The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella and Romeo) novel Chapter 1302

Arabella's eyes widened in surprise. Did she actually have an aunt she didn't know about?

She watched as Mr. Elliot turned a shade of tomato red, the veins in his neck bulging, his eyes about to roll back in his head from the chokehold.

"Enough," Bard's voice cut through the tension like a knife.

He needed to know where his wife was.

How could she possibly be alive?

After all, they had combed through every inch of the land with no trace to be found.

As his henchman released his grip, Mr. Elliot gasped for air, taking a while to catch his breath before he managed to speak. "Sir, your wife fell off the cliff that year, and the sea was below. Sir, you had men searching the waters for over a month, but we never found her body. The truth is, she didn't fall into the sea, but onto a tree. She was badly injured and unconscious, and I took her to Alexander's place."

Hearing this, Bard shot to his feet and ordered the basement door to be flung open.

He stormed in, kicking Mr. Elliot to the ground and grabbing him by the collar in a furious grip. "You knew how much she means to me, and you dared to keep this from me for so long, and even had the audacity to send her away. I should make you regret ever crossing me!"

The thought of his wife being at Alexander's was like a knife to his heart.

Mr. Elliot knew the gravity of his actions, and although he too felt the weight of Bard's sorrow, he was bound to obey.

What the master commanded, he did.

Trembling, Mr. Elliot confessed, "Initially, Alexander only wanted to use your wife as leverage, to threaten you and break you by taking away your beloved. But then he fell for her, and he wouldn't let her go."

"What did you say?" Bard, nearly losing his sanity with rage, clenched his fists, ready to strike.

"But Alexander has respected your wife. He hasn't laid a finger on her, I swear." Mr. Elliot pleaded urgently.

"If she's been harmed in any way, I'll come back and tear you limb from limb!" Bard stormed out of the basement, with Arabella casting a glance at Mr. Elliot before quickly catching up with her uncle.