Chapter 56
At this moment, Ella returned home to find Jaden following her and standing at her bedroom door, not leaving.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“What did Grandpa say? Jaden hesitated, holding back his words. He had been trying to convince himself it didn’t matter, but he still wanted to know the answer.
“Nothing much, just some private family talk” Ella said.
Jaden said, “That’s not what I mean. Did you really decide that I am your husband?”
“You remembered that?” Ella asked, a bit surprised.
“What was your answer?” Jaden asked.
Jaden was unusually persistent, his eyes deep and unfathomable. Under such a gaze, Ella dared not lie or give a careless answer.
“Don’t worry, you will always be my husband, Ella said
“Really?” Jaden asked.
“Of course, I wouldn’t lie to you, Ella said.
“Alright, I believe you Jaden said.
Just moments ago, Jaden had been so awkward, but now he smiled, his deep eyes suddenly clear/
“Goodnight,” he said, tuming to leave
Ella could tell that Jaden was happy. Was her answer really enough to make him this cheerful?
Back in her room. Ella touched the empty side of her bed.
They hadn’t slept together for long, but now she found it hard to fall asleep alone. She thought 21 days were enough to form a habit. And it hadn’i even been that long.
Ella hadn’t slept well for several days, and with the events of the night, she felt mentally exhausted. She kept adjusting her position and finally fell asleep just before dawn.
Jaden didn’t sleep well either. He was relieved that Devin had left, meaning he could sleep in his own room again. No more uncomfortable nights, no more being clung to, he could have a good night’s sleep.
But a
turned out, every time he closed his eyes, be could only think of Ella
The next day, Ella yawned her way to the office, linding that Devin had publicly acknowledged Grace’s identity.
Ella didn’t interfere, suspecting Devin’s intentions. She protected him in her way, and he protected her in his.
She would just let Grace and Harry be together. Ella wouldn’t suffer any loss
That evening, Jenny came over for dinner, and Ella recounted what had happened the previous night,
“Harry
so shameless! He never ceases to amaze me with how low he can go! What a disgusting mant” Jenny said.
“Luckily, Grandpa is okay, or I would have fought him, Ella said.
Jenny said, “By the way, did you really tell your grandpa that you want to protect Jaden for life!”
Ella said, “Of course! I’ve brought him home. How can I not take responsibility for him
Jenny said. “That sounds like you
you brought home a stray cat or dog. Once you adopt it, you feel responsible for it”*
“Isn’t that exactly what it is” Ella responded.
Jenny’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping slightly. It took her a moment to recover.
Jenny said, “No way! Do you really think that? A marriage should be based on lovel
Ella said, “You’re overthinking it. What kind of love could I have with Jadent Even if I wanted to talk about love with him, he wouldn’t understand. I told Grandpa we don’t have feelings for each other. I don’t like him. I’m just fulfilling my responsibilities.
11:32 AM c d
Chapter 56
Jaden stood on the staircase, listening her words. He had come down for dinner bat stopped when he overheard their conversation.
The joy he felt yesterday was doused, disappearing completely.
So… Being her husband had nothing to do with love. She only took him in to care for him. That was all.
He looked cold, realizing that pretending to be foolish for so long had made him actually feel foolish. He had started to like a woman who was heartless! She didn’t like him, yet he had stupidly fallen for her.
He thought, Jaden, you are utterly ridiculous‘
From now on, he vowed not to show Ella any softness. She and the Willow Group could go to hell together.
He didn’t go downstairs for dinner, instead returning to his room to see a text from Hank: Sir, our people watching Harry reported that he is planning something against you.]
Jaden’s eyes narrowed as he read the message. Perhaps it was time for him to leave there was no need to waste time here. Since Harry was making a move, he might as well use Harry’s actions to resolve the matter.
The next day, Ella went to the office with Jenny, familiarizing her with the business With Jenny, a finance PhD from abroad, helping Ella, securing bank loans was almost guaranteed.
During a meeting. Ella’s phone rang. It was from Hazel Ella’s eyelid twitched, knowing Hazel wouldn’t call unless it was urgent. She immediately ended the meeting and answered the phone.
“Hazel, what happened Ella asled
“Miss, it’s bad. L. I lost Jaden.”
“What?” Ell said.
Hazel said, “This morning, Jaden insisted on going out with me. He wanted to buy you a gift. He said he had saved a lot of pocket money and had nothing he wanted to buy for himself, so be wanted to get something for you.
“I thought it would be a nice surprise, so I took himout. He was just with me, but when I went to the restroom, he was gone. The surveillance shows be followed a little girl in an alley, and then he disappeared.”
Ella was shocked, but she forced herself to stay calm
“Have you called the police?” she asked.
Hazel said. “Yes, the police are on it. They said it might be human traffickers.
Hearing this, Ella nearly lost her footing
Human traffickers?
Women sold to remote areas would be forced into prostitution. Children might be maimed and forced to beg, or sold to people who couldn’t have their own. Men typically were sold for hard labor or trafficked to poor places. But Jaden was different. If traffickers found out, no one knew what fate awaited him,
She rushed to the police station, where officers tried to calm her down. But how could she not worry!
Hazel was in tears. “Miss, it’s all my fault. I took him out.”
“No, it’s my fault. He wanted to buy a gift for me and got lost because of it. I have to find him.” Ella said.
She clenched her fists, silently vowing to find Jaden Ella mobilized her connections, raiding several trafficking dens, only learning that Jaden was taken south.
Jenny helped in the search too. Seeing Ella, who hadn’t slept for two days, Jenny couldn’t help but say, “You should get some rest. You look tired. You can’t hold out like that
“I can’t sleep” Ella rubbed her aching temples. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jaden dying in her dreams.
Sometimes she dreamed of him being maimed and left to beg, or sold as a laborer in the poor areas. And he died from a minor infection in that harsh environment.
She even dreamed of him being sold to a wealthy woman who abused him, leading to a rapid mental decline. Eventually, the woman abandoned him in a derelict warehouse, leaving him to live with wild dogs. In the end, he died one cold winter night, frozen to death.
In Ella’s dreams, Jaden constantly called out for her. “Ella, where are you.. I’m so scared, Ella. Please come save me, Ella. I’m going to die”
11:32 AM
Chapter 56
His desperate cries broke Ella’s heart, waking her in the middle of the night drenched in sweat.
SEND GIFT