arm. She sat motionless, pupils dilated, her gaze vacant. Despite the pain, she kept staring blankly ahead.
Panicked, Sheila lunged over and shook Lorraine's shoulders violently. "Lorraine? LORRAINE!"
After what seemed like an eternity, Lorraine finally let out a shaky breath. Her eyes slowly refocused before she suddenly grabbed Sheila in a bone-crushing hug.
Her whole body shook—first with little shivers that quickly turned into intense shaking, like a leaf caught in a hurricane. Tears streamed down quietly, soaking Sheila's neck.
'Those bastards... They almost broke her. It was so damn close,' Sheila thought, her heart shattering as she held the trembling Lorraine close.
When the workday ended, Eugene left the office and got straight into his car.
"Ms. Shaw's flight was direct—she should be landing soon," Isaac said, checking his watch and glancing nervously at Eugene in the backseat.
Eugene stared out the window, seemingly not hearing a word. After a long silence, he turned his head. "What's on the schedule tonight?"
"A dinner meeting with those clients from last week. They won't sign unless they meet you in person."
"Let's go."
"Okay."
The car merged onto the main road. It was still chilly in the spring air, and with the air conditioning on, the windows quickly fogged up, making everything look blurry.
A figure suddenly darted across the sidewalk. Eugene tensed and looked over. 'Probably just a case of mis identity—people often look similar from behind. Still, she should be arriving in Thotoria right now,' he thought.
Eugene then adjusted his cufflinks, eyes down. "Hand me the client files."
"Okay," Isaac replied. Just after he passed over the documents, his phone buzzed. He answered softly, "Isaac speaking. Who's calling?"
His expression shifted slightly after he heard what the person on the other end said. Once he hung up, he quickly turned to Eugene and said, "That was security at Silverlake Villa. They said Ms. Shaw has returned."
Silverlake Villa was just a ten-minute walk from the car. Eugene made it in five.
Standing outside, he spotted Lorraine's small figure under the porch light. She was curled up, almost invisible in the dim glow.
The guard approached. "Mr. Moore, Ms. Shaw just arrived. I tried to get her inside, but she refused."
Eugene nodded and strode over, stopping right in front of Lorraine. He thought they would have been worlds apart, but now she was just within arm's reach—she sure had a way of surprising him.
His hand moved toward her bowed head, but he caught himself and cleared his throat. "Lorraine, back from studying abroad already? What did you learn?"
Lorraine looked up, and instantly, Eugene froze. Her usually perfect face was streaked with dirty tear tracks. Her lips were pressed tight, eyes swollen, hair a mess. Her wrists were covered in bite marks. She'd clearly been crying for hours, holding everything in.
The sight pierced him, triggering a surge of frustration in his chest. "What happened?" he asked, his voice rough.
Lorraine stumbled to her feet and grabbed Eugene's coat lapels without hesitation. Her cracked lips parted as she begged, "Eugene, I'm not going anywhere. Let me stay with you, please."
Eugene froze. Lorraine's voice was soft and hoarse, sounding incredibly pitiful. It filled his ears and burrowed into his heart, leaving him feeling both comforted and uneasy.
He didn't get why she said that. He bent down, wanting to ask what was going on. Just then, Lorraine's head went limp, and she fainted right into his arms.
Upstairs in the bedroom, Lorraine was still out cold. She lay curled up on the bed, her face as white as a sheet.
Eugene stood by the bed and watched her quietly. He sighed heavily and grabbed the medical kit from the next room. Sitting down, he gently took her wrist and held it in his hand.
'How long has Lorraine been holding back to hurt herself like this?' Eugene thought. Her left wrist was a mess, almost unrecognizable beneath the blood and torn flesh. Her right hand wasn't much better.
He measured the antiseptic precisely, then began cleaning her wounds with cotton pads.
Lorraine moaned, instinctively jerking her wrist back with surprising strength. Her arm kept slipping from his grasp.
Eugene sighed. He pulled her upright, cradling her against his chest and using his arm to hold her still. Once she stopped moving, he applied the medicine.
As the medicine touched her skin, she shuddered involuntarily.
Eugene leaned down and blew softly. "Almost done. Hang in there."
Maybe Lorraine had heard him—she finally stayed still.
Eugene worked methodically. Whenever she fidgeted, he'd calm her.
"You're doing great," he murmured, encouraging her.
"Why bite yourself like this? I told you it's okay to cry," he said, shaking his head.
"Almost finished. Just a little longer," he whispered gently.
Without caring if she could hear, he just kept talking. Only after bandaging both of her wrists did he finally stop.
He tucked her back under the covers, walked to the window, and called Isaac. "Didn't you say your people saw her head to the airport? Why didn't she leave?"
"I don't know. Our guys said they watched her go through security without any issues and only left after making sure she was safe," Isaac replied.
"Go check it out."
"Okay."
Eugene hung up and sank onto the bed. He stared at Lorraine's pale face, lost in thought. Whatever had happened, he could only ask her about it tomorrow.
At dawn, Lorraine jolted awake. She opened her eyes wide and bolted upright. Only after recognizing she was in Silverlake Villa did she sink back down on the bed.
As she bent down to put on her shoes, she noticed both hands were wrapped in thick bandages, and her fingers could barely move. After struggling to get herself together, she finally made her way downstairs.
The staff and the butler were gone, and the living room was empty.
Eugene walked in from his morning run, his gray designer tracksuit highlighting his athletic build. Spotting Lorraine, he waved her over. "Come here."
As they sat in the garden, Eugene got right to the point. "Why did you come back?"
Yesterday's horror flooded Lorraine's mind. She went pale, avoiding his eyes. "I just got nervous about moving abroad alone," she whispered.
"You got scared abroad and came back to me?" Eugene called her out bluntly. "That's not like you."
Lorraine paused, feeling slightly awkward. She looked at him, her swollen, red eyes wide and vulnerable. "I just don't want to go anymore."
The events from the day before had broken her spirit. It was too painful to discuss, and she had no idea where to begin.
Eugene's expression hardened, his intense gaze demanding the truth.
Few could withstand such an intense stare. Lorraine immediately lowered her head and took a deep breath. Spotting her bandaged wrists, she immediately lifted them. "Did you wrap these for me? Thanks."
"Stop deflecting."
Lorraine pursed her lips. "You wrapped them so thick. Do I look like Mickey Mouse now?" She forced a grin, waving her bandaged hands dramatically.
Eugene fell silent.
"Let's play rock-paper-scissors. You'll totally crush me today." Lorraine stuck out her hand, smiling even brighter. But she didn't realize how brittle her smile looked.
Eugene's expression darkened. He stood up and slammed his glass onto the stone table, storming back to the villa without a backward glance. "Your wounds are care of. You don't need to stay. Go. Now."