After All the Hurt, She Chose Herself novel Chapter 142

Aria turned and continued toward the back garden.

Most of the guests were mingling in the front hall, leaving the back garden nearly empty.

Under a large banyan tree, Rufus was curled up in his doghouse.

The moment Aria appeared, Rufus seemed to sense her, wagging his tail as he looked in her direction.

He looked a little better than the last time she'd seen him, but he was still chained up.

Furthermore, some of the fur on his belly had been shaved. It was chilly in the late autumn air, and there was nothing in his doghouse to keep him warm.

Aria's heart ached.

Before she could get any closer, she heard footsteps.

"Flora, is that the one that bit you?"

A man arrived in the back garden right after Flora.

Coming from a different direction, they didn't see Aria. When Aria saw the man's face, she instinctively ducked out of sight.

Flora nodded. "But Charles was there to protect me, so I'm fine."

The man's gaze lingered greedily on Flora's face for a moment before he walked over to Rufus and kicked the doghouse with the toe of his shoe.

Rufus scrambled to his feet.

Then, the man kicked the doghouse again, sending it flying. "I'll throw this mutt out tomorrow."

Aria clenched her fists.

She recognized the man—Harold.

By familial rank, he was technically Aria's cousin.

A fortune teller had once said that Harold was destined for wealth and that a good name would only enhance his fortune. That's why the old patriarch of the Brent family had given him that name.

He had also made an exception, allowing this member of a branch family to live in the main Brent estate.

And because of the fortune teller's words, he had acted like a little tyrant ever since he was a child.

He was greedy and lecherous, a trait he'd had since childhood. In elementary school, he bullied female classmates; in middle school, he changed girlfriends like he changed clothes; and by high school, he was already keeping models as mistresses.

Now, it was even worse.

From what she could see, Flora didn't look like someone who was seriously ill at all.

Was she sure Flora hadn't used Lilith's medical records?

"Aria? You're my Aria?!"

"It's all a misunderstanding! What about you? Weren't you arrested?"

The two spoke at the same time.

Harold stared at Aria's delicate face, practically drooling.

He had kept so many beautiful women, but only Aria could mesmerize him instantly.

"Aria, are... are you cold? Why don't I warm you up?"

Harold swallowed hard, his eyes greedily scanning Aria's body.

Aria felt disgusted. The memory of what Harold had once tried to do to her made her stomach turn.

"You really never change, do you? Believe it or not, I can have you thrown in jail, too."