Chapter 502
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In this lifetime, Alex felt utterly defeated. He had let down his grandfather, his parents, and even Orion. Above all, he owed a tremendous debt to Ellie and the entire Thompson family.
Because of him, Ellie had gone through so much hardship and suffering. To restore her peaceful life, he believed that Ethan must die.
With a fiery anger in his eyes, Alex scanned the crowd around him. Whispers of concern surrounded him–his mother’s desperate pleas and the anxious murmurs of friends filled the air.
With immense effort, Alex turned again to look at Ellie, who was crying and looking his way. His eyes shimmered with tears as an unexpected smile broke across his face, even though he knew her tears were not for him.
He realized that her concern wasn’t about him. Still, in that moment, he let himself believe there was still a place for him in Ellie’s heart–no matter in what form that might be.
The onlookers held their breath; only Ethan’s reckless taunts cut through the heavy tension.
Just as Alex prepared to pull the trigger, Nancy collapsed to her knees. She grasped Alex’s leg, weeping. “Alex, your brother is gone. If anything happens to you, how could your father and I possibly go on living?”
“You must put down that gun immediately.” Nancy frantically struck her son’s leg.
Others rushed in, trying to intervene. “Ellie, you must persuade Alex. If he fires that shot, it could be murder. What will happen to his parents and the Warren Group?”
Dressed in his wedding attire, Layton stepped toward Ellie. She glanced at Alex and her family, then sat firm, unmoved.
“Alex is clearly in a crazy state, but Ellie, you are just as crazy!” Layton exclaimed in frustration, stamping his foot before rushing to plead with Alex.
Ellie lowered her gaze, acutely aware of all the eyes on her. She could hear the murmurs and discussions swirling around, leaving her in a whirlwind of emotions, unable to think clearly.
“Alex, there are countless ways to resolve this. Please don’t act on impulse.” Layton gestured in a way only Alex might ⚫ understand.
Seizing the moment, Nancy cried out. “If you dare pull that trigger, I will kill myself right here.”
With red–rimmed eyes, Alex stood frozen. The gun pressed firmly against Ethan’s heart, stuck in that position for what felt like an eternity. Alex’s chest heaved heavily as he wrestled with a huge decision.
Finally, Alex lowered the weapon, prompting a collective sigh of relief from everyone present. Taking advantage of Alex’s moment of distraction while he bent down to help Nancy, Ethan pushed past a woman and dashed toward the cake tower.
“You can’t escape.” Aaron, Layton, and Barry surrounded Ethan, trapping him. Desperate, Ethan grabbed a long knife meant for cutting the cake.
Suddenly, Quinlee emerged from the crowd, her expression steady. “Since you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness, it’s important to focus on your treatment. Put the knife down, or your parents and sister will never find peace.”
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