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.
