Alice kicked the slippers away. "Give me my phone."


    Luke swallowed the bitter truth and changed the subject.“What do you want to eat? Are you feeling unwell?”


    Alice felt her words were hitting a wall. She looked at Luke, "Why can''t you understand me? They imed topensate her, but it wasn''t what she wanted.


    Luke pleaded, "Alice, I know you''re angry with Caleb. He has a bad temper. But don''t hold grudge. When you were bullied, he always avenged you. Remember?” He didn''t want Alice to misunderstand Caleb..


    Alice scoffed."Avenged me? He had a bad temper and couldn''t get along with ssmates. They Couldn''t beat him, so they bullied me.” She remembered the endless bullying Caleb supposedly


    avenged her, but those kids targeted her because of him. She''d still loved him, even though she was bullied, because he always fought back. After Chloe arrived, her situation worsened. Luke''sposure faltered.“I didn''t know."


    Alice''s eyes fell. Her older brothers were busy, her fifth brother was reclusive, and Luke and Caleb were inseparable. She''d followed them. She''d known she''d be bullied after Caleb fought back, but she''d epted it because it made her feel important.


    Luke said cautiously, I''ve spoken to Caleb. He won''t do it again."


    Alice sneered. "Your actions are no different from his.”


    “Alice, I''m worried about long-term effects. Let a doctor examine you, then leave. Have dinne with me?”


    "No." Alice knocked Luke unconscious. She helped him back onto the bed. He seemed much thinner, almost skeletal. She took back her phone. Jack had called several times. She put on her shoes and tried to leave, only to find more bodyguards.


    She gritted her teeth and walked towards them, but they surrounded her."Ms. Alice, you can''t leave." "Then move."


    "Sorry, Ms. Alice." She was trapped.


    The secretary arrived with a food container, telling the guards to leave. "Who told


    her?"


    Alice impatiently said, Let me go."


    you to touch


    "I wish I could, but I can''t," the secretary sighed. "Mr. Caleb was too much. You can leave when the boss


    wakes up... Boss? What''s wrong? Luke was unresponsive. The secretary panicked.


    "Ms. Alice, call a doctor! He''s very sick!"


    Alice


    coughed. "No need.. I knocked him OUL He wouldn''t let


    The secretary was relieved. The boss didn''t want you to leave. He wanted you to stay longer."


    They never asked if I wanted to stay," Alice said.


    leave."


    The secretary sighed, "I know. I tried to reason with the boss, but he wouldn''t listen. Now it''s toote."


    2


    Alice was frustrand Lake woke up saving Nice on the water pollut Alice said coldly, Tm leaving,"


    “Okay. Eat something. I''ll send you hromance"


    I don''t have an appetite. I wine to go ho


    Lake was sad. He knew she''d he him. The secretary urged, Brom Me Call''s


    Ms. Alice go Forcing her to stay will backfire"


    Luke nodded. ''Alice, I''ll take you home"


    "No need."


    You can''t leave without me You know Caleb''s semper


    Alice reluctantly agreed. It felt wrong


    The bodyguards didn''t stop them. The secretary drove her home. Since Cal her ber adden there was no point in hiding


    Luke tried to talk to her, but Alice stared out the window. Luke sighed. He remembered ber chatter, her stories. He wondered how their sibling rtionship had fallen apar At the apartmentplex, Luke said, Alice, I keep Chloe away from you “Was Chloe the only one hurting me? Alice sarcastically looked at Luke, then got our of the car She saw a familiar figure."Jack?


    Jack, putting away his phone, rushed to her, worried. “Why didn''t you answer my calls or “Something came up. She hadn''t expected Caleb to force her to the hospinal Jack looked at her, sensing she wasn''t being entirely truthful


    Luke got out of the car. The two men red at each other.


    Alice said coldly to Luke, "You can go."


    "Alice, I was blind. I made mistakes."


    Jack said sarcastically, Empty words. That adopted daughter is still livingfortably, isn''t se They destroyed the security footage. Brother didn''t believe me Luke said "I can''t dismiss Chloe. Her father saved Mom and Dad, and you," Luke said, feeling conficted


    Jack said coldly, "Are you so sure that driver saved Alice?"