Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back - Chapter 24: Chapter 24
You are reading Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back, Chapter 24: Chapter 24. Read more chapters of Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back.
What happened in that fitting room? What exactly did they do in there?' Annabelle raged inwardly.
She clung to Victor as though staking her claim. "Elena! You're a grown woman—can't you watch your step? Be more careful next time."
Her shove was too forceful; Elena nearly toppled and had to grab the doorframe to steady herself.
Victor's gaze dimmed. The hand he had half-extended to help fell back to his side.
Annabelle inhaled deeply, tamping down the fire in her chest.
The instant she entered the house, Annabelle slammed the lock into place.
Elena pressed the doorbell. It remained silent, but she heard Adaline hurry forward inside, cooing, "Annie, you're home! How was the gown fitting? Did you find one you like?"
"It's snowing—you must be freezing! Mrs. Woods, bring ginger tea for Miss Annie and Mr. Whitmore!"
"Victor, Annie, once tomorrow's engagement banquet is over we'll begin planning the wedding. Annie would like it to be grand..."
Their voices drifted farther away. They worried whether Annabelle was cold, whether her wedding would be glorious, whether she'd chosen the perfect gown—yet somehow managed to forget Elena existed at all.
Elena sat on the doorstep. Snow thickened, and a slicing wind knifed through her coat until her whole body went numb.
She was used to this marrow-deep chill; it hardly felt cold anymore.
Time blurred. The courtyard lay buried in white, and snow piled on her shoulders.
Suddenly, the door swung open.
A servant stepped out carrying a garbage bag.
She yelped, "Goodness—Miss Elena! When did you get back? Why are you sitting outside?"
The commotion drew everyone from the house.
Adaline appeared and finally remembered today was Elena's discharge day.
Seeing the snow crusted over Elena's coat, Adaline clapped a hand to her mouth. "Elena, what are you doing out here? When did you arrive?"
Annabelle hurried to the doorway, feigning shock. "Elena, why didn't you come in? I could've sworn you were ahead of me!"
Adaline reached for Elena's hand and found it colder than steel.
"Come inside, Elena."
Stiff-limbed, Elena crossed the threshold.
Julian Bennett's brows knitted; pity flickered in his eyes before irritation won out. "You drove home with Annie. Why sit outside on purpose instead of coming in?"
Elena murmured, "The door was locked—I couldn't get in."
Julian Bennett barked, "The door's locked—ever think of pressing the doorbell? Or are you implying someone purposely trapped you outside so you couldn't come in?"
Elena Bennett lifted her eyes to him and said calmly, "I did ring it. No one answered."
Julian flung his arms wide. "Impossible! We were all in the living room—none of us heard a thing. Elena, you squatted out there on purpose. What's your game? Trying to make the whole world believe the Bennett family has turned its back on you?"
Adaline cut him off. "Julian, that's enough! She's your sister. She's been freezing outside all this time. If you can't show concern, at least stop chastising her. She just had surgery—could you give her a break?"
"Mom, she's lying!" Julian shot back. "She did it deliberately—can't you see that?"
Still fuming, Julian strode to the foyer, yanked open the inner door, and stabbed the bell button several times. Not a sound came from the chime.
She clung to Victor as though staking her claim. "Elena! You're a grown woman—can't you watch your step? Be more careful next time."
Her shove was too forceful; Elena nearly toppled and had to grab the doorframe to steady herself.
Victor's gaze dimmed. The hand he had half-extended to help fell back to his side.
Annabelle inhaled deeply, tamping down the fire in her chest.
The instant she entered the house, Annabelle slammed the lock into place.
Elena pressed the doorbell. It remained silent, but she heard Adaline hurry forward inside, cooing, "Annie, you're home! How was the gown fitting? Did you find one you like?"
"It's snowing—you must be freezing! Mrs. Woods, bring ginger tea for Miss Annie and Mr. Whitmore!"
"Victor, Annie, once tomorrow's engagement banquet is over we'll begin planning the wedding. Annie would like it to be grand..."
Their voices drifted farther away. They worried whether Annabelle was cold, whether her wedding would be glorious, whether she'd chosen the perfect gown—yet somehow managed to forget Elena existed at all.
Elena sat on the doorstep. Snow thickened, and a slicing wind knifed through her coat until her whole body went numb.
She was used to this marrow-deep chill; it hardly felt cold anymore.
Time blurred. The courtyard lay buried in white, and snow piled on her shoulders.
Suddenly, the door swung open.
A servant stepped out carrying a garbage bag.
She yelped, "Goodness—Miss Elena! When did you get back? Why are you sitting outside?"
The commotion drew everyone from the house.
Adaline appeared and finally remembered today was Elena's discharge day.
Seeing the snow crusted over Elena's coat, Adaline clapped a hand to her mouth. "Elena, what are you doing out here? When did you arrive?"
Annabelle hurried to the doorway, feigning shock. "Elena, why didn't you come in? I could've sworn you were ahead of me!"
Adaline reached for Elena's hand and found it colder than steel.
"Come inside, Elena."
Stiff-limbed, Elena crossed the threshold.
Julian Bennett's brows knitted; pity flickered in his eyes before irritation won out. "You drove home with Annie. Why sit outside on purpose instead of coming in?"
Elena murmured, "The door was locked—I couldn't get in."
Julian Bennett barked, "The door's locked—ever think of pressing the doorbell? Or are you implying someone purposely trapped you outside so you couldn't come in?"
Elena Bennett lifted her eyes to him and said calmly, "I did ring it. No one answered."
Julian flung his arms wide. "Impossible! We were all in the living room—none of us heard a thing. Elena, you squatted out there on purpose. What's your game? Trying to make the whole world believe the Bennett family has turned its back on you?"
Adaline cut him off. "Julian, that's enough! She's your sister. She's been freezing outside all this time. If you can't show concern, at least stop chastising her. She just had surgery—could you give her a break?"
"Mom, she's lying!" Julian shot back. "She did it deliberately—can't you see that?"
Still fuming, Julian strode to the foyer, yanked open the inner door, and stabbed the bell button several times. Not a sound came from the chime.
End of Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back Chapter 24. Continue reading Chapter 25 or return to Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back book page.