Chapter is closed. If there's an ounce of decency left in you, you'll stay out of her life. She has no need for you!"
The harsh words unfolded before Alexander like a vivid film, each syllable morphing into the image of Ava's weary, pallid face.
He saw her soaked in the rain, fainting, feverish, weeping.
He was oblivious to the extent of Ava's suffering. Had he known, he would never have acted so rashly, so cruelly. He wouldn't have dragged her away in a fit of anger that fateful night. He wouldn't have brandished divorce as a weapon to force her to return home with him. Despite witnessing her tears, he had disregarded her feelings, driven by his own jealousy and ego.
As much as he resisted acknowledging William's accusations, Alexander knew deep down that he was the villain of the piece. What had this marriage truly brought Ava? He dared not ponder too deeply. The more he did, the more his heart shattered.
Felix wiped the cold sweat off his forehead again. He thought to himself, "If that's the case, Mr. Mitchell does seem very bad and deserves to be scolded." Alexander's heart kept throbbing, with no sign of stopping. His gaze was heavy with remorse.
Silently, he turned and began to walk towards the door. After a few steps, he paused, then spun around with a smirk. "William, I may be a scoundrel, but you, you're pitiful," he sneered.
His laughter echoed hollowly around the room, a sad caricature of mirth. He could see William's feelings for Ava as clearly as his own reflection. Yet, while he would always be the scoundrel, William might not always remain so cold.
Once Alexander had departed, William took a deep, steadying breath and returned to the private room. He found Victoria in conversation with Elinor.
"William, you're back," Victoria greeted him, her eyes darting behind him in search of Ava. "Where is she?"
With others present, William kept his emotions in check. "She had some matters to attend to and left early," he replied.
"Left? What do we do now?" Victoria was taken aback by Ava's sudden departure.
William ignored her question, instead approaching Elinor who rose to her feet, a flicker of fear in her eyes. "I apologize for dragging you into this," he said. "Victoria will see you home. Let's pretend today never happened."
Elinor nodded, her confusion evident. "Alright."
"William, what exactly happened?" Victoria probed, concern etching lines on her face. "What did you say to Ava? Why did she leave so abruptly?"
"That's none of your business," William retorted. "Take Ms. Fairfax home. I'm leaving."
"But William, won't you eat something before you go? The food's just arrived and I haven't eaten all day," Victoria protested, her stomach rumbling in agreement.
"I'm not hungry. You all enjoy," William replied curtly and left, leaving Victoria and Elinor in a cloud of confusion.
"Did he have a fight with Ava?" Victoria mused aloud.
"Ms. Bennett, does your brother have feelings for Ms. Anderson?" Elinor asked, breaking the silence.
Victoria's eyes widened. "Oh, you figured it out?"
Elinor smiled and said, "Isn't it obvious?"
"Yeah, I noticed it pretty quickly too," Victoria admitted. "But it seems like Ms. Anderson..."
"What does it seem like?" Victoria asked. "Did you notice something?"
Elinor awkwardly chuckled and said, "I was just talking nonsense. We've only just met, so I shouldn't say anything."
Victoria sighed. "It's really tough."
"But your brother is really good-looking," Elinor confessed, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I can't help it, I'm naturally attracted to handsome men."
Victoria teased, "Tsk tsk tsk, you like my brother."
"No, I just think he's handsome. It's normal for girls to like looking at handsome guys," Elinor honestly replied.
"Yeah, my brother is indeed handsome. Not just handsome, but also passionate about love. I think you don't stand a chance," Victoria said, convinced of William's deep affection for Ava.
Elinor felt a pang in her heart. It was a small, sharp pain.
<Chapter>Chapter 375 Mending a Delicate Heart
