Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 504

Chapter 504: Not even normal
“How dare you..” Penelope stepped forward. Her hands twitched as if she wished to wrap her fingers around Ariana’s throat.

However, just as she stepped towards Ariana, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them and the two women turned to look at the man who was walking over to where the two of them were standing.

“Emil, she–”

Penelope wanted to tell Emil that Ariana had insulted her deeply but as soon as she turned to look at Emil, the latter walked past her without even looking at her. He came to a stop next to Ariana before saying to her in a soft voice, “Why did you come outside? You should have slept a bit more.”

“I am feeling a bit cooped up,” Ariana replied awkwardly. She was not used to anyone taking care of her. Even when she was a child, she was left alone to fend for herself. It didn’t matter whether she was sick or injured, Mrs Harlow had never cared for her.

With the Ashford family treating her like a doll placed in a glass case, she did not know what to say or how to react.

She wasn’t the only one who had no idea what to do in the current situation; Penelope was in a situation far worse than hers. She stared at Emil, who was acting concerned towards Ariana, and her expression twisted to the point that her lips raised to the side of her nose.

She stepped forward and caught hold of Emil’s hand.

“What are you doing, Emi?” Penelope asked with a frown on her face.

Emil looked down at his hand, which was clutched by Penelope; he shrugged off her grip before turning to look at her. He questioned in a cold voice, “What do you think I am doing?”

Hearing his response, Penelope’s mood soured even more. She said to him, “Why are you acting like this? I just called you..why did you not respond to me? Do you know what she said to me just now?”

Ariana helplessly looked at the woman who was still unwilling to let her off. She sighed and began, “I simply…”

“You don’t need to explain yourself,” Emil patted Ariana’s hand. “I have grown up with her, and I know that she has a habit of creating scenarios that do not exist.”

“Emil, how can you–”

“Have you forgotten, Penny?” Emil turned to look at the woman whom he had once treated as his little sister. “You once told me that you were having a seizure? Turns out that you were only joking with me because you made a bet with someone that cost me my championship.”

Emil would never forget the day when he returned home after Penny told him that she was feeling sick. Back then, he truly cared for her, but when he saw her laughing at him while calling him a fool, Emil no longer trusted and cared for her as he had in the past.

In her eyes, it was nothing but a joke but he lost a chance that was never going to return.

When Penelope heard his words, she scrunched up her brows. She said to him, “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me that you are still hung up on that matter. It has been years, Emil! And it was just a silly joke. I told you that I made a bet and wanted to win; I never thought that you would be hurt over something so small.”

“Of course you don’t!” Emil sneered. “As long as it is not related to you, everything is fine and dandy, right?”

“Emil..” Penelope looked at the man as if she could not understand what was wrong with him, but Emil didn’t give her a chance to say anything. He placed his hand on Ariana’s back and said to her, “Let’s go inside. You might be feeling a bit better than you were before, but I think it’s not right for you to leave the bed.”

Ariana glanced at Penelope, who was staring at her with a gaze that wished for the most dreadful thing to happen to her. She turned her head away as Emil closed the door behind them.

He led her back to the bed and helped her sit down.

“I am sorry,” Emil said to her with an apologetic smile. “My brothers and I wanted to send her away before bringing you back. Our mother even arranged several matches for her but she didn’t hear a thing that we said to her.”

Ariana didn’t say anything. It was not her place to speak for she didn’t consider herself a member of the Ashford family.

Even if she knew that they were related by blood, the word ‘family’ scared Ariana. The ones whom she believed and took her as her family sold her off, even though the Ashford family was treating her well.

Who knows whether it was out of guilt or true and raw emotions?

What Penelope said was indeed correct, the relation and bonds that they had with one another could she even replace them?

Seeing that Ariana was not saying anything, Emil poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.

“You should rest some more,” he said to her again. “Don’t be in a hurry to get off the bed, no one is going to take you as a burden even if you lie down and sleep for a week.”

Ariana’s hands shook a little as she raised her head and looked at the man in front of her. How come he knew what was going on in her head?

“I…”

“I know and understand,” Emil sat down on a chair and smiled at Ariana. “I have heard of the good things that your mother has done to you. So there is no need for you to say anything, it’s one of the reasons why we wanted Penelope to leave, as we were worried that she would do something to you.”

He paused and added, “In fact, it will be better if you stay away from her at all costs. Penny…she is not a good woman— forget about being good, she is not even normal.”