As the cool ointment touched her wound, Julia couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath, her brows knitting together even in her sleep.
Royce glanced at her, his movements immediately becoming gentler.
In the darkness, he could see the wounds on her back, where once smooth, fair skin had been replaced by crisscrossing whip marks.
He struggled to contain the surge of anger in his chest as he carefully finished applying the ointment to Julia's injuries.
***
Diamond Hill
This was the famous wealthy enclave of Zenith City, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. It was home to celebrities, influential figures, and the elite.
The most prime location in Diamond Hill was occupied by Villa No. 8, the residence of the Edwards Family.
Although it was already midnight, the Edwards Family home was still brightly lit, and the atmosphere in the living room was tense.
This villa was the Edwards Family's ancestral home, and they were among the first to move into Diamond Hill. However, it was quite far from Harry Edwards' workplace, Artis International Entertainment Agency. As a result, Harry had another villa where he currently lived with Bailey.
Hayden sat in the center of the couch, Yasmine on his left, Bailey on a separate single-seater, and Harry on another single-seater opposite Bailey.
Cadence sat to the side, watching the scene unfold with a look of amusement.
Bailey's eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying for a long time.
After hearing Yasmine recount the events of the evening, Hayden was furious. Although he hadn't witnessed it himself, he had a good idea of what had happened.
"Harry, what on earth happened tonight? Explain yourself!" Hayden demanded angrily.
Harry was about to speak when Bailey cut in.
"Uncle, if you want to blame someone, blame me. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have trusted my sister. I didn't want her to come today. She promised she wouldn't cause any trouble and just wanted to let things go. How could I have known her real intention was—"
Bailey found it hard to continue and lowered her head, squeezing out a few tears.
"How can you blame Harry for this? It's all that wretched girl's doing! She just wants to ruin our Edwards Family!" Yasmine naturally took her son's side.
"A fly won't land on a seamless egg!" Hayden glared angrily.
Cadence burst out laughing. "Dad, that's a terrible analogy. Are you saying my brother is an egg? Hahaha—"
"Cadence!" Yasmine shot Cadence a stern look.
Bailey lifted her head and continued, "Uncle, it's really not Harry's fault. It's my sister. She seduced Harry. She said she wanted to get back at me!"
"See, even Bailey understands. Why can't you?" Yasmine patted Hayden's leg. "Alright, dear, don't be mad. This isn't Harry's fault. It's that wretched girl's doing."
Hayden's expression softened a bit. If it were just Yasmine's words, he might not have let it go. But with Bailey's statement, he had to reconsider.
"Harry, you're not a kid anymore. Today is your engagement ceremony with Bailey. You're practically stepping into marriage. From now on, you need to be more responsible. Cut ties with those unsavory women!"
Hayden knew his son well.
"Got it, Dad."
"Alright, it's getting late. You all should stay here tonight and rest," Hayden said as he got up and headed upstairs.
Yasmine immediately stood up and walked over to Bailey. "Bailey, you should go upstairs and rest. I'm sorry for the trouble today."
Bailey shook her head. "It's no trouble at all, Aunt Yasmine. I don't feel troubled."
Yasmine then looked at Cadence.
"Cadence, take your sister-in-law to the guest room."
Cadence smiled mischievously. "Mom, why the guest room? My sister-in-law and my brother have been together for a while now. She should just stay in his room!"
Bailey blushed and lowered her head shyly.
Yasmine slapped her forehead lightly. "Oh, silly me. You two are already engaged. Yes, take her to your brother's room."
"Got it!" Cadence quickly grabbed Bailey's hand and led her upstairs.
Yasmine glanced at Harry. "Harry, wait here for me."
After saying that, Yasmine went upstairs. She came back down a short while later, holding an antique wooden box, which she handed to Harry.
"Today's events were hard on Bailey. Give this to her and say it's a gift for the engagement."
"Mom, isn't this—"
Harry recognized the box. Inside was a jade bracelet, a treasured heirloom of the Edwards family, passed down through generations to each daughter-in-law. This bracelet was not just a valuable piece of jade but also an antique, priceless and irreplaceable.
"There's nothing wrong with it. Bailey's behavior today impressed me. She showed that she truly cares about our family and handled everything with grace and consideration. She's much better than that Julia! I've decided; she's the daughter-in-law I want."
"..."
Harry Edwards felt a bit dazed.
"Go get some rest," Yasmine said, gently patting Harry's head, her eyes filled with motherly affection.
With the wooden box feeling heavy in his hands, Harry followed Yasmine's instructions and went upstairs.
Bailey had already removed her makeup, but her swollen eyes still bore the traces of her tears.
"Brother Harry, you should get some rest."
Harry sat on the bed and handed the wooden box to Bailey. "This is a gift from my mom for our engagement ceremony."
Bailey opened the box and was stunned at the sight of the jade bracelet inside.
"Brother Harry, isn't this too valuable?"
"Just take it."
A flicker of doubt crossed Harry's face. "Bailey, did you have anything to do with what happened today?"
Bailey looked at Harry in a panic. "Brother Harry, why would you think that? Did my sister call and say something to you?"
"No, I guessed."
"Brother Harry! My feelings for you are as clear as day and night! I care about you so much. Even if I were to scheme something against my sister, I would never send her to your bed! Now I understand, my sister orchestrated this whole drama to drive a wedge between us!"
As she spoke, Bailey burst into tears again, her eyes flooding with fresh tears.
"Alright, alright, stop crying. I was just saying it casually!"
Harry frowned.
Thinking it over, Harry realized that Bailey had a point. How could she possibly send her rival to her own man's bed?
Could it really have been Julia?
It's possible. Maybe Julia never intended to sleep with him. She might have orchestrated the whole thing just to make a fool out of him.
Heh—
That woman.