Chapter 71: Chapter 71

Chapter 71 Edward's Counterattack

Bella was dumbfounded. Her legs went weak. She could not stand still, taking a few steps backward from taking the blow.

If it was not for Edward's quick thinking, Bella might have fallen on the floor after losing her balance. He kept her steady, but she only shook his hand off.

"Bella..." Edward called out softly.

Bella turned away. She could not look at him straight, especially when tears started pooling in her eyes. The pain from the lies and deception she had earned seeped deeply into her heart.

Seeing Bella suffering from pain tugged Becky's heart. She came over and lent her shoulder to lean on while Anna secretly blamed Edward for everything, and Lewis could only watch on the sidelines in silence.

On the other hand, Lanny smiled with so much satisfaction. She knew Bella would not tolerate Edward's lies and was confident she would leave him. That would give her a chance to take him back.

If Edward still happened to be the president of Skytel, nothing and no one would be able to stop her.

Thinking about her plans, the smile on Lanny's face widened. She had gained so much satisfaction from seeing Bella miserable. She regretted not inviting more people and even their parents to witness the show.

"But that's not what truly happened."

Lanny was over the moon until Dr. Leonard continued to speak, breaking her fantasies.

"What?!" Lanny snapped while the others were utterly bewildered.

Bella slowly lifted her head to look at Dr. Leonard, who was already walking toward her. The remorse in his expression was so vivid. He blamed himself for allowing such a thing to happen.

"Dr. Leonard..." Bella whispered hoarsely.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he apologized. "I didn't mean to make you feel this way. It wasn't my intention."

"W-what are you trying to say, Dr. Leonard?" Bella probed, feeling confused.

"As I've said, that's not really what happened," Dr. Leonard reiterated.

"Then are you saying you're lying?"

"No," he replied in an instant. "The truth is that Miss Lanny told me to say all those things by threatening me."

'What?!' Bella gasped in shock and froze for a moment.

Everyone's heads turned in Lanny's direction.

"You old man!" Lanny clenched her fists in anger and marched toward him. "You'll pay for this!"

Dr. Leonard squatted down and raised his hands to protect his head. "No! Please don't hurt me!"

Lanny was so livid. She could not hold her patience any longer. She was about to break the doctor's neck, but David quickly pulled her back before she could cause another embarrassing scene and bring shame to his name.

"You were saying, Dr. Leonard?" Anna urged him to speak up again on behalf of Bella.

After sighing in relief, Dr. Leonard made sure he was safe before standing up. "Miss Lanny came to my clinic yesterday. She told me to come here today and help her with something. I thought it was just an innocent request, but it turned out she wanted me to lie for her," he said. "I told her I would tell Edward about it, but she used force and threatened me to cooperate. I had no choice but to come here, or it might cost me my life."

Dr. Leonard rolled his cuffs, which revealed some bruises on his arms. Everyone felt pity to see how much he suffered from such cruel hands.

"These bruises are all from Lanny," he said.

"This is just wrong in so many ways."

"I can't say I'm surprised. I heard she also bullies her subordinates in the company."

"I can't believe she has almost fooled us. We should stay away from her now."

Lanny was about to argue and deny all those claims, but her husband immediately stopped her.

David had already reached his limits. He knew about Lanny's ways of suppressing her female subordinates at Skytel, using his name to bully other people. She would also leave her work unattended most of the time-coming in late or going out whenever she wanted.

Knowing how scandalous Lanny could get, David patiently cleaned her mess behind the scenes and did not bother reprimanding her, which he truly regretted. He could not afford to have another stain in his name.

"Get out and wait for me in the car," David coldly ordered Lanny.

"What? How dare you-"

"Don't test my patience, woman." David clenched his fists and tried hard to restrain his emotions. "You wouldn't like me mad. You know you don't."

Hearing David's threats, Lanny knew better than to mess with him. She shut her mouth, grabbed her bag, and hurriedly walked out of the house.

The other guests also managed to read the room. They knew the party was over, so they quickly followed Lanny out to go home, leaving Bella, Edward, and David inside.

"What are you still waiting for?" Edward raised a brow at David, who decided to stay.

David took his phone out and showed Edward the photos he had taken at Skytel's restaurant. It was Bella's photo, dining with the president of Skytel alone. He carefully watched Edward's reaction but was disappointed when his expression did not change a bit.

"What do you want me to do with this photo?"

David frowned. "Don't play dumb, Edward. We both know this is not just a normal occurrence. It's enough to show that Bella has a suspicious relationship with the president."

Bella was stunned when she heard David trying to frame her, but Edward quickly stood up for her before she could defend herself.

"How primitive of you, David." Edward chuckled. "They are just merely eating. Not even intimate in the slightest. I think the president values her as a person for allowing her to have a meal with him."

"Stop fooling yourself, dumbass," David grunted dismissively. "You did the same thing with Lanny when you were still a president, didn't you?"

"Well, about that, I acknowledge that I was stupid before for wasting my time on her," Edward said and grinned. "Now, if you don't have anything else to say, you may leave already. Your wife is waiting for you outside."

David's eyes narrowed, feeling a little embarrassed. "Don't tell me I didn't warn you," he said, then spun around to leave finally.

After Edward displayed so much faith in her, Bella was rendered speechless. She moved closer to him and squeezed his hand. She felt slightly guilty for doubting him twice earlier on.

'I need to make up to him,' she thought as she sighed and pushed Edward's wheelchair back to the room.

"Is your leg okay, or are you hurting somewhere?" Bella helped Edward lie down on the bed, concern written all over her face.

"It does...." Edward grimaced.

Bella's eyes widened. "Wait. I'll call Dr. Leonard back to check on-" She was about to get her phone, but Edward pulled her arm to keep her beside him.

Wearing a playful grin, he said, "No need to get him. He needs to rest after all that beating from Lanny."

"But..." Bella bit her lower lip, looking at Edward's leg.

"You can massage it, though," Edward added. "I remember Dr. Leonard telling me that helps relieve muscle pain."

"Okay."

Bella did not hesitate. She sat down and carefully lifted Edward's leg, allowing it to rest on her thighs.

"Oh, I forgot!" Edward caught her hand and guided it to the middle of his thighs. "This also needs a massage."

Bella's heart skipped a beat, and her face instantly flushed. She knew Edward was teasing her, so she quickly pulled her hand out and moved back.

"I-I'll leave you to rest now," she stammered, then left the room in a hurry.