23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

-Alison-

During the night, Louis's condition hadn't improved. The doctor hadn't yet assessed the injuries inflicted by his family, choosing instead to check on me and the swelling on my face. I was taken aback by his casual demeanor, especially considering Louis's critical state. However, his priorities were evidently clear—I took precedence.

Once the doctor confirmed that I was on the path to healing, he proceeded to examine Louis. However, his expression remained inscrutable, leaving me uncertain about Louis's chances of survival. He remained restrained to the bed, his facial swelling worsening and blood staining his body and the sheets. He urgently required a proper hospital bed and intensive care, but I doubted his family cared enough to pursue it.

As I observed the doctor attending to Louis, Dominic abruptly entered, his demeanor unexpectedly cheerful.

"And how are you today?" he inquired.

"Better," I murmured, stealing a glance at his son.

"Don't concern yourself with him. He brought this upon himself," Dominic dismissed.

"I'm not concerned. I'm just curious—why bother saving him if you intend to kill him anyway?"

"Revenge," he stated simply.

"I understand," I replied, as Dominic approached.

"I have good news," he announced.

"Oh?"

"Jared has agreed," Dominic revealed.

"Agreed to what?"

"He will surrender Julia in exchange for you. You're going home tomorrow," he declared, but his words sent a shiver down my spine.

"No, Jared would never agree to that deal. He wouldn't risk Julia," I insisted.

"No? Why not? Jared isn't exactly known for his paternal instincts."

"Because Jared is not a monster or a heartless man!"

"Isn't he? Do you truly know your husband?" he challenged, and I shot him a glare.

"Jared wouldn't do it," I reiterated firmly.

"No?" he taunted.

"No!"

"Then who sent this text?" Dominic reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone, displaying the message allegedly from Jared. I read it repeatedly, struggling to comprehend. While I knew Jared would move mountains to retrieve me, I couldn't fathom him risking Julia. He had to recognize that she wouldn't be safe with Dominic and his associates. Why would Jared endanger her?

"That's not real," I protested.

"But it is," Dominic countered, stowing his phone. "And tomorrow, we'll make the exchange. Now, let's get you cleaned up and dressed."

I still couldn't bring myself to believe Dominic, but then I was released from the chair where I'd been restrained. Though my hands remained bound behind my back, a female staff member assisted me in freshening up and using the restroom before providing me with new clothes.

The handcuffs were removed only briefly as I changed into the dress. When I finished, Dominic awaited me, extending his hand. Though I couldn't bring myself to accept it, I recognized it as a simple invitation to draw near. I approached him, and he delicately took hold of my arm, guiding me away from the room and Louis.

"Are you just letting him die?" I inquired.

"Perhaps. Does it bother you?" he retorted.

"I suppose not," I murmured, stealing one last glance at Louis before we descended the stairs outside the room. As we walked downstairs, I was taken aback when I was led to breakfast with the rest of the family.

They exuded a stark contrast to Louis, radiating genuine happiness. Yet, I refused to buy into the fa?ade that they would care for Julia. She wasn't their blood, and even if she were, it was evident that crossing the family led to dire consequences.

I didn't want to eat, but I had no choice, and embarrassingly, I required assistance from another staff member who had to feed me. It was a humiliating experience, made worse by the young children at the table observing me, but I ate only until my stomach ceased its relentless gnawing, then signaled that I had enough.

"Jared won't show up," I declared, turning to Dominic, who raised his hand in a surprising gesture.

"The rest of us are still eating. We don't discuss business until we're finished," he stated firmly.

I rolled my eyes at the absurdity of it all before facing forward, only to find the older woman staring at me intently.

"What?" I hissed, feeling her gaze pierce through me.

"What is Julia like?" she inquired.

I shrugged. "I didn't spend that much time with her."

"But you did spend some," she pointed out.

"Why does it matter? You don't actually care about her," I countered.

"That's not true."

"But it is."

"She isn't even your family," I snapped.

"Louis still signed his name on the birth certificate. Blood or not, she is part of this family," the woman asserted.

I rolled my eyes once more. "She isn't. She's just a means to an end for all of you. She deserves a better life."

"Let's not discuss that now," Dominic interjected.

"No, let's," his wife insisted. "Julia belongs here. We can provide her with a good life."

"You wouldn't provide that if she weren't an heiress. You didn't even try to help her mother," I snapped.

"That's not true," Dominic countered. "However, she was Louis's wife, and he held onto her tightly. We couldn't just take her away."

"No, you didn't want to, because you'd rather respect the abuser than the victim," I retorted.

"You speak as if you have experience," his wife countered.

I held her gaze briefly, feeling as though she could see right through me, but I looked away, unwilling to disclose my past. Instead, I surveyed the others around the table. They truly seemed like a family, but I knew Julia would never fit in here. Not as long as she was only valued for something that had nothing to do with her true self. They might care that her heart was beating, but they didn't care about her actual happiness.

Please, Jared, don't let them take her , I silently pleaded inside myself.