Chapter 4

Elizabeth no longer had any alternative choices. Forcing herself to her knees, she lowered her head and said, "Are you happy now, Ms. Gallagher?" Upon witnessing the humiliation on Elizabeth's face, Courtney finally smiled in satisfaction. Yet instead of handing the watch back to her, she lifted her arms higher and hurled it down the stairs. Elizabeth's breath hitched as she lunged forward in a frantic attempt to save the watch. But in her haste, she accidentally collided with Courtney, who lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs. It was a horrifying sight as blood instantly bloomed across Courtney's head. Coincidentally, Spencer was there to witness the tumbling and rushed forward in panic. "What happened?" Courtney leaned into his embrace, her eyes reddened as she distorted the truth, claiming that she had accidentally damaged Elizabeth's watch, and the latter, in a fit of anger, pushed her down the stairs. A thin veil of anger darkened Spencer's usually impassive face. "You raised a hand against her over a watch? Have I spoiled you too much all these years, Elizabeth?" he questioned. That frigid look in his eyes pierced her, filling her with wrenching sorrow. Clenching her chest against the ache, she tried to clarify. "Mr. Cooper, she was the one who forced me—" "That's enough!" Spencer didn't let her finish her thought. His fury snapped through the air as he cut her off with a voice that brooked no protest. He summoned his bodyguards on the spot and ordered them to lock her in the freezer as punishment. Then, without giving her another glance, he carried Courtney away. With her hands and feet secured by several bodyguards, Elizabeth was forcibly escorted directly to the walk-in freezer. In the freezer's subzero temperatures, Elizabeth huddled in a corner as layers of hoarfrost crystallized on her body. Her body was shivering uncontrollably as if her blood had already begun to congeal in her veins. Each second felt like an eternity of agony. Clutching the worn-out watch in her frozen hands, Elizabeth's mind was flooded with memories of the happiness she once shared with her parents. From the swirling depths of her subconscious, the faint creak of a door drifted in, stirring her just enough to force her heavy lids open to a blurred gaze. A figure approached through the frost-laced air. Instinctively, she called out to her mother. Her voice trembled as she murmured, "I fell in love with the wrong person, Mom… I regret it…." Upon hearing Elizabeth's quiet murmur, Spencer's brows furrowed. He instinctively stepped forward while staring down at her and asked, "What did you say? Regret what?" However, she no longer had the strength to respond as darkness gradually closed in around her. Soon, the world slipped away from her consciousness. It was unclear how much time had passed before she woke again, but this time, she was in a hospital. The moment her eyes fluttered open, her gaze landed on Spencer sitting by her bedside. He reached out to touch her and asked, "You're awake. Are you feeling better?" The memories of what had happened that night before she fainted came rushing back. Elizabeth shut her eyes and instinctively shrank from his touch. She shakily asked, "Where's my watch? Please return it to me, Mr. Cooper." Spencer studied her closely. Only when he was sure that she was unharmed did he finally retrieve the repaired watch and hand it to her. "You're so attached to this watch. I had it fixed. You attacked someone, and I punished you. Let's call it even. There's no need to dwell on it." He sighed. Elizabeth nearly broke down in tears when her father's keepsake was returned to her. But she suppressed her emotions and stared at Spencer. "Mr. Cooper, I never meant to dwell on anything. All these years we've been together, it has always been a matter of mutual need. I can't and shouldn't ask anything of you. From now on, I'll remember my place. I won't overstep again." For reasons he couldn't explain, the sight of her appearance sparked a surge of irritation in Spencer's chest. His voice instantly turned cold as he snapped, "Are you sulking? Or drawing a line between us?" But unlike before, Elizabeth no longer appeared shaken by his threatening coldness. Her voice remained calm as she replied, "I'm not sulking. I'm just stating the truth. As for drawing a line… perhaps I am. After all, very soon, I…" Spencer's complexion darkened with every word she spoke. He was just about to speak when a call from Courtney came through, saying, "Spencer, I made a reservation at this amazing restaurant. Will you come with me?"