Chapter 12
Bryce stayed completely silent the whole way back. Yelena, with tears streaming down her face, reached out to touch his reddened cheek. He pulled away.
At the Dalton Estate, they stood in silence.
Richard and their mother, Lorraine West, sat across from them. They were both visibly furious.
“Explain yourselves. What is going on between you and Yelena? You’re brother and sister, so how could you have such thoughts?” Richard demanded.
Bryce spoke first.
“We’re not blood–related, and Lena is adopted. Mom, Dad, Yara and I are divorced. I want to be with Lena.”
Richard’s face was so red from anger he looked like he was about to explode. He never imagined the son he had such high hopes for would fall for his own sister. Bryce had even divorced Yara without saying a word!
Richard picked up a stick and struck Bryce across the back. He shouted, “You’re disgusting!”
Next, Richard turned his attention to Yelena.
She panicked and blurted excuses, “It wasn’t me! It wasn’t! Bryce forced me. Yara is my best friend, and I would never try to break them up.
“They got divorced because Bryce didn’t care about Yara. Dad, I didn’t do anything!”
Yelena’s cheeks were streaked with tears as she cried pitifully. Her words did little to calm Richard’s rage, and the way he looked at Bryce grew even angrier. Bryce turned to her in shock. His eyes were full of hurt and disbelief.
“Lena, what are you saying? We love each other!”
“No, we don’t! You forced me! You made me kiss you and even sleep with you. I never wanted any of that. I just wanted you and Yara to be happy,” Yelena lied. Her tears kept falling as she painted herself to be the victim. With every word, more color drained from Bryce’s face. He never expected Yelena to say something like this at such a crucial time.
She clearly loved him too, so how could she do this to him?
In the end, Richard looked at Bryce with only disgust, The Dalton family’s rules would never allow something like this.
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He called for the bodyguards to hold Bryce down and brought out a whip. By the rules of the Dalton family, a crime like this meant 99 lashes.
“Bryce, do you admit your mistakes?” Richard asked before the whipping began.
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If they went ahead with it, the lashing would definitely almost kill Bryce. Richard clearly meant to give Bryce a way out, and even Yelena tugged gently at the latter’s sleeve.
“Bryce, please just say you were wrong. That’s 99 lashes. You can die from them!”
Her panic looked real, but Bryce was crushed by what she said earlier. He turned his head to her with a bitter laugh and shook off her hand.
“I did nothing wrong. Even if it kills me, I’ll take it,” Bryce said as he looked at Yelena. His voice was laced with immense sorrow. “I told you before that I would do anything for you. 99 lashes are nothing, Lena.”
Richard’s glare sharpened, and his expression grew even colder.
Terrified of being dragged down with him, Yelena cried even harder and shouted, “Stop’it, Bryce!”
Bryce lowered his head with a bitter smile.
Richard didn’t give him another chance. The whip cracked down hard over and over again, tearing skin and drawing screams.
By the end, even the whip broke. Bryce blacked out, and his body was covered in bloody welts.
Richard had his men drag Bryce away. Then he looked at Yelena, who trembled in fear. He had always seen her as obedient and somewhat childish, but he had never imagined she would sleep with Bryce.
“Lena, it’s time for an arranged engagement. You may be adopted, but I’ve always treated you like my own. You and Bryce are not right for each other,” Richard said coldly, reminding her who she really was.
Yelena couldn’t stop her tears from falling. She collapsed to the ground and agreed. Without Bryce, she didn’t dare to go against the family’s decisions.
Chapter 12
