fool

Chapter 26 

Ella had a restless night, her mind buzzing with thoughts. She felt pity for the Ellald at one moment, then overwhelmed by the company’s pressure, and finally, her thoughts drifted to Jaden who had kissed her. 

The next day, under–eyed and tired, she checked her phone. 

At six in the morning, Grace appeared on social media, visibly unwell. She insisted she had accidentally fallen down the stairs and that it was unrelated to anyone else. She apologized, explaining she had been unconscious and hospitalized, which prevented her from following the media storm that had ensued. 

arful. Ella didn’t know what tactics Marcus had employed, but it was resolved now. 

Ella watched the video. Grace looked worn and tearful. 

When she tried to get out of bed, her legs buckled, nearly sending her to the floor. She instinctively touched her forehead—she had a fever. Between the cold shower two nights ago, a night in the police station, and a hectic following day, her illness had hit her hard, and she had passed out before she could take any cold medicine. 

When she awoke, she was in a hospital, with 

at 

bedside. 

“You’re awake,” he said immediately, his hand on her still warm forehe. Meriter w 

“How long was I out?” she asked. 

“One day.” 

Ella glanced outside; it was dark already. She checked the internet–new headlines had emerged. People were more interested in the latest entertainment news, and her issue had faded into the background. She breathed a sigh of relief. 

After two days of rest, she was feeling much better. She didn’t realize until she was about to leave the hospital that she and Grace had been in the same hospital. Grace, looking relaxed in her hospital gown, was alone at the front desk settling her bill. 

Their eyes met, both briefly taken aback. 

Ella remained composed, whereas Grace seemed desperate, her eyes red as if she were a wild animal. She charged at Ella, but Jaden instinctively stepped in front of her. 

“Ella, you really pulled it off this time, even that didn’t manage to finish you!” 

“Was it worth it?” Ella glanced at her stomach. 

Ella thought that if she herself had a child, she would have fought tooth and nail to protect it, just like her parents had protected her. But Grace had given up without a second thought. It turned out, not all mothers loved their children. 

“It was worth it! Harry is going to marry me now, and you can’t do anything about it!” 

Grace wasn’t foolish; she had nearly died from hemorrhaging during surgery, but she felt was worth it, as it would soon put Ella out of action. 

That evening, Harry came to her, asking her to publicly clear the air. He explained that he was under pressure and couldn’t afford to make enemies, so he was ready to sacrifice her. 

She used this as leverage to force Harry into marrying her. Cornered, he reluctantly agreed. Thus, she finally ascended into high society. From now on, her status would be no different from Ella’s–they were both true elites. 

*Congratulations then,” Ella said nonchalantly. 

“Why that look?” Grace’s eyes were ablaze with fury, clearly displeased with Ella’s demeanor. She had expected anger, screams, a murderous rage, not this… like punching a pillow, where all her efforts seemed to vanish. 

Ella scoffed, arms crossed. “I’ve already told you, I’m done with Harry. He’s not even worthy to carry my shoes; to you, he’s gold, but to me, he’s just grass. You love groveling at his feet, not me!” 

“You saw how miserable I was before. Congratulations, you’ve managed to become even more pathetic and pitiful than I ever was,” Ella continued. “Pitiful? You pity me?” 

Grace reacted like a cat with its tail stepped on. She reached out her pale claws, lunging forward. 

Ella effortlessly sidestepped, and Grace crashed to the ground. 

Ella pulled Jaden away. “Don’t touch her. I’ve already been burned once, let’s not give her the chance to claim you pushed her. Stay away from this mess, so you don’t get dirty. 

She looked down at Grace, sprawled on the ground. “You look like you won’t last long. I’m begging you, take good care of yourself. Stick to Harry, and don’t let him harm any other young girls!” 

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Chapter 26 

“Grace, I won’t pity you, because you don’t deserve it.” With that, Ella left without looking back. 

She didn’t regret trusting Grace that one time. She thought, ‘What if it had been true? If so, I would have saved a life!‘ 

Indeed, she wasn’t sly or skilled in deceit; her methods weren’t harsh enough. Often, her bark was worse than her bite. Yet, she would continue to believe in the goodness of people and do good deeds wherever she could. 

Even as she walked away, Grace’s gaze remained fixed on Ella’s retreating figure, venomous like a snake’s stare. She was determined to defeat Ella, to crush her so completely she could never recover. She thought, ‘I am still in the fight! This is just the beginning, and I am sure I will win!‘ 

Less than a week later, Ella saw the news that Harry was marrying Grace. It was clear Grace was in a rush, probably worried he might back out. The wedding photos showed her with a sickly pallor that no amount of makeup could hide. 

It was obvious that neither Harry nor Lucy was happy; the expressions on the guests‘ faces were also quite intriguing. Likely, Grace was the only one truly pleased. She finally secured her spot as Mrs. Rhys, thinking she had made it, but in reality… it was just the beginning. 

Ella lost interest in their saga because Jenny was finally returning. 

iglym 

Jenny was supposed to come back to be Ella’s bridesmaid, but her thesis got delayed and the school wouldn’t let her leave. On Ella’s wedding day, Jenny had her defense and couldn’t make it back. Now, after settling her affairs, she returned as a distinguished overseas graduate. 

“I brought your design trophy back!” Jenny said. 

ICH 

4 

At the airport, they hugged tightly, and Jenny then pulled the trophy out of her bag and handed it over. Ella quickly gave it a kiss. 

“What do you feel like eating?” Ella asked. 

“Did you bring someone with you?” 

“Who?” 

“Don’t play dumb! Your husband! I didn’t even get to vet him before you married him. That was sneaky of you. Today, I need to test his drinking limits; if he can’t outdrink me, he can’t marry my best friend!” 

“Let’s eat at home then. How about pizza?” 

“For my first meal back? Definitely pizza!” 

Soon they were back home, gathered around a large pizza on the dining table, and Jaden quietly ate. 

“Eat up, it’s your favorite dish.” Ella served her, but Jenny stared with wide eyes, her mouth agape in disbelief. 

“Forget it, if she won’t eat, you eat,” Ella said, passing it to Jaden. 

Jaden looked up at her with a smile, his teeth gleaming, his smile bright and clear. Then, he continued to eat without pausing. 

Jenny was flabbergasted. “This is your husband? He… he’s a fool!” 

Hearing this, Jaden stopped eating and looked at Jenny. “She says I’m a fool.” 

Ella quickly intervened. “No, no, she didn’t say that. Keep eating, I’ll take her outside for some air.” 

“He… he’s a fool…” Jenny stammered. 

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