Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back - Chapter 25: Chapter 25
You are reading Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back, Chapter 25: Chapter 25. Read more chapters of Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back.
A deep crease formed between Julian's brows. "What the—why isn't it ringing? Is the bell broken?"
Julian raked a hand through his hair and resumed his tirade. "If the bell didn't work, why didn't you knock? Face it—you wanted to make yourself look pitiful. Elena, when will you finally grow up?"
Every day you upset Mom, and that makes you happy, doesn't it?' Julian finished, voice sharp as ice.
Hearing him, Elena felt a chill crawl up her spine. It had been Annabelle who locked her out, yet somehow she was now the heartless one, deliberately refusing to come inside.
Elena looked up and smiled faintly. "Brother, you jest. Why would a few minutes in the cold win me your guilt or sympathy?" She raised her voice just enough. "Annabelle picked me up from the hospital today—you all know that. A living, breathing person failed to come home with her and none of you noticed. Why would I be vain enough to think a little frostbite could make you feel remorse?"
"You—!" Julian's eyes bulged; he had no comeback.
Her words stabbed Adaline with guilt. "Elena, I'm sorry. Mother didn't mean it."
Elena's tone stayed gentle. "I know you didn't. None of you did. I've been gone for more than a year—everyone is used to life without me. If I'd walked in with Annabelle, you'd probably have felt awkward about an extra body in the house.
"Normal, in this home, everyone is used to me not being here."
"E-Elena, I..." Adaline's throat tightened; her eyes turned red.
Each of Elena's measured words peeled away their masks, leaving them nowhere to hide.
Adaline managed a soft, aching smile. "Go run a hot bath, sweetheart."
Elena slipped silently into her tiny servant quarters.
Annabelle dabbed at her tears. "Mom, it's my fault. If I'd been more careful, Elena wouldn't have frozen outside. I'll bring her some ginger tea—she just got out of the hospital, we can't let her catch cold."
"You're very thoughtful, Annie. A broken doorbell isn't your doing."
"I'll go see her."
After showering, Elena emerged to find Annabelle seated on her bed.
She paused at the doorway. "Why are you in here?"
Annabelle smiled sweetly, lifted a steaming bowl, and approached. "Brought you ginger tea, Sister. Don't get sick—Mom and Dad would worry."
Elena eyed the bowl and reached out. "Thanks. You can leav—"
A loud splash echoed through the cramped room.
The moment Elena's fingers touched the porcelain, Annabelle upended the entire bowl, soaking Elena's nightclothes in scalding liquid.
Glaring with venom, Annabelle hissed, "Go near Victor again and this is just a taste of what's coming. His and my engagement's tomorrow—behave yourself, or I'll ruin you so thoroughly you'll live like a rat in the gutter for life!"
Elena sucked in a sharp breath, then met Annabelle's gaze with a mild smile. "So you're scared after all. Tell me, Annabelle—if Victor saw this lovely side of you, would he still marry you?"
Annabelle seized Elena's collar. "You dare! What happened between you and Victor in that fitting room? Were you seducing him on purpose?"
Elena looked at Annabelle's almost deranged eyes and let out a brittle laugh. "Guess."
Annabelle realized she was dancing to Elena's tune.
She released her grip, inhaled deeply, and warned, "Try anything crooked and I'll have you locked up again, same as before."
Elena's voice was cool as steel. "We'll see, Annabelle. Everything you owe me—I'll take back piece by piece."
Julian raked a hand through his hair and resumed his tirade. "If the bell didn't work, why didn't you knock? Face it—you wanted to make yourself look pitiful. Elena, when will you finally grow up?"
Every day you upset Mom, and that makes you happy, doesn't it?' Julian finished, voice sharp as ice.
Hearing him, Elena felt a chill crawl up her spine. It had been Annabelle who locked her out, yet somehow she was now the heartless one, deliberately refusing to come inside.
Elena looked up and smiled faintly. "Brother, you jest. Why would a few minutes in the cold win me your guilt or sympathy?" She raised her voice just enough. "Annabelle picked me up from the hospital today—you all know that. A living, breathing person failed to come home with her and none of you noticed. Why would I be vain enough to think a little frostbite could make you feel remorse?"
"You—!" Julian's eyes bulged; he had no comeback.
Her words stabbed Adaline with guilt. "Elena, I'm sorry. Mother didn't mean it."
Elena's tone stayed gentle. "I know you didn't. None of you did. I've been gone for more than a year—everyone is used to life without me. If I'd walked in with Annabelle, you'd probably have felt awkward about an extra body in the house.
"Normal, in this home, everyone is used to me not being here."
"E-Elena, I..." Adaline's throat tightened; her eyes turned red.
Each of Elena's measured words peeled away their masks, leaving them nowhere to hide.
Adaline managed a soft, aching smile. "Go run a hot bath, sweetheart."
Elena slipped silently into her tiny servant quarters.
Annabelle dabbed at her tears. "Mom, it's my fault. If I'd been more careful, Elena wouldn't have frozen outside. I'll bring her some ginger tea—she just got out of the hospital, we can't let her catch cold."
"You're very thoughtful, Annie. A broken doorbell isn't your doing."
"I'll go see her."
After showering, Elena emerged to find Annabelle seated on her bed.
She paused at the doorway. "Why are you in here?"
Annabelle smiled sweetly, lifted a steaming bowl, and approached. "Brought you ginger tea, Sister. Don't get sick—Mom and Dad would worry."
Elena eyed the bowl and reached out. "Thanks. You can leav—"
A loud splash echoed through the cramped room.
The moment Elena's fingers touched the porcelain, Annabelle upended the entire bowl, soaking Elena's nightclothes in scalding liquid.
Glaring with venom, Annabelle hissed, "Go near Victor again and this is just a taste of what's coming. His and my engagement's tomorrow—behave yourself, or I'll ruin you so thoroughly you'll live like a rat in the gutter for life!"
Elena sucked in a sharp breath, then met Annabelle's gaze with a mild smile. "So you're scared after all. Tell me, Annabelle—if Victor saw this lovely side of you, would he still marry you?"
Annabelle seized Elena's collar. "You dare! What happened between you and Victor in that fitting room? Were you seducing him on purpose?"
Elena looked at Annabelle's almost deranged eyes and let out a brittle laugh. "Guess."
Annabelle realized she was dancing to Elena's tune.
She released her grip, inhaled deeply, and warned, "Try anything crooked and I'll have you locked up again, same as before."
Elena's voice was cool as steel. "We'll see, Annabelle. Everything you owe me—I'll take back piece by piece."
End of Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back Chapter 25. Continue reading Chapter 26 or return to Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back book page.