The Plane Tickets He Hoarded The Wife He Hid novel Chapter 224

224 Chapter 224 A Price For

Perfume

Blanche’s POVO

Amara screamed at the department head through her phone before slamming it down hard.

She hurled her phone onto my hospital bed, but when she looked at me, worry replaced her anger. She pulled me close and said, “What an absolute asshole. We’re done with this place. Fuck that job.”

Getting torn apart by management was nothing new for doctors–I’d stopped caring about it years ago.

But seeing how fiercely Amara defended me made my eyes burn with unexpected tears.

Right then, my phone buzzed to life.

Amara figured the hospital was calling me back and grabbed my phone, ready to tear them apart. But when she saw the caller ID, her rage melted away instantly.

21:54

1/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

She passed the phone to me. “It’s Amber.”

My stomach dropped at Amber’s name.

Panic shot through me, cold and sharp.

Was Amber calling because she’d already discovered something?

My hands shook as I answered. “Hello, Amber.”

But instead of confrontation, Amber’s voice was soft and warm. “Are you coming home for dinner tonight? I’m back today, so I thought I’d cook for you. I

remember how much you love rabbit and shrimp balls, so I’m making those.”

Amber’s gentle words hit me like a punch to the chest, and tears spilled down my face before I could stop

them.

I bit my lip hard, terrified she’d hear me crying.

When I didn’t respond, Amber called out softly,

“Blanche?”

I forced myself to breathe steady and answered through pressed lips. “Amber, I can’t make it home tonight.”

21:54

2/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

Worry crept into her voice immediately. “What’s

wrong? Are you having problems at work? Is someone bothering you?”

“No, nothing like that,” I said. “I just have to pull an all–nighter.”

Her tone turned gentle again. “It’s been so long since you’ve been home. I, along with your brother, Camila, and your parents miss you terribly. They’re always asking about you.”

I choked back a sob, slapping my hand over my mouth to muffle it. Through gritted teeth, I managed, “Amber, I’ll be home in a few days. I have to go–the patient’s family needs me.”

I hung up before she could say goodbye, my heart hammering against my ribs.

After ending the call, I grabbed the apple Amara had peeled and bit into it mindlessly.

I kept eating, but the tears wouldn’t stop–they just kept streaming down no matter what I did.

Seeing me like this made Amara’s face twist with pain.

21:54

3/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

My bruises hadn’t faded overnight–they’d turned darker and more vicious.

Whoever did this to me hadn’t held back one bit.

After finishing the apple, I wiped my hands clean with a tissue.

Finally, I picked up my phone again.

After unlocking it, I dialed the police station.

A man’s voice answered after several rings. “Hello.”

I cut straight to it. “This is Blanche–I called in a report in the early morning hours. I wanted to know if you’ve reviewed the surveillance footage yet.”

A pause, then he replied, “We looked, but there’s still

no concrete evidence. We can’t arrest someone without solid proof.”

My patience shattered. “You keep crying about evidence, but what about these bruises all over my body? How do you explain those?”

The officer’s voice dripped with condescension. “Well, what if you inflicted those on yourself?”

21:54

4/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

I lost it, screaming into the phone, “Are you fucking insane? Why would I beat myself up?”

He snorted with sarcasm. “If you’re not mentally ill, then why are you in the hospital?”

I was so stunned I stopped crying altogether. A cold, hollow laugh escaped me–nothing left but exhaustion and bitter defeat.

I’d heard enough bullshit, so I hung up.

No wonder Ophelia, Kaden, and Ashlee had attacked me right there in the hospital–they must’ve planned their cover–up beforehand.

Calling the cops had been completely pointless.

Amara caught every word of my conversation with the police, her eyes turning cold as steel. “Blanche, here in Oakwood, influence trumps justice. Going to the authorities won’t solve anything—you know that.

Some things need to be handled behind closed doors. Just tell me who put their hands on you.”

My brow furrowed with worry, and I hesitated, fear flickering in my eyes. “Amara, I don’t want you getting

21:54

5/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

mixed up in this.”

Amara scoffed, clearly fed up. “Let me guess–the Jacob family? I don’t give a shit about them.”

I wanted to argue, but Amara turned away, her voice steel. “Blanche, I might not be able to make the Jacob family grovel at your feet, but I can damn sure make them pay.”

Amara knew she didn’t have that kind of clout herself,

but someone else did.

Amara looked determined, so I gave up trying to change her mind.

I spent the entire day stuck in bed, doing nothing but staring at the ceiling and watching time crawl by.

At least with Amara beside me, the weight in my chest felt a little lighter, the loneliness not quite so crushing.

That evening, Amara said she needed to go back and catch up on her missed livestream.

I had no reason to object, so I just nodded. “Okay.”

I agreed out loud, but inside, fear was already coiling tight in my stomach.

21:54

6/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

Amara sensed my anxiety and quickly reassured me, “I’ll just stream from the bathroom here, so I can stay close and won’t leave you alone.”

Only then did my rigid shoulders relax slightly, letting out a shaky breath.

I’d been awake all night, jumping at every noise, my heart racing with terror every single minute.

Tonight, I just wanted–needed–not to feel that paralyzing fear again.

Even with Amara streaming just a few feet away in the bathroom, I couldn’t shake the dread creeping through my chest.

I stared at the hospital room door, every muscle coiled tight and my nerves stretched to breaking,

half–expecting someone to kick it in any second.

Meanwhile, Amara had her livestream going in the bathroom, casually telling her viewers, “Sorry, no video tonight–something came up.”

On the other side of the stream, Kingsley relaxed with

21:54

7/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

a glass of red wine, lazily swirling it in his fingers.

After taking a slow sip, he let his eyes drift to the phone screen, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he watched Amara’s broadcast.

Just then, a flood of scrolling comments rushed by- one particularly disgusting one caught his attention.

“Streamer, how many gifts do I need to send for a night with you?”

Most streamers would’ve ignored such a vile comment, but not Amara. She looked directly at it, then read it aloud in a mocking tone, milking the joke for everything it was worth.

After reading it, she flashed a sly smile and answered seriously, “So your name’s Vincent, right? I heard you’ve got major beef with Zain here in Oakwood. Tell you what–if you can steal away one of those huge projects he’s invested years and millions into, then maybe, just maybe, I’ll think about meeting you offline. Who knows, I might even let you get close enough to smell my perfume.”

When Kingsley heard Amara degrade herself like that,

21:54

8/10

224 Chapter 224 A Price For Perfume

he didn’t cringe or look disgusted. Instead, the corner of his mouth curved up in faint amusement.

Most people probably wouldn’t grasp the deeper meaning behind Amara’s words, but Kingsley understood immediately.

Zain was one of Oakwood’s most powerful players- who would dare cross him? Who even could?

With this response, Amara not only shut down the creep’s advances but also gave him a subtle rejection.

Still, phrasing it that way made her seem a bit too available—like if someone actually pulled it off, she’d really follow through.

Thinking about it, Kingsley smirked and drained the rest of his wine in one gulp.

Then, he glanced down at Amara’s face on the screen, let out a quiet chuckle, and said to himself, “Actually, I think I might give it a shot.”

21:54