Hiding Behind Her Superficiality by Kyla Olson

Chapter 359

Chapter 359

Chapter 359 Leaving the Villa

Elspeth knew that she wasn’t supposed to enter someone else’s room, but when she saw her medical report on Arthur’s table, she was mad at him for invading her privacy. “Why do you have my medical report?”

Arthur calmed himself down and curled up his lips. “What’s wrong? I’m just concerned about you.”

“I don’t need your concern. You’re invading my privacy like a pervert.”

Arthur frowned. Although he had been patient with her, he couldn’t accept what she had just said.

“So? What are you trying to say?”

“What I’m saying is I don’t want you to be concerned with my health conditions anymore.”

Upon finishing her words, she picked up the medical report and tore it apart.

Arthur didn’t utter a word while watching her action. A moment later, he asked impassively, “Are you able to treat your illness, then?”

Elspeth flared up. “It has nothing to do with you.”

“What are you talking about? You’re my fiancée. If anything happens to you, who is going to marry me?”

Elspeth glowered at him. “I only agreed to get engaged to you, but I didn’t say I was going to marry you.”

That’s some clever sophistry…

A helpless Arthur pressed his hand against his forehead and chuckled. “Alright. Why don’t we have a deal? If I’m able to cure your illness, you’ll marry me.”

It was already against Elspeth’s will to get engaged with him. If she was forced to marry him, she would spend the rest of her life in misery.

“There’s no way I’ll marry you.”

“Nothing is impossible. You were forced to be with me because of your mother’s illness.” Arthur slightly bent his back and smiled playfully. “Why aren’t you willing to do the same now? Are you playing hard to get?”

Elspeth felt humiliated by his words.

“Just remember that you must not go back on your word.”

She didn’t want to argue with him, so she shot him a glare and turned around to leave.

The instant she left the room, she saw Isabel standing outside with a tray in her hands.

Something seemed off about Isabel’s expression, as though she was nervous and uneasy.

Although Elspeth was in a terrible mood, she still asked caringly, “What happened to you, Isabel?”

“I’m fine. I accidentally scalded my hand when I was preparing medicine earlier.”

Isabel came up with an excuse immediately.

Elspeth took a look at her right hand and realized that the woman was indeed injured.

“Be careful next time. I’ll get you some ointment later. Just apply it on your wound several times a day.”

Isabel put on a sweet smile. “Thanks, Elspeth.”

While Elspeth returned to her room, Isabel could never set her mind at ease.

What did I just hear? Elspeth was forced to get together with Dr. Winthrop! She has been suppressing her emotions for such a long time so that Miss Joneson would get her treatment. Furthermore, she has to stay with someone she doesn’t love.

At the thought of this, Isabel could no longer hold her sorrow in.

She had no idea who she could talk to. If Miss Joneson finds out about it, she’ll be devastated.

A moment later, she shuffled toward Helena’s room with the medicine.

When she knocked on the door and entered the room, she saw Helena smiling while reading a magazine. It seemed that Helena was in a good mood.

“Miss Joneson, I’ve brought you the medicine you have to take in the evening.” Isabel put down the tray on the table with an anxious expression.

When Helena registered her uneasiness, she asked, “What’s wrong? Did anything happen?”

Faced with the question, Isabel stuttered, “N-No. I just…”

“You don’t know how to lie. I know that whenever you lie, you’ll start stammering. Now, tell me what happened.”

Helena had a premonition all of a sudden.

When Isabel realized that she could no longer hide it from Helena, she decided to tell her everything.

“When I was passing by Dr. Winthrop’s room earlier, I overheard his conversation with Elspeth.”

Isabel clenched her fists with anxiety.

“What did they say?”

“Elspeth was saying that she was forced to get together with Dr. Winthrop because she wanted to get your illness treated…”

The smile on Helena’s face disappeared the moment she heard that.

“Did you just say that Elspeth was forced to stay with Arthur because of my illness?”

Helena couldn’t accept this truth.

If what Isabel said was true, Elspeth had been hiding this secret very well.

Everyone thought that they were just a couple who loved bickering with each other. Truth was, Helena didn’t realize that her daughter didn’t willingly get together with Arthur the entire time.

Elspeth was separated from her mother at a young age. As such, she had never enjoyed any motherly love over the years. However, she was still willing to do so much for Helena without telling her anything.

Helena’s eyes welled up with tears as she felt extremely guilty.

“Isabel, do you think I’m a terrible person?”

Isabel shook her head, struggling to hold her tears back. “It’s not your fault. You knew nothing. If you had known it, you wouldn’t have…”

Her words made Helena realize what she was supposed to do as her eyes brightened.

“Thanks, Isabel. I know what to do now.”

Isabel looked at her face and asked doubtfully, “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to leave this place with you, but you mustn’t tell anyone about it. Can you do it?”

Isabel immediately turned her down.

“Miss Joneson, you’re at the most critical period of your treatment. If you leave Dr. Winthrop now, no one will be able to save you. You’ll probably…”

Although she didn’t finish her words, Helena understood her.

“That doesn’t matter. As long as both of us won’t hold Elspeth back any longer, that’s enough.”

Helena put on a smile. She was unwilling to leave her daughter either. “Isabel, I know you’re worried about my health conditions, but try to look at this matter from my perspective. My daughter has been threatened by someone else, but she still has to pretend everything is fine. As her mother, I’m heartbroken.”

Isabel knew how devastated the older woman must be. Left with no choice, she could only respect her decision. She owed Elspeth a favor, so she didn’t want to keep troubling her either.

“When are we leaving, then?”

Helena pressed her lips together. “Tonight. We should leave as quickly as possible.”

Isabel asked, “Before we leave, should we take one last look at Elspeth?”

Helena initially wanted to do it, but she decided to give up on that idea.

Elspeth was an intelligent person, so she might see through Helena’s mind. Rather than troubling her any further, Helena decided to leave as soon as possible.

“No, we’re not going to see her.”

She was proud of her daughter, and she believed that the latter would understand her decision.

As darkness descended, the entire place fell silent.

Although Elspeth was exhausted, she was unable to fall asleep.

Something seemed to be lacking in her heart that could never be filled up.

She thought that she was only too concerned about Callum, which was why she was fidgety. As such, she decided to take a sleeping pill.

As sleepiness swept over her, she finally dozed off, unaware that two people had furtively left the villa.