Chapter 372: Statement of Willingness

The questions wouldn’t stop circling her brain. ’Rose forced Aaron to fight with Stuart. She pushed him into a corner, and he had no choice. He was to get rid of Stuart, or she would make his life miserable. How could a mother do this? Did she even love her son?’

After a while, Edie mustered the courage to speak. "You still love your brother? Don’t you? Feelings can be complicated. You may see something as right, but actually, it’s wrong. Emotions can make our experience in life harder, but it also makes it more interesting. It can provoke pleasant or unpleasant feelings. You were raised to hate Stuart, without even acknowledging how much you cared for him. Otherwise, why would you paint all these pictures of Stuart?"

Childe shivered because of all the facts, and all the reasons made no difference anymore. He could hear Edie’s words, and he could follow the logic of what she said. ’It’s the damn truth, but I will never admit it. I’ve lied to myself all these years, and it takes Edie to point it out to me. How does she see it and not me?’ His brain wouldn’t stop dissecting each sentence. With no expression on his face, he looked at the paintings. He was trying to find proof of what Edie was saying. "I don’t know," he said. His voice was so low she almost couldn’t hear him. "I spent all of my time and energy trying to destroy my enemy. All these years, I’ve been searching with no results." He raised his eyebrows and smiled his best evil smile and looked directly at Edie. "It doesn’t make any sense. If I cared about him, why would I do such horrible things to him? So, in the end, you will be the one who destroys him."

Edie didn’t want to push him into anything, but Childe had to face the truth, no matter how unpleasant it was. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, her mind went over the last words he said to her. She clenched her fists and fought not to cry. When she finally had reasonable control, she spoke, her voice constricted with hurt, "What did you mean when you said, in the end, I will be the one who destroys Stuart?"

Childe laughed in her face. "You’ve already done it," he said.

"What are you talking about? You kidnapped me, remember?" Edie was completely confused.

"There was a meeting at the L. N. Group yesterday. I don’t need to explain, have a look for yourself," he said as he threw the papers at her.

The papers fell on the floor in front of her. The black letters jumped out at her. "Statement of Willingness....." She was almost too terrified to keep reading. "Relinquishing Inheritance Rights."

"There’s no putting a price tag on you. You’re priceless to him, but you’re also his Achilles’ heel. Do you understand?" Childe explained.

"I....." Edie tried to speak, but nothing came out.

"You don’t need to be with him. I can give you whatever you want. I know you don’t like rich families and how they scheme against one another. You won’t have that. All you have to do is leave Stuart. He has nothing left, and I have everything. He is now at my mercy, and if you stay with him, you will slowly be watching him die. I’ll take you away from all of...."

Edie abruptly interrupted him. "He....has nothing?" Her eyes were filled with concern and confusion.

Childe looks at Edie and tries to figure out what she’s thinking. ’Why does she look upset? She’s Mrs. Yates, and she should be feeling sorry for herself.’ He cleared his throat, but his voice was husky and deep when he spoke. "Why would you still want to be married to him?" Then he turned to her, his voice so low she could barely hear it. "You will not only be in danger, but you will also lose everything. But if you come with me..."

Edie started screaming at him. "Childe Yates, you have what you’ve always wanted." She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "Now, let me go. Stuart needs me," she replied in a weak but firm voice.

Then, as his eyes widened, the realization hit him. "What did you say?" A cold shiver rolls down his spine, and his heart starts pounding.

"If I leave him, he will die by your hand. Right? He’s my husband, and I won’t leave him." Edie kept up the same resolute tone and continued. "Who are you to judge us? It’s not your decision if I am the one who will ruin him. As long as he wants me, I won’t leave him." She had distinctly pronounced those short decisive sentences.

"I don’t understand the rules of the Yates’ family, but I do know that it’s been hard for both of you. I am beginning to understand you, and now it’s time for you to understand me. If Stuart doesn’t want me to leave, then I will stay. But he wants to leave me because of what he’s lost, then that’s my fate, and I’ll accept it. No matter what happens, it’s none of your business." Edie spoke softly and authoritatively in a complete, precise sentence.

Childe clenched his fists. "You have no idea what you’re saying," he said in a bewildered voice. "He has nothing left, and you want to die with him? Are you not afraid to die?" He was roaring with anger. "Why can’t you understand?" He could feel tears well up inside, but he would never let Edie see him cry.

Edie looked at him with a willful determination, and her eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed. "I’m not afraid of death, and I will never leave him."

"How deep your love is for him. Since you will not leave him, there will be consequences to your actions. Let that last sentence sink deep into your heart." Slowly, Childe calmed down. Then he looked directly at Edie, and his demeanor changed, he seemed irritated. As he got ready to walk away, he opened his mouth as if to speak, but said nothing.

As Childe walks away, Edie asked anxiously, "When are you going to let me go home?"

Childe gets a crazy look on his face. "Are you serious? Let you go! I’m keeping you here. Stuart will suffer, and so will you." His voice was cold, without emotion. "His life is going to be a living hell, just like mine was."

Edie watched him leave. She knew Childe was going to do something, but she had no idea what, that really scared her.

Childe returned to the castle, and someone was waiting for him. "What are you doing here?" Childe asked.

"Your family sent me to pick you up. Come with me, the helicopter is outside," said a fully armed Englishman.

Childe frowned as he quickly looked around. "Where’s Stuart?" he asked.