Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Elin’s boldness faded, and she looked down and murmured, “I just want to see you happy, Mr. Foster. I want to be capable, to help you find your sister and your mother.”
The room was bathed in a gentle glow from the soft light cast over Elin’s delicate face.
For the first time in these days, Erick had flashed a bright smile.
He sat up, met her gaze, and affectionately tousled her hair, saying gently, “Little Elin, you’ve really grown up. But remember to study hard, follow your dreams, live your life for yourself, and don’t carry burdens for others, okay?”
Elin somewhat understood his words. In the dim light, Erick’s handsome features and soothing voice stirred her heart deeply, making her grasp what it meant to be smitten.
Erick leaned back; his voice laden with weariness. “Go back and get some rest, or you won’t grow tall.”
Elin nodded and left the room, but not without a backward glance.
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Erick’s shirt was unbuttoned, and the collar was loose, showing a bit of his delicate collarbone. Regardless of his pose, he was undeniably attractive.
Elin realized her admiration for Erick may have evolved into something deeper. Her feelings began to shift toward something more yearning. Despite knowing it was impossible, she couldn’t stop herself from daydreaming about their future.
Then, one day, Elin’s paper stars tucked in a book slipped out, and Annis found them.
Shocked by the contents, Annis confronted Elin, leading to their first serious argument, during which she impulsively slapped Elin.
Annis regretted her reaction, yet her overwhelming feelings were one of heartache.
Crouching down, Annis pointed at Elin’s notes filled with affectionate words and said, “Elin, we must live with integrity and gratitude. Mrs. Foster welcomed us generously. Mr. Foster funds your education. You must not entertain unsuitable thoughts about Mr. Erick Foster, do you understand?”
With a swollen face and indignation, Elin exclaimed, “Why not? I just like him! What’s wrong with that?”
Annis, overwhelmed with frustration, gasped, “Do you want people to accuse us of having hidden agendas all along? What is our social standing, and what is Mr. Erick Foster’s? Do you think you are worthy?”
Elin was stunned and at a loss for words. Mr. Foster’s kindness had made her overlook the vast social divide between her family and the Foster family.
Annis ripped the notes into tiny pieces, crushing Elin’s hopes. She said firmly, each word heavy with intent, “Mrs. Foster and Mr. Foster have shown us great kindness. We must never betray their trust!”
Elin burst into tears and ran out of the room. Just as she stepped outside, she overheard the driver saying that Erick had gotten drunk and hurt at a bar.
Worried, Elin pleaded with the driver to take her to the bar.
Seeing that Elin got along with Erick, the driver saw no harm in it and agreed.
At the bar, the driver told Elin to wait in the car while he went in, but time passed and he did not return.
Concerned, Elin left the car and entered the bar to look for Erick.
Cap?tulo 872:
When Elin stepped in, the loud music hit her ears hard. Since she’d never been to a bar before, the thick smoke made it tough to keep her eyes open.
Elin had only taken a few steps when a man with dreadlocks blocked her and said, “Little girl, are you here all by yourself?”
Elin tried to walk away, but he persisted. “Don’t leave, little girl,” he said, scrutinizing Elin’s schoolgirl outfit, which, although out of place, highlighted her innocent beauty.
“Is this your first visit? Let me show you how to enjoy yourself,” he offered, trying to put his arm around her shoulders.
Elin started to run away, and the man with dreadlocks chased after her for a long while.
Elin hid in an empty chamber, Luckily escaping further pursuit. She noted the room’s decoration, which reminded her of the business gathering photos Erick often sent her.
This chamber looked similar to those in Erick’s photos, and she began to check each chamber through the gaps.
Finally, in a chamber, Elin found Erick sprawled on a couch. She rushed in and saw that his forehead was bleeding, confirming that he had indeed been involved in a fight.
Elin, with her heart racing, stepped forward and grasped Erick’s hand.
“Mr. Foster, what’s wrong with…”
Before Elin could complete her words, Erick’s eyes flew open, revealing bloodshot, veined eyes that gave him a_ terrifying appearance, clearly altered by alcohol.
Elin recoiled in shock and softly said, “Mr. Foster…”
Suddenly, Erick pulled Elin close, and his warm lips met hers, kissing her.
Elin’s eyes widened, completely unable to react. At eighteen, she never even held a boy’s hand, let alone shared a kiss.
Yet, despite her innocence, Elin was aware that Erick was intoxicated.
His behavior probably wasn’t all his own. Alcohol likely played a part.
Recalling her mother’s words, Elin quickly tried to push him away, her words muffled against his mouth. “Mr. Foster, see me clearly…”
Erick eased his hold slightly, his frown deepening as he peered at her. “Little Elin?”
Caught in his tight hug, Elin nodded quickly and said, “Let’s go home, Mr. Foster.”
Erick, not fully conscious, pinched Elin’s chin, his voice softer and less rational than usual. “Help me…”
Those words detonated like a bomb in Elin’s mind. This soft and gentle side of him was new to her. Bitterly acknowledging their gap, she didn’t dare to imagine him being this tender.
Erick’s lips drew near once more, gently sucking on Elin’s soft earlobe, shifting the atmosphere in an instant.
Elin blushed; her eyes unfocused, unable to refuse. Because it was Erick, the man she had a crush on, she felt compelled to accept whatever came next.
The following process wasn’t as nice. Erick hurriedly kissed Elin, entering her urgently. He seemed off since his body was unbearably hot as if he were a piece of glowing metal.
Cap?tulo 873:
At that instant, Elin cried out in pain.
As they continued, it was clear Erick was oblivious to Elin’s discomfort, merely seeking a means to vent his needs.
Once it was over, Elin collapsed into Erick’s arms, overcome by the pain.
When she woke up later, Elin shifted her sore body, accidentally rousing Erick.
Erick appeared confused at first as if he couldn’t grasp what had happened.
Elin straightened her top and sat up slowly. Then, she called out hesitantly, “Mr. Foster…”
Erick scrunched his eyebrows together, pressing a hand against his forehead as he rubbed it, clearly suffering from a hangover. Once he saw who was with him, his face quickly turned stern, and he asked in a cold tone, “Why is it you?”
As words spilled from Erick’s lips, Elin noticed a trace of agitation on his rugged face.
“Does he find me bothersome?” Elin muttered to herself and found it hard to express the turmoil inside her, though “blindsiding” seemed to fit.
Erick was still on the far side of the sofa, his mind seized by shock. The scene before him had left him unable to think clearly.
Elin, the girl he had watched grow up, whom he had always loved like a sister, now lay beside him, without clothes. The shock hit him hard, leaving him dazed.
His voice turned cold. “How did you end up here?”
Elin’s fingers trembled, surprised by the chilly detachment in his voice. “I heard you were hurt…” Her voice faded away, lost in the silence.
Erick’s expression became a mask of displeasure as he listened to her.
His tone was forceful and almost harsh. “Are you out of your mind? Do you think you can just waltz into a bar like this?”
This marked the first time Erick had spoken to Elin with such severity, his words sliced through the air sharply.
Elin, still shaken from a fiery dispute with her mother, had escaped, only to face a disastrous first sexual experience. Now, she was grappling with this stern rebuke. Her heart twisted in agony, sour like a lemon soaked in acid.
Erick’s expression was cold, pressing down on Elin heavily. Feeling wronged yet holding back her tears, she lowered her head and apologized. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come…”
Erick’s anger flared as he saw the hickeys on Elin’s delicate neck.
Lucky for her to have slept with him. What dangers might have awaited her had she encountered a stranger? However, meeting him might not have been the best outcome for her.
While Erick was adept at navigating interpersonal relationships, matters of the heart remained foreign to him. Confused by his feelings, he only recognized the scorching anger burning inside him.
Elin’s rash actions to come for him in a bar had sparked his anger like a lit fuse.
Erick had unwittingly become a pawn in a sinister plot, disoriented and vulnerable from a spiked drink.
A business partner had set up a honey trap by sending a woman to seduce Erick while he was intoxicated. The thought of spending an intimate night with a stranger repelled Erick. Seeking refuge, he retreated to the safety of a chamber.
Cap?tulo 874:
Yet, the inner fire became increasingly difficult to contain. When Erick tried to get up and grab his phone, he bumped into the table and struck his head. Upon finding his phone, he quickly called his driver to pick him up. Elin’s tagging along was beyond his expectation.
This incident could have been avoided, and Erick had no time to deal with these complications now.