Chapter 3 A week later , it was time for the Blackwood family's mandatory monthly dinner . With Damien away , Elara had to attend alone . The moment Damien's mother saw her , her face hardened . " Where is Damien ? " Elara lowered her gaze . " He had something to take care of . He won't be back for a while . " Mrs. Blackwood gave a cold sneer , about to say more when the butler hurried over , holding a copy of a gossip paper . The headline was a picture of Damien and Isabelle , kissing on the deck of a yacht . Crack ! Damien's mother slammed her chopsticks on the table , her face contorted with rage . " Seraphina ! My study , now ! " The second the study door closed , she snapped , " Kneel . " Elara knelt in silence . 2011 O " Useless ! You can't even keep your own husband in line ! " Mrs. Blackwood was trembling with fury . " I'm giving you two choices . Esha ya za Aim and get him back here right now , or … you will face the C Elara's eyelashes trembled . She knew that even if she called , Damien wouldn't come back . And she couldn't disturb him while he was with the woman he loved . If he got angry , the entire corporate alliance could be jeopard- ized . " I choose the consequences , " she said softly . Her mother - in - law was livid . " What did you just say ?! " " I choose the consequences , " Elara repeated , lifting her head , her gaze calm . " Go ahead . " Her face turning a shade of purple , Mrs. Blackwood snatched a riding crop from the wall and brought it down hard across Elara's back . " Are you going to call him ?! " Crack ! " Are you ?! " Crack ! Elara bit her lip , a searing pain spreading across her back , but she steadfastly shook her head . Finally , the pain became too much . Her vision went dark , and she collapsed . When she woke up , she was lying face down on a hospital bed , her back wrapped in bandages . And Damien was sitting by her bedside , his brow furrowed in a deep frown . " Why didn't you call me when Mother was giving you trouble ? " he asked , his voice cold . Elara managed a weak smile . " I didn't want to interrupt your time with Miss Croft . " Damien was taken aback . He stared at her pale face , suddenly remembering what the nurse had said . Chapter 3 " She loves Mr. Blackwood so much that she's willing to care for the woman he loves … " Did she … love him that much ? So much that she would rather be punished than disturb him ? That strange feeling in Damien's chest intensified . For the next few days , he did something unheard of : he stayed at the hospital to take care of her . Elara told him it wasn't necessary , but he didn't leave . On the day she was discharged , Damien received an urgent call from his office about a meeting he couldn't miss . " Get home on your own , " he said , turning to leave . Elara nodded , slowly making her way out of the hospital . As she stepped off the curb , she accidentally bumped into someone . " Are you blind ?! " the woman shrieked . " Do you have any idea how much this coat costs ? Look at you , dressed like you even afford to replace it ?! " Just as Elara was about to apologize , a cold , sharp voice cut through the air from behind her . " Get lost . " Damien had gotten out of his car . He tossed a wad of cash at the woman's face . " Is this enough ? " 2011 O a pauper . Could The woman , who had been ready to erupt , took one look at Damien's expensive suit and commanding presence , and scurried away without another word . Damien shot a cold glance at Elara . " Seraphina , did the Vances and the Blackwoods not give you any money ? Why are you dressed like this ? " Elara remained silent . The Vances had never given her a cent . And while she had access to a Blackwood credit card , she wasn't the real Mrs. Blackwood , so she had never touched it . Seeing her silence , an inexplicable flame of irritation flared up in Damien . He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the car . "We're going shopping . " At the mall , Damien picked out several haute couture outfits for her , each one costing a small fortune . Elara complied quietly , a marionette with no emotions . But just as they were leaving the mall … " Damien ? " A trembling voice called out . Elara looked up and saw Isabelle standing a short distance away , still wearing the uniform from her part - time job as a waitress . Her eyes were red - rimmed as she stared at them in disbelief . " You told me … you were in a meeting at the office . " " Isabelle … " Damien's expression shifted . " You can choose not to love me … " Tears streamed down Isabelle's face . " But how could you lie to me ? I shouldn't have come back . I ' m just getting in your way … " Chapter 3 She turned and ran . " Isabelle ! " Damien immediately chased after her . Elara stood frozen , watching his retreating back , a strange calm settling over her heart . But in the next second- CRASH ! A deafening roar echoed through the air . A large pane of glass from high up on the building's facade had shattered , plummeting directly towards Isabelle . She didn't even have time to scream before she collapsed in a pool of blood . 20:11 C 2071