Chapter 5 Apologize And Slap Themselves

Upon arriving, Eleanor was met with a scene of chaos. The Marsh family home was engulfed in turmoil. A pool of dark crimson marred the floor, the source of the blood unclear.

Eleanor stood silently in the doorway, her gaze filled with simmering anger as she watched Chloe, who was coldly instructing the servants to clean up the mess.

Chloe, sensing the weight of Eleanor's glare, slowly turned to face her. Upon meeting her furious eyes, Chloe's face twisted with a mixture of disbelief and scorn.

"You dare come back here? Do you have any idea what your worthless parents have done?" Her voice rang out in shrill accusation, her finger pointing toward Eleanor with palpable disdain.

Eleanor's expression darkened, her pupils constricting with rage. Without a word, she moved swiftly, her hand shooting out to grasp Chloe's throat. The suddenness of the action left the servants frozen in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief. It was as though the calm, composed lady they had known had vanished, replaced by a force of pure vengeance.

Chloe gasped, her breath caught in Eleanor's unrelenting grip. Desperation flashed in her eyes as she clawed at Eleanor's hand, her body convulsing in frantic attempts to break free. She sputtered, her voice barely audible as she begged for mercy.

Eleanor released Chloe with a detached expression, her voice cutting through the tension as she asked, "Where are my parents?"

Chloe hesitated, stepping back and taking a steadying breath. For a moment, her arrogance faltered, but she quickly regained her composure. "Your father is at the police station, giving his statement. If you beg for forgiveness..."

Eleanor's voice, low and unyielding, interrupted her. "If anything happens to my father, I will make sure the Marsh family pays the price." With those words, she turned and stormed off, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions.

Confusion and turmoil stirred inside Eleanor. She had expected to feel distant from her biological parents, having never known them, but hearing that Maverick had gone so far as to confront the Marsh family with a knife stirred emotions she had never anticipated.

True familial bonds, it seemed, ran deeper than she had imagined.

At the police station, Louis sat stoically in the mediation room, his gaze sharp and seething as it rested on Maverick and Lily.

His hand, still wrapped in bandages, oozed blood through the gauze-a painful reminder of the attack. He seethed, wishing nothing more than to see the entire Harris family erased from existence.

Earlier, Louis had been preparing for Mr. Campbell's visit, overseeing the final touches around the house, but all plans came to an abrupt halt when Maverick, in a fit of rage, barged in with a knife. The sudden assault left Louis wounded, a stark disruption to his meticulously planned day.

Now, forced to give his statement at the police station, his anger was palpable-if this chaos derailed his plans, the Harris family would certainly pay the price.

Lily, red-eyed and visibly distressed, looked at Louis, her voice trembling as she begged, "Mr. Marsh, it was an impulsive act on Maverick's part. Please, show mercy." She paused, desperately trying to retain her composure. "We're ready to offer an apology and make full compensation. All we ask is that you sign the settlement agreement. Whatever you require, we will do."

"Lily, don't stoop to begging him! He's nothing more than an animal!" Maverick's voice crackled with rage as his bloodshot eyes burned into Louis, as though he could tear Louis apart. "I thought he'd show some decency toward our daughter, but instead, he's not only tossed her aside but has treated her cruelly. I swear, I won't rest until I make him pay for this."

"Maverick, enough!" Lily urged, her voice full of anguish. Her heart bled for Eleanor, but the fear of losing Maverick to his anger overshadowed everything else. "If this spirals out of control, you could end up behind bars."

"Behind bars? So what? A few months at most..." Maverick replied dismissively, his voice thick with defiance.

Louis' sneer was cold and deliberate as he leaned forward, his gaze cutting through the tension. "A few months? You honestly think the Marsh Group's legal team is something to be dismissed? You broke into my home armed, with intent to kill. Trust me, you'll be serving a much longer sentence than you imagine."

Maverick's eyes widened, disbelief written across his face. "That's absurd! I never meant to kill anyone-only to show you a lesson!" His voice shook, but his desperation was clear as he tried to defend himself.

Louis adjusted his glasses with a slow, deliberate motion, his expression exuding pure disdain. "How foolish to stir up chaos without grasping the weight of your actions. Prepare yourself for a long sentence behind bars, Maverick."

Lily, now desperate, opened her mouth to continue her pleas, but Louis' sharp gaze silenced her. A calculating smile played on his lips as he leaned back in his chair. "Of course, I might consider signing the settlement agreement. But it comes with a condition-your family, including Eleanor, must publicly apologize. And for added emphasis, each of you will slap yourselves. Then, I'll think about it."

Maverick and Lily shot to their feet, stunned, unable to process what Louis had just demanded. It was a direct attack on their dignity-something they had endured their whole lives. Yet, seeing their daughter subjected to such humiliation was more than they could bear.

"How dare you make such demands, you bastard!" A voice, cold as ice, rang out from the doorway, slicing through the room's tension.