Chapter 34 It was Clearly a Warning

After drawing Eleanor's blood this morning, Ashton couldn't contain the questions that swirled in his head any longer. By afternoon, he drove to Aaron's private manor, unable to hold it in.

Upon entering, he saw Aaron sitting on the couch, smoking, his whole demeanor chilling like a layer of frost.

"What's the matter?"

"Got kicked by a mule," Aaron flicked ash without so much as a glance up.

"A mule? You've started keeping mules here?" Ashton was utterly bemused.

What's with these odd incidents, getting scratched by a cat one day, kicked by a donkey the next?

It took about three seconds before Ashton had his lightbulb moment and ventured a bold guess, "You're talking about Eleanor?"

Aaron remained silent.

Ashton loved gossip and couldn’t wait to know what had happened to Aaron and Eleanor. Wesley had stopped responding to him, daring not to pick up his calls, only sending a message saying he was deeply disappointed, accusing him of betrayal.
If he didn't get some information today, he was sure he wouldn't last the night, suffocating from the sheer frustration.

"When did you and Eleanor start seeing each other?"

"It wasn't just last night, was it?"

"Does the head of the family know? She's your cousin, for heaven's sake. Would he approve?"

"No, that doesn't add up. You're engaged, planning to keep Eleanor as your secret love?"

"But from what I see, she seems quite repelled by you. Her personality doesn't strike me as someone who'd agree to be a mistress."

Aaron frowned with impatience flickering across his face, "Pick one question."

Ashton took a deep breath – this was too rare an opportunity. He mentally weighed which question was the most beneficial to ask.

"Do you like Eleanor?"

"I refuse to answer."

Ashton glared, "Going back on your word?"

Aaron stood up, straightening his rolled-up sleeves, "I said you could ask. I didn't say I would answer."

Ashton was speechless...

Watching the man ascend the staircase, a rush of anger nearly choked him breathless.

Aaron paused on the steps.

The sunlight streaming through the frosted window cast a blinding glow that softened the sharp lines of his features. He said something in a low voice.

"What?" Ashton didn't catch it.

Aaron flicked the ash from his cigarette, his expression as indifferent as ever.

"Never mind."

...

Eleanor hung up from Niro and immediately tried calling Victoria, only to hear a message that she was out of the service area.

Niro had realized only at noon today that Victoria hadn't come home, waited through the afternoon, and got the same out-of-service response when she called her.

Victoria had gone to a ladies' gathering last night. She always made an entrance and never drove herself. The Quinn family had provided her with a driver. However, the driver called in sick yesterday, and she drove herself – otherwise, she would have been missed when she didn't come home last night.

"Blake, could you give me a lift to the residential area?"

It was an elite private clubhouse where last night's ladies' gathering had been held. It was quite a distance from Aaron's private manor, and it took an hour and a half to get there.

The clubhouse operated on a membership basis. Eleanor didn't have a pass, but the manager recognized Blake – actually thinking he was Wesley, as the twins looked too alike for him to distinguish.

He greeted Eleanor with utmost deference, "I was informed that Miss Patterson is here to see someone?"
"Quinn family—what time did the ladies leave last night?" she inquired as soon as the door opened.

The manager let out a breathy sigh. "I'm not sure. They had a gathering in the east wing, organized by Camila Thompson. She requested privacy, so we kept our distance."

Camila.

"Jonah Thompson's wife?" she asked.

The manager nodded, "Yeah, that's right. Oh, and before she left, Camila mentioned coming back tonight and told us not to touch anything."

A feeling of foreboding washed over Eleanor. The Camila the manager was referring to was Vincent's mother.

"Can I take a look at the exit surveillance footage?" she requested.

The manager glanced nervously at Blake, who stood nearby with a stern and aloof demeanor. Obliged to comply, he led the way to the security room and pulled up the footage of the main entrance.

The private clubhouse had been booked last night exclusively for the gathering, so there weren't many people around.

Eleanor watched Victoria walk in. She dragged the timeline back as one by one, the ladies left. Eventually, Vincent appeared in the doorway, followed by Camila. And then, no one else.

She played the footage right up until just before her arrival. Victoria hadn't reappeared.

"My mom must still be in the clubhouse!" Panic set in for Eleanor. Her mother hadn't left the building, yet there was no word from her. Something had to be wrong.

The manager pointed in a certain direction. "Last night, they were in..."

Before he could finish, Eleanor was already sprinting off, with Blake quickly catching up to her.

"Mom!" Eleanor called out loudly.

But there was no response.

She pulled out her phone, her palms slick with sweat, nearly slipping from her grip. How could someone just lose contact all of a sudden?

Dialing Victoria’s number again led to no signal. She turned to borrow Blake's phone, which also had no service.

"It's strange, I have no signal either," said the manager as he pulled out his own phone.

"The signal's being jammed," Eleanor observed, scanning her surroundings. No wonder Victoria's phone had been out of the service area.

Blake narrowed his eyes and strode towards the rockery. Sure enough, he found the signal jammer and switched it off.

The manager's face turned pale. "How can this be here? Miss Patterson, I swear I didn't know about this."

Eleanor immediately redialed Victoria's number. A melodious piano tune that Victoria was fond of filled the air—the sound of her ringing cell phone.
Her nose tingled, her heart pounding against her chest, and her mind a blank slate, fearing the worst might come into view.

"The sound's coming from inside." Blake zeroed in on the direction of the bathroom.

Eleanor rushed over and twisted the doorknob frantically, but the door was locked. She struggled and twisted the knob until Blake gave the door a forceful kick that sent it flying open.

"Ugh..."

Victoria was trussed up on the floor, her hair wild, eyes brimming with terror and exhaustion, a lemon stuffed in her mouth muffling her cries, her throat emitting hoarse, stifled sobs.

"Mom!"

Eleanor rushed to Victoria, hands trembling as she untied her. Tears fell as she felt her mother's pain. Victoria collapsed into her arms, sobbing until she lost consciousness.

...

In the hospital.

Eleanor sat vigil by the hospital bed. The nurse had just hooked up an IV with glucose for Victoria. After the doctor's examination, it was clear that besides some swelling and congestion in her mouth from the lemon, there were no other physical injuries.

After a while, Victoria stirred back to consciousness.

"It was Camila... she had me tied up, oh..." Victoria broke down, her sobs shaking her body; Eleanor gently stroked her chest to comfort her.

"Mom, just get some rest and sleep. I will make them pay for this!"

"Oh..." Victoria whimpered, "She said she wanted to teach me a lesson, I had no idea what was happening, they are too cruel..."

Eleanor’s mind reeled, her chest tight with anger, clenching her teeth to control the shaking in her body.

Camila, Vincent's mother, had acted on her son's behalf. This wasn't a lesson; it was a stark warning for Victoria to keep her distance from Aaron.