Billionaire’s Regret After Losing Her (Aurelia) novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Apology?-1

When Eleanor found out Aurelia was in the same hospital, she marched straight to her room.

She walked in just as Aurelia was on the phone.

“Yeah. No mediation. We go straight to court.”

Eleanor’s heart skipped a beat.

Court? Is she really planning to divorce Dominic?

Good. That would be perfect…

Aurelia ended the call as soon as she saw her, her face going

cold.

That look made Eleanor’s temper flare. “Was that a divorce lawyer? You’re divorcing Dominic?”

When she said divorcing, she couldn’t hide the satisfaction in

her voice.

God knew how long she’d been waiting for Aurelia to get out of the Hawthorne family.

An orphan had no business being her daughter–in–law. It was humiliating.

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Aurelia shot her a frosty glance and said nothing

Eleanor snorted and dragged a chair over. “Fine by me. But don’t think you’re taking a single penny of Hawthorne money with you.”

Her voice was sharp, her contempt out in the open.

Aurelia’s lips curved into a thin, mocking smile. “You want me to divorce Dominic that badly? So you can clear the way for

Lauren?”

“You-” Eleanor snapped.

“Sure,” Aurelia went on, cool as ice. “Everyone in New York already thinks he’s going to marry her anyway.

“After all, nobody even knows he’s married to me. A divorce and a quick remarriage would be perfect for you.”

The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable.

Eleanor gave a cold laugh and nodded.

“Exactly. Lauren is a thousand times better than you. Look at you–nothing but a nasty little shrew.”

Eleanor’s anger flared even hotter when she thought about the red handprints on Lauren’s cheeks.

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Lauren had just given birth, and Aurelia had slapped her.

What was going to happen when Marilyn found out?

The more Eleanor stewed on it, the angrier she got.

“I don’t care what you and Dominic do next. But you laying a hand on Lauren? You’re going to apologize to her.”

At the word “apologize,” Aurelia’s eyes went even colder.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Eleanor snapped. “I’m telling you—if you apologize, I might even put in a good word for you with her mother.

“But if you don’t know what’s good for you, then when Marilyn gets back from Germany, even Dominic won’t be able to protect you.”

Eleanor knew how much Marilyn doted on Lauren. If she found out Lauren had been slapped right after giving birth, she would never let it go.

Aurelia gave a dismissive snort, not bothering to answer the threat. Instead, she said with a mocking tilt to her voice, “Do you know who I was just talking to?”

“Some divorce lawyer. I don’t care!” Eleanor flicked her hand like it was nothing. She hoped they could divorce right now. 3/5

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No matter what hotshot lawyer Aurelia hired, Eleanor swore she wouldn’t let her get a cent from the Hawthorne family. Aurelia had married in with nothing, and she’d leave with nothing.

“You’re right, it’s a lawyer,” Aurelia said. “But not a divorce lawyer.”

Eleanor frowned. “Then what kind of lawyer?”

“Copyright infringement.”

“What do you mean?”

Eleanor stared at her, clearly thrown by the words copyright infringement.

“You don’t need to understand,” Aurelia said coolly. “Just tell Lauren. She’ll know what it means.”

“This involves Lauren?” Eleanor’s fury flared all over again. “What are you trying to pull now?”

“Aurelia, have you lost your mind? You’ve been living off the Hawthorne family all these years, and now you want to stir up more trouble?”

That line–living off the Hawthorne family–hit a nerve.

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Aurelia lifted her brows and looked Eleanor straight in the eye.

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“You think I wanted to live off your family?”

“Madam Hawthorne, you’ve got it twisted. I married into this family because your son Dominic chased me for three years, then got down on his knees and begged me to marry him.”

“You-”

“I didn’t throw myself at him. And let’s be real–having you as a cruel mother–in–law all these years? I haven’t gotten a single thing from the Hawthorne family.”

Did she ever want to marry into the Hawthorne family? Wasn’t she painfully aware of the gap between her and Dominic?

He had forced his way into her life, taken over her world. And even after marrying her, he’d never truly protected her.

Eleanor had made her life hell in a thousand different ways.

Because of that, she didn’t owe the Hawthorne family anything. Not a single thing.

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< Billionaire’s Regret After Losing Her

Chapter 8 Apology?-2

Hearing Aurelia show no respect–and call her a cruel mother–in–law again–Eleanor clutched her chest, shaking with

rage.

“You… you’re completely out of line!”

Aurelia gave a tiny nod, said nothing, and just held Eleanor’s gaze, eyes like ice.

Eleanor was practically choking on fury. “You really are an orphan. No manners at all. You don’t even know how to respect your elders.”

“If you haven’t been living off the Hawthorne family, then what exactly have you been living on all these years?”

“Want to check the books?” Aurelia shot back. “Go through Oakridge Estate’s expenses. When you see the real numbers, you might realize you’re the one who owes me money.”

Oakridge Estate was the villa where she and Dominic had lived after they married.

After the wedding, Dominic had given her several credit cards –but Eleanor kept tabs on every single one.

Any time Aurelia spent money, Eleanor would call immediately demanding to know what she’d bought

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Eventually, Aurelia just stopped using them.

Eleanor was so furious she felt lightheaded. “What kind of nonsense is that? Owe you money? Are you out of your mind?”

When Dominic walked in, he saw Eleanor gripping the chair like she needed it to stay upright, while Aurelia sat on the bed, her face pure ice.

Aurelia didn’t even look at Eleanor when she said, “Respect my elders? Are you serious? Setting Dominic aside, what relationship do we even have? What makes you my ‘elder‘? Why should I respect you?”

“You-”

Dominic stepped in, expression cold, the air around him turning heavy.

The second Eleanor saw him, she launched into it. “You see this? Look how she’s talking to me! I’m her mother–in–law, and she’s treating me like this–she’s practically abusing me!”

Dominic’s icy gaze shifted to Aurelia.

Aurelia cut him a sideways look. Her eyes were just as hard, just as cold.

“I’m telling you,” Eleanor pressed on, “she has to apologize to 2/7

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Lauren. This is completely out of line.”

Dominic stared at Aurelia without a word.

But the set of his face made it obvious–he thought the slap had gone too far too.

Aurelia’s lips curved, slow and sharp. “You want an apology? Fine. I’ll apologize.”

Eleanor froze.

“Y–you… you’re agreeing?”

Little bitch–Dominic’s here, and suddenly you remember your place, huh?

“I’ll go right now,” Aurelia said, “and give her a proper apology.”

With that, she threw off the covers and swung her legs out of

bed.

Eleanor had stormed in furious, demanding Aurelia apologize

to Lauren.

And of course–Lauren had been playing the fragile, innocent victim in front of her.

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Eleanor let out a cold snort. “About time you came to your

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senses.”

Aurelia laughed under her breath, then headed for the door.

As she passed Dominic, he caught her arm.

“Enough.”

From the look on her face, it was obvious she wasn’t planning to apologize for real.

Aurelia jerked her arm out of his grip. “Enough of what? If I don’t apologize, is your mother ever going to leave me alone?”

If she couldn’t have peace, then neither would they.

She turned to go. Dominic moved to stop her again, but Eleanor grabbed his arm instead.

“Let her go! After what she pulled today, what’s wrong with making her apologize?” Eleanor shot back. “If she doesn’t, how am I supposed to face Marilyn?”

Marilyn–Lauren’s mother.

She was still in Germany, probably tied up negotiating export deals for the company. If everything went smoothly, she’d be back in a day or two.

Thinking about Lauren’s bruised cheeks, Eleanor’s anger

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spiked again. How was she supposed to explain this to Marilyn?

Dominic turned on her, his expression going ice–cold. The pressure in his stare made Eleanor’s fingers slip off his arm.

“Don’t go see her alone again,” he said flatly.

Eleanor blinked. “What do you mean? I—”

“Lauren has Marilyn backing her. Aurelia doesn’t have anyone. So you think you can just pick on her whenever you feel like it?”

“I-”

Before Eleanor could find an answer, Dominic strode toward the door, cold as ever.

He’d barely taken two steps when the maid looking after Lauren came sprinting down the hall, breathless and panicked.

“Madam Hawthorne! Mr. Hawthorne! You need to come–right now. Mrs. Hawthorne, she… she…”

The sight of her freaked–out face made Eleanor’s heart drop. “What happened?”

“She… she hit Mrs. Lauren Hawthorne again—and she trashed 5/7

the whole room.”

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The maid’s words came out in a rush.

Dominic and Eleanor both went pale.

Without another second, they bolted out of the room.

******

In Lauren’s room at that moment, Aurelia had a fistful of Lauren’s hair at the back of her head, yanking her close. The fury in Aurelia’s eyes was cold and razor–sharp.

Lauren went white at the look on her face. “Are you insane? Let go of me!”

This damn Aurelia–an orphan with no one backing her up.

Where does she get the nerve to treat me like this?

Lauren’s fear was written all over her face. Aurelia’s eyes narrowed. “So? You still want me to apologize?”

“You-”

“You had Eleanor come in there and demand it for you.” Aurelia’s grip tightened. “You really wanted to watch me bow my head to you, didn’t you?”

Lauren sucked in a shaky breath, pain breaking her voice. 6/7

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“L–let… let go!”

“This is my apology,” Aurelia said, her tone flat as ice. “Do you still want it?”

my

head

Playing innocent in front of Eleanor, getting her to come pressure me into apologizing… you want me to bow that badly?

Fine. Then this is how I’ll bow my head from now on.