Chapter 3

"You should go out dressed like this." Julian's face was indescribably ugly. The Alpha suddenly said he forgot something and went back into the study. Elliot opened his mouth to grab a pillow to cover himself, but Julian took off his military coat and draped it over him. With one hand, he lifted Elliot and threw him onto the big bed in the bedroom.

"You need to change your clothes quickly." Elliot curled up, looking at Julian's shirt on him and hurriedly said, "I... didn't mean to, I'll wash it for you."

"You didn't mean to? Are you really pulling this off while there are guests at home?"

Elliot shook his head, saying he didn't know Julian was at home. Julian sneered, "You didn't know my schedule?"

Elliot's explanation was feeble. In the past, he would confirm Julian's schedule with his secretary, who always had a lot to say but still told him due to Elliot's status.

Elliot thought Julian didn't know, but it turned out he did. Julian would certainly not believe it, but Elliot hadn't asked for his schedule in a long time.

He still remembered the last time Julian finished special training. He had known his schedule and had deliberately driven to the airport to pick him up. He parked the car not far away and as soon as he sat in the driver's seat and was about to call Julian, he saw Julian get into an Alpha's car and even embraced intimately.

Elliot gazed fixedly at that scene, Julian's eyes seemed to have seen him too, with a cold look.

Elliot knew it was intentional for him to witness. He quickly turned his head, pressing his fingers on the steering wheel. He was afraid that he would start crying in the next second.

Since then, he hadn't asked for Julian's schedule. He felt it was self-inflicted.

The explanation was too feeble. Julian would probably think he intentionally dressed like this to entice him.

Elliot was silent for a moment and said, "I'm sorry. I'll go back to my room and change right away."

He and Julian were essentially separated by rooms. Only rarely did Elliot have the privilege of sleeping here.

Who knew, as he pushed open the door and was about to return to his own room, he saw the Alpha from earlier holding a glass of water not far away, looking at Elliot's shirt that barely covered his thighs, legs naked and toes curled together. He quietly turned around.

Julian, witnessing this scene, gritted his teeth, "Elliot..."

Elliot hurriedly returned to the room to take off Julian's shirt, washed it, and dried it. Fortunately, the Alpha didn't indicate any intention to stay as a guest, which made Elliot breathe a sigh of relief. He put Julian's shirt back, but Julian's face was still sullen.

The next day, Julian was still at home, and Elliot didn't ask for his schedule. While Julian was reading the newspaper, Elliot poured two pills of the "nutritional supplement" Julian had given him in front of him, with Julian's gaze still fixed on the newspaper. Elliot swallowed the pills without changing his expression, but found it strange that they were tasteless, yet they left a bitter taste on his tongue.

Elliot shook the bottle and innocently said, "This box is almost empty."

Julian looked at him, his gaze pausing on the pills for a moment, "I will have them buy you a new bottle."

"... Okay."

Elliot turned to look at the TV, but saw that his lower lip had already been bitten, blood staining his lips red, and his eyes were lifeless.

At dinner that night, Julian looked at his lips a few times and asked, "What happened to your mouth?"

Elliot said he accidentally bit it while eating.

On the weekend, Elliot received a call from Theodore Sterling, asking him to come home for the weekend. And so he did.

As soon as he got off the car, in the distance, he saw the black hound owned by Theodore Sterling, which was staring at him with its tongue sticking out. Some unpleasant memories made his face pale.

Theodore Sterling was well-kept, even though he was over fifty. He sat in the garden, looking at Elliot, "What's the matter? Are you still so afraid of Dan, with a collar on?"

Elliot didn't say anything, and Theodore Sterling asked why there was still no progress.

Elliot said, "I've been trying my best. This kind of thing isn't up to me alone."

Theodore Sterling said, "Fine, I've known for a long time that he isn't interested in you. Yet you insist on trying. I just wanted you to have a child to tie him down, but it's really useless."

Elliot lowered his gaze, "I met Julian's younger brother. He also works at that hospital. Can Sophia be transferred to the hospital? I'm afraid of being discovered by the Hawthorne family."

Theodore Sterling pondered for a moment and agreed, then told him the name of another hospital.

"But the conditions at that hospital aren't very good..."

Theodore Sterling's tone was not good, "We've been supporting your sister all these years. We even paid for her surgery. Do you think we have money to burn? Maybe you should go ask Julian for the money."

Elliot clenched his fingers, Theodore Sterling patted Dan's head, "Don't think about threatening me. We are all in the same boat. If you think the fish will die, the net will break, but your sister is still in the hospital."

Elliot could only compromise and agree.

These years, Julian had at least not mistreated him with money. Once, in order to get his attention, Elliot had bought many things frantically, but Julian didn't give him a second glance. After calming down, Elliot felt he didn't deserve to spend the money Julian had earned with his life. He returned the items.

And now, he wouldn't ask Julian for money.

These years, he had been living under the surveillance of the Sterling family. They wouldn't let him go out to work, just wanting to control him better. The Hawthorne family wanted him to be a homemaker.

Theodore Sterling asked again if Elliot had made a decision, "If you can't, go find your husband and more women, then. If I had known about Julian's accomplishments now, I wouldn't have let you go."

Elliot admitted defeat, "I've tried, but he just doesn't like me."

"Marie's daughter is eighteen this year. You should find time to meet her. Once they have a child, no matter what, that child will also be a member of the Sterling family."

Elliot couldn't tell him that his body had already been ruined, "Julian won't give me a chance to bring another woman to his side."

Theodore Sterling said, "How do you know if you don't try?"

Transferring hospitals wasn't something that could be decided quickly. Elliot had discussed it for a long time with Sophia's attending doctor. The doctor only said that Sophia's recent condition was not very stable, and he suggested waiting until she had stabilized a bit more.

Elliot agreed, because Sophia's body couldn't be messed around with casually. Upon leaving the recuperation department, someone called out to him from behind.

Nathaniel, in a white coat, approached him and looked at Elliot, "Visiting a friend again?" Elliot nervously said yes.

Nathaniel asked if he had eaten. Elliot was about to say that he already had, but Nathaniel said, "I want to talk to you about your friend, Elliot. How can you have such a young friend?"

Elliot knew that people from the Hawthorne family were all suspicious.

Elliot sat in the hospital cafeteria and Nathaniel placed a work meal in front of him, sitting across from him, "Does he know about the little girl you're taking care of?"

Elliot shook his head and looked at Nathaniel expectantly, "He doesn't know. Sophia is pitiable, with no one to care for her. Nathaniel, please don't tell anyone, especially people from the Hawthorne family. If Julian's mother finds out, she won't let me continue taking care of Sophia. Please."

Nathaniel saw that Elliot was about to cry and recalled his colleague's words that Elliot probably wouldn't have children in this lifetime. They thought he was just shifting his affections.

"I won't tell anyone."

Elliot breathed a sigh of relief. Nathaniel said, "Taking good care of your body, maybe you'll have children in the future."

Elliot forced a smile, "You'll see."

Nathaniel said, "Yes," and Elliot continued, "Ever since I married your brother, I knew he might never be interested in me. I used to have some illusions, but now it's true... they're gone."

Nathaniel looked at Elliot sympathetically, and they hadn't interacted much. He only remembered that year his brother got married, Elliot was wearing a white suit, his eyes clear and full of curiosity, like an elf. Now, his eyes were full of exhaustion.

Turns out, affection could really be completely spent.

On Monday, when Elliot went to class, he overheard Isabella talking about investing in a new project - an infrastructure project in the remote District E. She asked if anyone had invested in the project. The others thought she was joking, as District E was a mixed bag, with a low economic status, and they didn't see much potential.

Elliot asked Isabella later, "Can I invest in your project?"

Isabella looked at him in surprise, "Why?"

Elliot pursed his lips, "I want to make money, a lot of money."

"But money doesn't come that easily. Could it be that your husband not only abuses you, but also doesn't let you spend money?" Isabella rolled her eyes.

Elliot shook his head, "No, no domestic violence. We're like this now. I can't bring myself to spend his money. Do you have any ways to make money? I can endure hardship."

Isabella watched him, thought for a moment, and said, "I don't expect a Sterling family's young master to endure hardship. I remember you make good cakes, right? Come with me."

Isabella introduced him to a job of making cakes for the wives who often hold parties.

"Those rich people like to hold parties. The desserts and cakes they buy from the pastry shop are from some well-known cake brands. They are expensive, but they're not as tasty as the ones you make. Next time when there's a party, I'll let you make their desserts. We'll split the profit, seven for you and three for me, or even eight for you and two for me."

Elliot thought Isabella was really kind. She clearly didn't lack money, but she said that just to save face for him.

Elliot's eyes shone, "Seven for me and three for you. Thank you. I will definitely do well. You're a good person. That's probably why so many people like you."

Isabella felt a bit uncomfortable with his praise, "You don't need to be so sincere. Do you know how to cut corners? No one actually cares. Actually, you're different from me. Your husband loves you so much and you have a cute child."

But her tone was uncertain, as if she had little confidence.

"Has your husband mentioned divorce to you?"

Elliot murmured, "He did. I... went through pain and struggle. Actually, it's not his fault. I can't get a divorce."

Isabella scoffed, "You can still go through pain and struggle?"

Elliot nodded, "Julian doesn't like me for a reason. He's seen the most annoying side of me in my life. I really am not a good person."

Isabella looked at him, as if he were an unusual species, "I've never met anyone who says they're not a good person."

Elliot was busy, and he didn't even notice that Julian hadn't returned home for a week, despite not being on a business trip. He usually liked to stay in District A even when he wasn't traveling. Elliot used to like to send Julian messages, asking him to come home for dinner and reminding him to dress properly.

Julian never paid attention to him. As time went on, Elliot stopped asking so much, only asking if he was coming home that night. In the past half a month, he hadn't sent any messages.

As the car drove out of the District A garage, the deputy asked if Julian wanted to have something to eat, since he hadn't had anything the whole evening. Julian pinched the bridge of his nose, "Go home and eat."

Julian had opened another phone, one he rarely used because almost the only person who contacted him was Elliot. Opening the unread messages, the latest one was from half a month ago and he hadn't had any new expenses. He frowned, "What's Elliot been up to lately?"

The secretary suddenly heard this name and immediately realized, "He hasn't been to District A this past while. Maybe he doesn't know you're on a business trip."

"He didn't come to ask for your schedule?"

The secretary said no. She didn't mention that Elliot hadn't contacted him in a long while and that it was actually him who had contacted Elliot this time. It was a long time before he got a reply saying he didn't need to do that anymore. He had even hesitated for a long while. The secretary thought that General Julian had finally gotten rid of Elliot.

Julian was silent for a moment and said, "Oh, that's strange."

That day, Elliot was sitting in a chair, focused on keeping the books. Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders, pulled down his collar, and bit his fair neck.

Elliot trembled, nervously saying, "Julian, is it your Period?"