Chapter 1288:
âHarlee, itâs too late. And you promised to help the islanders with grudges take revenge themselves, didnât you?â Tania tried again to catch Harleeâs hand.
Harlee shook off Taniaâs hand and spun around, only to fall into Rhysâ comforting embrace. He enveloped her tightly. âLee, whatâs happening?â Noel was with Rhys.
The moonlight caught the blade of the dagger in Harleeâs grip, casting a chilling, silvery glow.
For a brief moment, Harlee became as rigid as stone. She sank into Rhysâ arms, her complexion ghostly pale. The thought that after Tonyaâs rebirth, Taniaâs body had been violated was unbearable!
âLee,â Rhys caressed her back, his touch a whisper meant to calm her fury. Harlee felt her body grow cold, as if all the warmth had disappeared. She stared vacantly into the distance, consumed by self-blame. She blamed herself, thinking that if only she had founded the company sooner, Tonya might have avoided such horrors.
In that moment, Harleeâs anguish was so profound that it felt as though Tonyaâs suffering had been inflicted on her own body.
Rhys murmured tenderly into her ear, âItâs okay. Iâll be here for you, no matter what.â
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Harlee was speechless, her body leaning feebly against Rhys as she stared into the void. The self-reproach inside her flourished, consuming her entirely. In Harleeâs mind, Tonya should never have endured such humiliation.
Harlee made up her mind. She was going to kill that rapist. She would not let anyone who harmed Tonya live without facing retribution. She was determined to make the rapist suffer for his actions.
Rhys noticed the deep rage in Harleeâs eyes, her essence seemingly drained. He firmly stabilized her, cradling her face in his hands, ensuring she looked directly into his. âHarlee, focus on me.â
Prompted by his command, Harleeâs mind slightly cleared. She gazed up into Rhysâ deep eyes and said casually, âI want to kill the Cliffordâs henchmen.â Though such actions wouldnât undo the past, it didnât mean the guilty could live without fear. They didnât deserve it!
Harlee allowed Rhys to hold her face, her eyes, usually so clear, now clouded with hatred.
Rhys experienced a sharp twinge of sorrow. He didnât know what Tania had told Harlee to trigger such a drastic change, but it wasnât the time to probe. His immediate concern was to soothe Harlee.
âSweetheart, focus on me. Take a moment to settle,â Rhys said gently. âWe can address those responsible now, but let me, Patrick, Robbie, or Noel handle it. Any of us is up to the task. Youâre pregnant. Promise me you wonât tackle this yourself, okay?â
Rhys worried about the potential risks. If not for Harleeâs exceptional resilience and their unborn childâs strong survival instinct, things could have turned out quite differently.
Rhys silently reaffirmed his thoughts and then took Harleeâs hand, his tone sincere as he said, âWhatever you decide, Iâll support you without condition, but your well-being must come first.â
At his mention of the baby, Harleeâs eyelashes flickered. She met his earnest gaze, and her sense of reason returned. With a slight nod, she handed over the dagger. âIâm sorry.â
She tenderly stroked her belly, contemplating her recent emotional instability and her occasional loss of control. After settling this quest for revenge, she planned to return to the Sanderson family estate and seek some peace.
âNo,â Rhys softly brushed her hair from her forehead. âIâm the one who should apologize. If you werenât expecting, you wouldnât need to restrain yourself.â
Noel had attempted to interject several times but hadnât found the right moment. Watching Harleeâs mood gradually stabilize, he chose to stay quiet.
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