After ending the call, Beatrice got up and started arranging her luggage.

The house was huge. Ironically, there were only a few things that belonged to her.

Long before Liora came into this home, Beatrice and Hendrix, both workaholics, stayed at the company most of the time.

Until Liora arrived, Beatrice felt the company was cold and lifeless and should not be treated as a home.

Hendrix quickly bought this luxurious mansion and moved into it.

Liora wanted to set up a flower display wall, so Hendrix removed the file storage shelf that Beatrice had originally placed there.

Liora wanted an old-style crystal chandelier, so Hendrix paid no attention to Beatrice’s work needs and changed the soft lights inside the house.

Liora could not find a couch that satisfied her, so the couch Beatrice had used since childhood was quietly claimed instead, leaving her unable to get used to it and making her suffer from insomnia every night…

When Beatrice went to question Hendrix, he placed an arm around her shoulders and sighed.

“Beatrice, if you hadn’t stolen the life that should have belonged to Liora, how could she have gone through so much pain?”

“This is only a little compensation for everything she lost.”

“You’ve always been kind. You can understand, can’t you?”

As Beatrice thought about those memories, she smiled at herself mockingly, and her hands moved more quickly.

After she was sent to the partner’s house, Liora cleared out all of Beatrice’s things and took over her bedroom. At that moment, it helped her a lot.

Only after Beatrice had sorted out most of the items and still had no time to rest, did she hear footsteps from the doorway.

Hendrix came back with Liora.

After Liora leaked confidential company information, Hendrix not only refused to blame her but even officially brought her into the company to learn.

Because Beatrice took the blame for Liora’s leak, her original position was removed, and today, her work was officially handed over to Liora.

The moment Liora saw her, panic flashed across her face.

“Sorry, Sister. I took your position at the company. You’re not angry, right?”

Hendrix gently tapped her nose and comforted her lovingly.

“If you hadn’t been switched by mistake, this position should have been yours from the beginning, according to the family arrangement. How can this be called stealing? Beatrice, don’t you agree?”

He shot her a look, signaling for Beatrice to follow his words and continue.

Beatrice smiled. “If everyone found out that the person sitting in that position was the one who truly leaked the company’s confidential information, what do you think would happen to you?”

Liora’s face froze, slowly turning pale as she looked at Hendrix with lingering fear.

The smile on Hendrix’s face disappeared, replaced by clear anger.

“Beatrice, stop scaring her! That matter is already over. There’s no need to bring up the past again! As long as I’m here, no one will hurt her!”

Yes, Liora would never be harmed because Beatrice had already taken the blame for her.

Beatrice did not speak about it anymore. After a long silence, she turned to look at Hendrix.

She tried to think of a reason. Her hand clenched tightly at her side as nervousness filled her heart.

“There’s a batch of old data in our laboratory with some issues. When do you have time to come to the lab with me?”

Once she got there, she intended to take the data with her.

Hendrix paused briefly before saying, “Tomorrow.”

In the next moment, Liora sat on his lap while he gently massaged her calf.

Hearing that, she pulled lightly on his sleeve, her voice carrying a trace of grievance.

“But you promised to take me for a full-body examination tomorrow. That medical expert is especially difficult to arrange...”

Beatrice’s eyes darkened.

It had originally been her scheduled appointment with the doctor. However, after she accepted punishment for Liora and hurt her body, she was not suitable for a medical examination for now. Because of that, Hendrix gave her examination appointment to Liora.

Hendrix called her Liora’s “good sister” and said he wanted Liora to be healthy and safe, but he forgot who had given her those injuries.

“Don’t tell me little sister can’t even attend a physical examination alone? Does she still need Hendrix to take you there?”

Beatrice coldly smiled. She did not want to delay any longer and wanted to retrieve the research data from the laboratory as soon as possible.

Hendrix frowned and scolded her.

“So what if Liora is quiet and needs me beside her? If you had suffered like her while growing up, instead of living as the Elliott family’s oldest daughter, maybe you would be even more fearful than her!”

“Liora, I’ll still stay with you tomorrow!”

Liora nodded with a happy smile. The way she looked at Beatrice showed a bit of pride along with sympathy.

“Then the following day.”

Beatrice went past Liora, though her heart felt slightly bitter.

Back then, when she stayed in the hospital and felt afraid, she wanted Hendrix to stay with her, yet Hendrix always refused because of his work.

He could pay people to watch over her in the hospital and arrange caretakers for her. The people staying beside her were even more than the doctors and nurses, but he never came to stay with her himself.

But if it were the weak Liora, he could push aside all his work.

Hendrix agreed and said he would go with Beatrice to the laboratory the day after tomorrow.

Only after that did Beatrice head back to her room.

There were still six days left before the divorce became official. As long as she got the data in those six days, she could leave.

The following day, Beatrice went to the laboratory by herself.

The heavy door separated her from the research work she had spent half her life on.

She still remembered that after she married Hendrix, everyone believed that as the Elliott family’s daughter, after the marriage arrangement, she only needed to look after Hendrix well.

Even her parents believed that this was her only duty, to properly become a good Mrs. Hawkins.

But Hendrix respected the path she chose.

She wanted to keep doing medical research, so Hendrix built a laboratory for her.

No matter what high-level equipment she wanted, Hendrix used his connections to get it for her.

Other people mocked her and said she did not deserve those advanced instruments, but Hendrix said, “My wife, what does she not deserve?”

Because of that, more people believed that Hendrix cared deeply for his wife.

Later, after the real daughter Liora returned, Hendrix slowly started treating her more specially.

Liora said laboratory work was dangerous and did not like that Beatrice brought risky materials back home.

After that, Hendrix quietly stopped all the research projects that had originally been done there.

She pleaded with Hendrix. That was the most important part of her work life, but Hendrix still did not agree to let her continue the research.

“Liora is living with us now. What if your experiments hurt her?”

“I can’t let any danger stay around me. Besides, I was the one who gave you this laboratory, so I can also take it away whenever I want.”

Leaving this place now also became part of Beatrice’s dream to continue her career and escape from these limits.

While she was lost in her thoughts, the sound of organized footsteps suddenly came from the entrance.

“Ma’am, sir wants to meet you. Please come back right away!”

What happened? Why did so many bodyguards suddenly come here together?

Beatrice became slightly nervous. She thought her choice had been found out, and she instinctively felt worried and wanted to refuse.

“I’m not going back now!”

The bodyguards she turned down looked at one another before walking toward her.

“Please forgive us, Ma’am.”

They held her arms and shoulders and forcefully placed her inside the nanny car.

Beatrice bit her lips and looked coldly at them as she warned them strictly.

“No matter what, I’m still the Elliott family’s daughter and your young miss. Aren’t you afraid the family will punish you for treating me this way?”

One of the bodyguards answered coldly.

“This is Sir’s command. No matter what happens, we have to bring you back! Even if you are the Elliott family’s young lady, now that the real daughter has returned, you are only an adopted daughter.”

Inside the car, Beatrice’s hands were already free. She held back her shaking and lifted her hand to hit the bodyguard.

“Even then, it’s still not your place to speak! You should remember who you are!”

The man covered his face and lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

Beatrice did not feel any better. Her heart hurt heavily and felt numb, as if many needles were stabbing into it.

She was brought back home.

Inside the living room, Hendrix was smoking.

The room was covered in smoke, and the ashtray was full of cigarette butts and ash. Beatrice could not stop herself from coughing.

She was very sensitive to cigarette smoke. In the past, Hendrix tried his best to control his smoking so she would not feel uncomfortable. Now, he did not try to hide it anymore.

Beatrice noticed his anger, but she did not know why he was upset.

Hendrix stared at Beatrice, his questioning voice dark and cold.

“So you still know how to come back?”

“Do you know what you’ve done yourself?”

Beatrice felt completely lost, though she slowly realized it might have something to do with Liora.

Watching her look innocent, the anger in Hendrix’s eyes grew stronger.

“Just because I arranged for your doctor to examine Liora, you let your doctor hurt her?”

“Do you know he touched Liora inappropriately?!”

Beatrice opened her eyes wide. The shock made her unable to respond, and she kept shaking her head again and again.

“That’s not possible!”

This doctor had a strong reputation both in the country and abroad. She had invited him all these years. There must be some misunderstanding here!

Just then, Liora appeared near the staircase.

She wore Hendrix’s white shirt. Under the oversized shirt, several pale purple marks could be seen.

Her soft face was full of fear and panic.

“Sister, I-I really won’t fight with you over anything anymore, alright? Please don’t arrange a doctor like this again!”

Liora looked at Beatrice sadly and helplessly.

Hendrix had already gotten up from the couch. He walked toward Liora near the stairs.

His fingers brushed her hair away, showing the red handprint on her face.

Liora leaned into Hendrix’s arms and cried.

“The doctor who mistreated me even laughed at me for coming from the countryside. He said someone ordered him to treat me this way. As long as he did this to me, Mr. Hawkins would stop liking me and wouldn’t keep me beside him anymore.”

“Sister, after I returned, you’ve always cared for me well. I know you wouldn’t ask him to hurt me.”

When Hendrix heard this, the coldness in his eyes grew heavier as he looked toward Beatrice nearby.

“Beatrice, maybe you dislike Liora, but don’t forget, if your identities were never swapped, then the woman who married me would have been Liora!”

“What right does a beneficiary like you have to hurt Liora?”

“I gave in again and again, but instead it only let you hurt Liora more deeply!”

Beatrice slowly breathed in. Facing such blame and suspicion without any evidence, she would never admit to it.

“Hendrix, if the doctor truly did those things, then you should call the police first and let the law deal with him instead of blaming me!”

“With your power, you could even shoot him or use countless ways to force him to tell the truth instead of accusing me like this!”

As soon as Liora heard her words, she cried even more painfully.

“Sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have quietly endured everything. Sorry, sister!”

Liora’s tears seemed to make Hendrix lose control. He immediately lifted Liora into his arms, his eyes cold and frightening as he looked at Beatrice.

“I’ll calm Liora down first. After she feels better, I’ll speak with you again!”

After saying that, he carried Liora upstairs.

Beatrice remained standing in the middle of the living room, only feeling a deep coldness.

After resting for a long while, she finally went back to her room.

As she returned to her room and passed by Hendrix’s bedroom, she saw the scene through the small gap in the door.

Hendrix pinned Liora onto the bed, his hand moving under Liora’s shirt as it slowly moved around. Liora’s face was red with excitement.

So this was the comfort Hendrix talked about?

Beatrice forced herself to stay calm while walking past the bedroom door, but her heart still hurt uncontrollably.

Beatrice returned to her room and kept trying to calm herself down.

There were still five days left before the divorce officially became valid. As long as she got her research data within those five days, she could completely leave this place.

After some time had passed, Hendrix finally calmed Liora down and asked the servants to call Beatrice to the study to talk.

Only after Beatrice entered the study did she notice that, at some point, it had become full of signs left behind by Liora.

There were her paintings, the jewelry she wore, along with different snacks and ripped wrappers.

Even menstrual products were left scattered around.

But when Liora was not there, it was not like this.

Hendrix always believed the study was the most important place for discussing work, and nobody was allowed to disturb it. Even Beatrice, as Mrs. Hawkins, was never allowed to touch the study carelessly.

Back then, Beatrice only placed a small doll inside the study because she wanted the room to feel less cold and hoped to warm Hendrix a little, yet Hendrix still warned her about it.

“This is a place for discussing important work. Are we supposed to put childish things here and weaken our image? Beatrice, you really are too immature!”

But when it came to Liora, all of this became acceptable.

Seeing Beatrice standing there in a daze, Hendrix angrily threw a stack of confessions at her.

The papers were scattered everywhere. Beatrice only managed to catch one page.

Written on it was the doctor’s confession.

[Mrs. Hawkins ordered me to teach Miss Liora a lesson. She wanted Miss Liora to leave this house. I truly had no choice. I am powerless and unimportant, so I could only obey Mrs. Hawkins’s orders.]

Beatrice became so angry that her face turned red.

“This is a false accusation! Hendrix, is this the interrogation method you were once so proud of?”

Hendrix tapped the wooden box on the table, signaling for Beatrice to open it.

Beatrice opened the box. Inside was one of the doctor’s cut fingers.

Caught off guard, she became so scared that she screamed.

“No matter what, this finger touched Liora first, so I punished him. This matter ends here!”

After saying that, Hendrix paused and looked at Beatrice again.

“I will not take away your position as Mrs. Hawkins, but I still need to comfort Liora about this matter.”

“If you want to keep your place as Mrs. Hawkins, then from now on, get rid of those cruel thoughts!”

Beatrice no longer even had the energy to defend herself. She forced herself to stay calm.

She wanted to leave this place, to leave completely!

She could hardly wait to get the data from the laboratory.

She held back her fear and tried her best to stop her voice from shaking.

“About going to the laboratory tomorrow...”

Hendrix cut off her words.

“Move it back by another two days. Anyway, even if these research projects lose all profit, or mistakes cause huge compensation, the Hawkins family can still cover the losses for you.”

“Liora’s mood has become very bad. I want to bring her to the auction house so she can relax.”

Beatrice clenched her teeth, not wanting Hendrix to notice anything strange.

Hendrix, who once respected her work, now spoke about her career so casually because of Liora.

“Okay.”

Beatrice did not know how she managed to walk out of the study.

What happened today quickly spread through the servants.

Many people saw Hendrix harshly scold Beatrice just to comfort Liora. Before leaving, he even stayed in the room to act closely with Liora. Because of this, everyone mocked the image Beatrice had worked so hard to protect.

“A fake young lady will always be fake. How can a man like President Hawkins choose a replacement?”

“In the past, she always gave us orders and made us do things for her. Soon, she probably won’t even remain the lady of this house anymore!”

Hendrix did not defend Beatrice, nor did he stop the servants from gossiping.

Instead, Beatrice’s adoptive mother, the madam of the Elliott family, called her.

“Beatrice, if you really cannot keep Mr. Hawkins by your side, then why not give him back to your younger sister?”

“Since your last miscarriage, you still haven’t shown any signs of becoming pregnant again. If you cannot give birth to the oldest son, then even if you continue keeping this title in name only, you still cannot protect the long-term cooperation between the two families.”

Beatrice silently held the phone tighter.

That previous miscarriage was not caused naturally by her body. Liora had done something to the food.

But later, she failed to find evidence and could only let the matter end like that.

Instead, Hendrix accused her of always imagining Liora as a terrible person, saying it reflected the darkness inside her own heart.

“Beatrice, are you listening to me or not? Return Mr. Hawkins to your younger sister!”

Her mother’s voice from the other end of the call still kept stressing those words.

She answered with an “hmm,” and hung up the phone.

From the start until the end, she was only a piece in the marriage arrangement between the two powerful families. Her body and ability to have children were her greatest worth. Sadly, she realized it too late and foolishly believed that she could find real love.

Still, her adoptive mother’s words matched exactly with what she already planned to do. She could finally do it openly, then leave this place!

During these past few days, Hendrix stayed beside Liora to comfort her, while Beatrice packed away the things she no longer wished to keep.

Many expensive luxury bags would become useless to her after she joined the confidential medical project.

Most importantly, Hendrix had given all of them to her. She no longer wanted to look at them.

The servant thought Beatrice was going to be chased out, so they assumed she was nervously selling her valuables to raise money. In private, they laughed at how sad her situation looked.

The matter slowly reached Hendrix.

“What are you doing?”

Beatrice did not bother looking up.

“I only feel I won’t be using them anymore, so I decided to sell them.”

Hendrix was unhappy with how she acted and insisted on fixing her behavior.

Since she was his wife, looking rich and eye-catching also represented his image.

So the auction that was originally for accompanying Liora now had Beatrice attending too.

“This is one of the events for the family. Wear the most luxurious clothes possible.”

He especially reminded her and ordered the butler to bring a gown created by a famous designer.

The gems added to the dress were all real. It looked extremely gorgeous!

The nearby servants who secretly watched all quickly changed their earlier attitude and showed jealous looks.

Beatrice also paused for a moment. Her heart became a little soft.

Did Hendrix hear the gossip from the servants, so he purposely came to help her?

“Okay, I’ll wear it and attend.”