Love's Tangled Web (Alex and Ellie)

Over an hour later, in the basement of a private self-built house on the outskirts of the west side of the city, Alex lounged carelessly in a chair, his head lowered, fiddling with a metal lighter. Stray strands of hair fell loosely over his brow, casting a shadow over his eyes.

Despite not having done anything yet, the oppressive aura emanating from him was so intense that Amelia and her daughter, who were trembling on the floor, could barely move. Paralyzed by fear, they could not even cry out, only able to stare at him with wide, terrified eyes, clinging to each other for support.

Haley, on the other hand, was already beside herself with panic.

Standing by Alex's side, she forced herself to speak, her voice shaky. "Alex, I'm telling the truth. I don't know anything."

Before she could finish, Barry entered with two bodyguards, forcibly separating Amelia from her daughter and taking them to different rooms. The sounds of interrogation soon echoed from both rooms.

Haley's face was so pale it was beyond description. She crouched beside Alex, crying and begging. "Alex, you can't do this. Amelia has worked for the Owens family for over twenty years. She watched me grow up. She just wanted to return to her hometown. I'm only here to see her off. I'm not lying."

Alex glanced up at Haley, his eyes cold. "Whether you're lying or not, I'll find out when I ask."

Haley's eyes flickered nervously, and she quickly shifted the conversation. "Alex, do you know how much I've endured to be with you?"

She continued, "Diana and Lacey always call me a mistress whenever they see me, your mother never accepts me, and Aaron and Ellie despise me. I can put up with all of that, as long as you treat me well."noveldrama

She paused, then continued crying. "I understand that you couldn't help me with Ethan's case. It involved legal matters. But what has Amelia done wrong? Why are you treating her like this?"

"Alex, for my sake, please let them go. Let them leave, okay?" Haley tentatively reached out to take Alex's arm.

Alex raised his hand, avoiding Haley's touch, and looked at her. "Did you find the necklace?"

Haley froze when she tried to grab Alex's hand. She stood up, avoiding his sharp gaze, her eyes darting.

Because of her guilt, her voice became hurried. "If I had found it, I would have already taken it to the Warren family to show your mother and get her approval for our marriage. But what good does hiding it do me now? In the end, you still don't trust me." Alex scoffed coldly, a low, disbelieving sound escaping his nose, but he didn't speak further.

Barry came out and leaned in to whisper in Alex's ear, "She says she doesn't know why Ms. Thompson was chasing her."

Barry added, "However, one of those two young men admitted that Ms. Thompson took the necklace from the girl's neck."

Barry continued, "Should we have Ms. Thompson come in for a confrontation?"

"Let them go. Alex stood up, calmly addressing Haley. "It was my mistake. I'll take you back."

Haley's tense, rigid expression visibly relaxed as she heard his words.

Alex watched as Haley hurriedly called Amelia and her daughter over, giving Barry a silent signal.

In the next moment, Barry injected a sedative into Haley's body.

Alex said, "Make sure she's sent for a medical check-up."

A few minutes later, Alex emerged from the basement.

Barry, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to look at Alex. "Mr. Warren, the girl was obviously lying. Why didn't you bring Ms. Thompson in?"

11.37 AM &&

Alet wearly dosed his eyes, leaching his head back against the seat's headrest

It wasn't just that the girl was lying. Ellie was lying to him too. She had told him she was chasing the girl because she had stolen her wallet. But the truth was, the was also searching for the necklace.

Late at night, on the second floor of Encounter Bar, in a private room. Whitney stared across the table at Alex. "I remember I mentioned this to you

before

Alex's elbows resting on his knees as he leaned slightly forward.

He clenched his is and pressed it against his forehead murmuring in a low voice, "I didn't hear clearly."

At that moment, he knew Elhe bad gone abroad because of him. He had been completely out of it

The worst part was he had been wearing a Eibetooth headset, and Layton had been rambling on endlessly on the phone.

If it weren't for Lacey selling Layon about Ellie, mentioning how Whitney had talked to Ellie about it when they were chatting, he wouldn't have known. He didn't realize font Whitney was also in the loop. Actually, I don't know much Whitney had said I only know that because of that time when she saved someone, Ellie's father lost a leg, and his Imags you infected. He's been relying on medication just to stay alive ever since." Alex couldn't remember bow be made it out of the bar. His mind was consumed by those few words Whitney had said. He felt like a walking corpse, his soul seemingly roped away, leaving only a hollow shell. The moment Alagt in Layon's car, the cold wind rushed in through the partially lowered window, but it couldn't chase away the suffocating weight fut pressed down on him. He just sat there, numbly staring ahead. Noticing Alex's gris expression, Layton awkwardly spoke up. "Alex, right now, Ellie is probably feeling the same way you do. She wants the truth, and you both are just so dose to it But you're both scared" Alex didn't reply. He hit a cipreme, inhaling deeply.

Teen without the necklace! Layson continued, the truth is already out there. It's just that neither of you want to face it. Ellie won't admit it, and you rout ccot

Layton's voice whened "You should talk to Ellie. I'm not worried about you, Alex. I'm worried about whether Ellie will be able to handle it when the frame corn ther

Layson paused "After all her father lost his leg for you, and her family is ruined. She fell in love with you without knowing what she was getting into. It wasdi jest a few days or a couple of years; it was seven whole years. "Hex, not many women get seven years in their lifetime. But what has Ellie gotten from you? Only hurt and humiliation.

If the ever finds out fut in order to save you, the will never be able to have children, I don't know if she'll be able to handle it. It might drive her crazy.

Kex cold so longer bear what Layton was saying. His mind was a blur.

By the time be returned to The Warren Manor in the dead of night, his body was exhausted.

Sending in front of Elle's door, be lingered for what felt like an eternity, but he couldn't bring himself to knock. He even tried to move quietly, not wanting to dimurb the sence

He leaned weakly against the will outside her door, slowly sliding down to sit on the floor, his head hanging low.

Closing his eyes, his mind raced back to that day when Ellie had just returned to Jaslands from Jinerity.

It had been over three years since they last met. He had gone to find her, and he had said, "Ellie, if you help me find her, I'll grant you one wish." 12lie had refused, over and over. She had avoided bir, pushed him away, and he had confronted Aaron, pressuring her to submit, waiting for her That one night, she stood in the pouring rain outside the hotel, right next to his car, holding an umbrella. She cried and apologized to hirn, saying, Im worry I was wrong, I won't do it again..."

22

11:37 AM

She had cried so helplessly, so painfully. She must have still liked him back then.

Alex pressed his hand to his chest, gasping for breath, as if the very air had been knocked out of him.

A feeling of suffocation washed over him, and he felt like he was falling, plummeting into an endless abyss.