Chapter 906 Would I Harm You
Evelyn walked into the brightly lit mansion. Donovan and Ruby were still standing at the door, and Ruby's cheek was already swollen, making her look particularly pitiful.
Donovan looked at her, his brow furrowed, his tone harsh and ungrateful. "Why'd you step in and take the hit?"
Ruby saw his impatience, and her heart tightened. She whispered, "I just reacted."
"You think taking a hit for me will make me grateful? This slap doesn't erase all the things you've done in the past." Donovan's attitude was nasty, as if he wanted to nail Ruby to a pillar of shame forever.
Ruby's face turned pale, her lips trembled slightly, and her cheek felt like it had been slapped hard.
"I wasn't trying to erase anything, I just..."
"Donovan, you're being too much!" Phoebe had thought that since Ruby came back with kiss marks earlier, the two of them must have reconciled.
Seeing Donovan's attitude towards Ruby now, she realized he hadn't forgiven Ruby at all. Seeing the once arrogant Ruby acting like a servant in front of Donovan, she couldn't help but speak up for her.
Ruby turned and saw Phoebe approaching, followed by Theodore, Hubert, Boris, Noomi, and Ethan. The four kids were all staring at her.
Thinking about how everyone had heard Donovan's words just now, she lowered her head in embarrassment, her eyes misting over.
"Phoebe, it's okay. I wronged Donovan. I have no complaints about how he treats me. Donovan, Mom is waiting for you," Ruby reminded him.
Donovan pursed his lips and stormed off.
Phoebe glared at his back, thinking how Donovan had become so mean. She turned and gave Theodore a look, signaling him to take the kids inside.
Theodore understood and said to the kids, "Let's go inside and check out Donovan's big house."
Once Theodore and the kids were gone, Phoebe grabbed Ruby's hand and pulled her down. Half of Ruby's face was swollen like a pig's.
Phoebe exclaimed, "Mom didn't hold back at all with that slap. And you, why did you protect Donovan? He deserves a beating. He's tough; one slap won't kill him..."
"Phoebe, stop saying that." Ruby covered her burning cheek, glaring at Phoebe disapprovingly.
Phoebe was taken aback, then laughed, "Alright, alright, I won't mention it. I think you're a masochist."
Ruby turned her head away in embarrassment and looked towards the mansion. "Let's go inside. I don't know how angry Mom is."
Phoebe thought for a moment and then grabbed Ruby's hand. "We're not going in. Let's go back and get an ice pack for your face first."
Ruby stared at her blankly. "What?"
"If you and Donovan had reconciled, going in now would show you're sharing his burden. But with his current attitude, going in would just be watching him suffer. Come on, don't worry about him. Mom loves him; she won't hurt him too badly." Phoebe pulled her away.
Given Donovan's current stubbornness, he definitely wouldn't want Ruby to see him in a vulnerable state.
Ruby looked back at the mansion, but the curtains were drawn, and she couldn't see anything. She felt uneasy. "Phoebe, are you sure we shouldn't go in?"
"No, let's go, let's go." Phoebe dragged her away.
Inside the mansion, Evelyn sat on a single sofa, her expression stern. When Donovan walked in, she snapped, "Kneel!"
Donovan forced a smile. "Mom, it's the 21st century. Who kneels anymore?"
Evelyn glared at him, her teeth clenched. "If you still want to call me Mom, I don't care what century it is. When I say kneel, you kneel!"
Donovan clenched his fists. It wasn't that he couldn't kneel, but thinking about Ruby and Phoebe coming in later, he didn't want to lose all his dignity.
Donovan valued his dignity highly now!
With a thud, he knelt straight down, looking up at Evelyn. "Mom, I had my reasons back then. I'm sorry for worrying you. It was unfilial of me."
Evelyn glared at him. "You did more than worry me. Do you know how much pain you caused me? Donovan, I raised you, and this is how you repay me?"
Thinking of those dark days, Evelyn's heart ached. He was one of the two greatest despairs of her life.
"Mom!" Donovan lowered his head, full of guilt. "I'm sorry. I had no other choice. Rather than have you and Phoebe worry day and night, I thought it better to disappear for a while."
Evelyn said, "Let's not talk about the past. Since you're back and living in such a big mansion, you must be successful. Why did everyone know you were alive except me? Do you think I would harm you?"
Her voice choked on the last sentence.
Not being trusted by Donovan hurt her deeply.
Donovan pursed his lips. "Mom, do you know who my target for revenge is? It's Edward. If you knew I was going after the Vanderbilt family, would you support me?"
Evelyn stood up abruptly, staring at him in disbelief. "What nonsense are you talking about? The Vanderbilt family has been good to us. If they hadn't taken us in back then, we wouldn't be where we are today."
Evelyn worked for the Vanderbilt family, and Delilah treated her like family, not a servant.
Over the years, without the Vanderbilt family's support, she couldn't have raised her two children. To her, the Vanderbilt family was a mountain of grace.
So when Delilah hinted that Phoebe and Edward were not a good match, she went to Theodore when she found out Phoebe was pregnant with his child, asking him to take responsibility.
She thought Theodore wouldn't marry Phoebe, being the heir to a big family. It was common to keep the child and pay off the mother.
But Theodore's reaction surprised her. After she explained her purpose, he immediately agreed to marry Phoebe.
Over the years, she always remembered how Theodore treated Phoebe, recalling his unwavering promise to marry her.
Donovan looked up at her, his deep eyes filled with disappointment. "See, compared to the grievances I've suffered, you only remember the Vanderbilt family's kindness."
"Donovan!" Evelyn's voice grew sharp. "You must repay kindness. No matter what Edward did, you can't take revenge on the entire Vanderbilt family. Mrs. Vanderbilt and the others did nothing wrong to you."
Donovan turned his head away, his chest heaving. After a long pause, he let out a cold laugh. "We can't see eye to eye. This is why I stayed away even though I was alive."
"You!"
Theodore, who had been listening with the kids, knew it wasn't the right time to go in. He quietly led them away.
At the door, seeing Phoebe and Ruby gone, he realized he had been used as a pawn.
Phoebe took Ruby home and asked Pamela to bring an ice pack, wrapping it in a towel and placing it on Ruby's face. Ruby shivered from the cold.
"Bear with it. If you don't ice it, your face will be even more swollen tomorrow."