Chapter 86

"Bella, don't call Ethan Sullivan!"

Susan Thompson grabbed Bella Lucas's wrist before she could dial. She'd already troubled Ethan enough tonight and didn't want to disturb him further.

"But Andrew hurt you this badly..." Bella's heart ached as she took in Susan's pale face.

"It wasn't Mr. Lucas." Susan forced herself upright, wrapping the quilt around her bruised body. "I was just delivering something."

Gritting her teeth, she gathered her scattered clothes. Each movement felt like torture as her wounds stuck to the fabric. The searing pain in her stomach made her vision blur, but she kept her back straight.

"My delivery is done. I'm leaving now."

"Stop!" Andrew Lucas reached for her, but Bella blocked him.

"Bullying a girl? How pathetic!" Bella turned to Susan, softening her tone. "Let me drive you home?"

"No need." Susan shook her head. "I'll take a cab."

Seeing Andrew's rising fury, Bella flicked his forehead hard.

"Bella Lucas!" His eyes turned icy.

"What?" She planted her hands on her hips. "Want me to tell Mom how you harassed Ethan's girlfriend?"

That shut him up. Bella's gaze landed on the scattered condom boxes, and her eyes widened.

"Andrew Lucas! You made Susan deliver these?" She pointed at her brother in disbelief. "You ignore Nicole Capra, have no women around, and need these for what? Blowing balloons?"

"Get out!" His face darkened.

"Tch!" Bella adjusted her sunglasses and mask. "The air here is polluted!" She stormed out in her stilettos.

Silence barely settled when Leo Miller's call came through.

"It was Candy Wilson's doing."

"Candy?" Andrew frowned.

"A rising star under our label. Just landed the lead in a major IP adaptation."

"Blacklist her." Two casual words ended an actress's career.

Hanging up, Andrew stared out the window at the falling snow. The image of Susan's frail figure flashed in his mind.

"Damn it!" He snatched his keys and bolted out.

Meanwhile, Susan had already hailed a cab—miraculously finding one right outside the villa. Clutching her stomach, she urged the driver to hurry.

The lock on her Willow Lane apartment was still broken. Pushing the door open, she heard Ethan's anxious voice: "Susan!"

"Why are you here?"

"You're hurt, and the door's broken..." His ears turned pink. "I was worried."

A sudden wave of pain hit. Her vision blacked out as she collapsed.

"Susan!"

"Medicine... bedroom..."

Ethan carried her to bed and administered her pills before exhaustion claimed him. Half-asleep, he instinctively climbed onto the mattress, hugging a pillow.

When Andrew kicked the door open, he found them entwined in slumber—an intimate scene that froze his blood.