Chapter 3

Instead of helping me up like I expected, Lionel just stood over me and looked down with a cold expression.

"Isn't this just an act with Sophie? How did you end up like this? You really went all out, dragging Henry into it too, just to trick Elliot into coming home."

His tone dripped with disdain. To him, I was nothing but a liar playing along with Sophie's schemes.

"Lionel, I'm not acting! Sophie's trapped at home! There are intruders in the house. Please, take your bodyguards and save her!"

He glanced at the wound on my knees with a hint of amusement, then shook his head helplessly. "If Elliot hadn't warned me first, I might've actually believed you. But he already told me you and Sophie made up this nonsense about intruders breaking into the house because you're jealous he took Ava camping."

My chest burned with fury. "Don't listen to him, Lionel! This is real! They came for revenge! They were hired by the man Elliot offended not long ago when he landed that big deal!"

I pulled up my call log and shoved my phone at Lionel. "I'm not lying. I even called the cops. I was just afraid they wouldn't get here in time. I'm really worried about Sophie. Please, I'm begging you. Help her!"

Lionel didn't believe me. He even scoffed impatiently. "Filing a false police report can land you in jail. Sophie's jealousy has really crossed the line. I know you two are close, but how could you go along with something like this?"

"Lionel! We're not lying! I'm telling the truth!" I screamed hysterically, tears spilling down my face.

But my desperation still didn't sway him. He shot me a look full of disdain, then turned and walked away.

I grabbed his arm with everything I had. "Lionel, please. Sophie's pregnant. Just do me this one favor. Go check on her. If you don't, she's going to die!"

He looked down at me, his expression cold. "Gracie, Elliot told me not to get involved in your family matters."

His words pierced straight through me.

Before Ava showed up, Lionel had been my childhood sweetheart. We had only been a step away from getting engaged.

But once Ava entered the picture, both Elliot and Lionel changed. Lionel grew distant, and Elliot came home less and less, and later every time.

They both showed Ava special treatment, and it led them to do all sorts of foolish things.

Lionel even forced a female employee at the company to change her name just because she also happened to be called Ava.

Elliot was worse. When Ava complained that a client had looked at her the wrong way, he ruined the man's entire company. He deliberately drove prices into the ground, even at a loss, just to crush him into bankruptcy.

And because of that, the man he destroyed had come looking for revenge.

Desperate, I held Henry in my arms and pleaded again. "Lionel, I'm begging you. Just go take a look. I swear I'll never bother you again after that."

He froze at my words.

All these years, my greatest dream had been to marry him. Even after Ava came between us and we drifted apart, I never once gave up on loving him. And yet today, I actually told him I would never bother him again.

He knew I would never make light of our relationship.

Even the maid standing nearby couldn't stand to watch any longer. "Mr. Flynn, maybe you should go. Ms. Quinn would never make up something like this."

Lionel hesitated. I took the chance to smash my head fiercely against the bluestone slab. "Please, Lionel. Save Sophie. I'm begging you."

At last, compassion flickered in his eyes. "Fine. I'll go. But let me make one thing clear. If I find out this was all an act, you and Sophie will pay for it."