Chapter 111
Chapter 111:
The sharp sting of dust filling her nose snapped Helena out of unconsciousness, sending her into a coughing fit.
Bitterness clung to her tongue, a foul reminder of whatever substance had been used to knock her out.
There was no doubt in her mind—she’d been drugged, abducted, and dragged to this place.
Both her wrists and ankles were bound tightly, leaving little room to move.
Though the lighting in the room was dim, there was something eerily familiar about the space pressing in around her.
It didn’t take long for the memories to surface. She knew exactly where she was. Years had passed, but she could never forget the place where she’d once been confined.
The creak of the door interrupted the silence, followed by the sharp rhythm of heels clicking against the cold floor.
A narrow beam of hallway light spilled into the room, casting just enough glow for Helena to see clearly.
Reality settled over her like ice—she was back in the Simpson family’s basement.
When she was still a child, Douglas had made it clear he didn’t want her seen in the main house. To keep peace, Gemma would stash her here in secret.
Once, the staff had forgotten about her entirely, leaving her locked in the dark for two full days with nothing to eat.
The trauma had left a scar—Helena had never dared come near this basement again.
Now, as she raised her head, her gaze locked onto Gemma, who stood just a few feet away.
“What did you do with my father?” Helena snapped, her voice hoarse and demanding.
A mocking chuckle slipped from Gemma’s lips. “Helena, maybe you should be worrying about yourself right now p>
Her features remained cloaked in shadow, leaving Helena unable to read whatever expression she was wearing.
Mᴏʀᴇ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇs ɪɴ ɢᴀʟɴᴏᴠᴇʟs.ᴄᴏᴍ
A shiver rippled through Helena’s shoulders. No matter how she tried to make sense of it, she couldn’t understand—what had she and her father done to deserve such cruelty?
They’d kept their distance, lived quietly, stayed far from the Simpson family’s affairs. That should have been enough.
“Emily asked you to get a divorce and even waved money in your face. Why couldn’t you just obey?” Gemma murmured, brushing Helena’s cheek with mock tenderness. “Is all this trouble really necessary p>
Turning her head sharply, Helena avoided the touch.
But her gaze fell on something else—her phone, gripped tightly in Gemma’s hand.
Summoning what little strength she had left, Helena asked, “What did you do with my phone p>
The smirk on Gemma’s face deepened. “What do you think? I asked Alden to sign the divorce papers p>
Helena dropped her eyes to the floor, a short silence hanging in the air before it broke with a dry, bitter laugh. “Alden won’t sign them.” The Simpson family didn’t know. On the day of the wedding, she and Alden had made a quiet agreement—it was all for show. And this performance wouldn’t end until Alden said it would.
She would never be the one to walk away. That decision was never hers to make.
Helena’s scornful smile cut deeper than Gemma expected, catching her off guard.
The reaction rattled her—she couldn’t figure out what detail she might’ve missed.
As far as she could tell, Alden had nothing to lose from signing the divorce papers. The agreement demanded nothing from him. There was no logical reason for hesitation.
His signature would clear the path for Emily to remarry him. The redevelopment project could proceed without interference—perhaps even faster.
Yet Alden remained silent. Not a single word had come from him. He hadn’t reached out to them once.
A sudden voice broke the tension. “Why waste your breath on her?” The drawl came from the doorway, laced with contempt and accompanied by approaching footsteps.
Helena turned her head, trying to see who it was—but the answer arrived as a harsh slap across her face.
The force of the slap knocked her head to the side, heat flaring up in her cheek as her vision blurred. Swelling began almost instantly.
Emily flexed her fingers, as if trying to soothe the sting. “Consider that payback p>
All it took last time was a single mention of Albert, and Helena had slapped her without hesitation.
Emily hadn’t forgotten. Not for a second.
Her expression twisted with fury as she grabbed a fistful of Helena’s hair and struck her hard across the left cheek.
“Let’s call that interest on what you owe me,” she said, venom lacing her voice.
A shrill hum echoed inside Helena’s skull, bouncing from one ear to the other. The moment it dulled, a brutal kick landed in her stomach, Emily’s stiletto digging in without mercy.
Though the pain radiated through every nerve, Helena refused to cry out. She clenched her teeth and endured in silence.
Looking down at the bruised and battered woman beneath her, Emily let out a low, satisfied laugh. “Did you think Alden would come to save you? You’ve been missing for two days and he hasn’t so much as called you once. Actually, he reached out to me instead p>
As if on cue, the ringtone chimed from Emily’s phone.
With a theatrical flourish, Emily tapped the speaker button and said, “Mr. Wilson, what can I do for you p>
A familiar, composed voice followed. “I’ve signed the divorce papers. I just need to confirm that your family won’t interfere with the redevelopment project moving forward.” Every syllable struck like ice. Helena knew that voice by heart. But the words? They sounded like they came from someone she’d never met.
Alden had signed the divorce papers without hesitation.
Emily paused before saying, “Mr. Wilson, I imagined you’d be tearing the city apart looking for Helena. But it’s been two days, and not once have you asked where she is p>
With a detached tone, Alden answered, “Whatever game Helena’s playing, I don’t have the time or energy to entertain it p>
Those words landed like a blade, slicing clean through Helena’s chest. A heavy, unbearable weight settled over her—rage, sorrow, and betrayal twisting together like a knot too tight to untangle.
Every instinct told her to scream for help, to fight back—but instead, her strength gave out, and silent tears streamed down her face.