Fortunately, Elizabeth Bennet quickly covered her mouth, but she didnt know if Jane Eyre had heard anything from the other side. Thus, she spent a few terrifying minutes until the sound of high heels rang out again, and Jane left the restroom.
"Quite sensible," Mr. Darcy whispered in her ear after they left, his low tone filled with coldness. "To endure for so long, are you negating my abilities? Hmm?"
Elizabeth remained silent, responding with shivers that consumed her entire body.
It was neither here nor there.
She was always the one to be scolded in his heart; no matter how she responded, it would never satisfy him. So, she simply kept quiet.
Unexpectedly, this also angered Mr. Darcy, as if her mere presence ignited his rage. "Vile woman, if it werent for your promiscuity, you wouldnt have been able to endure for so long."
Elizabeth felt wronged, wanting to tell Mr. Darcy that he was the only man she had ever been with in her life, but the explanations that came to her lips were all swallowed back down.
It had been five years, and he had never believed her words, whether it was the accidental night or the fabricated tales spun by Jane, or his disdain for her supposed impurity—more words were futile.
Seeing that she did not speak, Mr. Darcy lost interest, hastily concluding their encounter, and discarded Elizabeth like a worn-out doll.
As he tidied his clothes, he commanded, "Go and change into a clean set of clothes. Dont let anyone at my engagement banquet see my fiancées sister in such a state."
Even now, all he cared about, thought about, and cherished was Jane.
Although Elizabeth did not show it, the bitter smile tugging at the corner of her mouth betrayed her.
Mr. Darcy did not even glance at her again as he turned and left the restroom.
Little did he know, Elizabeth had no clean clothes to change into; even the dress she was wearing was one that Jane had left behind, forced upon her by command before they left the house.
Elizabeth squatted on the ground, massaging her weak legs, and after a long while, she got up and went out. She faced the mirror to straighten the clothes that had been twisted by him, washed her face, and only when she thought she was presentable did she leave the restroom.
The engagement party was still in full swing, with Mr. Darcy and Jane snuggled up together, receiving blessings from all directions.
"You wretched girl, where have you been! Behave yourself at such an important event! If you ruin your sisters engagement ceremony, I wont let you off!" Mrs. Bennet scolded her harshly before moving on to mingle with the business tycoons with her glass of wine.
Elizabeth, on the other hand, hid in a corner, quiet as if she were invisible, standing and watching.
On the other side, Mr. Darcy saw her emerge and couldnt help but glance at her a few times.
After the intense encounter, her evening gown was slightly misshapen, and the already scant fabric became even more revealing.
Her nearly perfect figure had the power to captivate, easily igniting the primal flames within a mans heart.
Mr. Darcys eyes cooled a few degrees.
What an indecent woman!
At that moment, Jane also perfectly captured his gaze and followed it to see the bothersome woman.
She had felt something was off earlier when Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth had disappeared at the same time, only to emerge one after the other from the restroom...
She knew Elizabeth was restless; she had actually tried to seduce her fiancé at the engagement ceremony! It was utterly shameless!
A flash of malice crossed her eyes before it vanished, replaced by a look of tenderness that could melt the coldest of hearts.
"Darcy, lets go over there and greet them. Weve been at the party for so long and havent yet offered a toast to my sister," Jane cooed, playfully tugging at his arm.
Mr. Darcy paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile.
The two approached Elizabeth with glasses of wine. Jane, uncharacteristically affectionate, put her arm around her and smiled sweetly, "Sister, why are you here all by yourself? Where is mother?"
"Over there," Elizabeth pointed in the direction of Mrs. Bennet, speaking coldly with her head down.
Janes thoughts were not on this, however. A smirk played at the corner of her lips as her hand moved across Elizabeths back.
Elizabeth felt a sudden chill at the small of her back, and her gown fell away in an instant, drawing the attention of everyone present.
Almost at the same moment, a black suit jacket enveloped her.
"Thank you, Edward," she whispered her gratitude, her eyes inadvertently flicking towards the tall figure by her side.
Edward Cullen looked at her quivering eyelashes, his eyes flashing with heartache.
"Sister, how could you... let others laugh at you like this!" Jane feigned embarrassment, scolding her with a look of distress.
At this moment, Elizabeth finally understood the purpose behind Janes insistence that she wear this dress before leaving the house.
"If it werent for you tampering with it, how could this have happened to me!" Elizabeth looked at her, her eyes filled with resentment.
Jane, hearing this, seemed on the verge of tears, "Sister, it was you who insisted on taking my dress to wear. I told you that this dress hadnt been worn for a long time, but you wouldnt listen and even hit... How can you blame me for this?"
"You!" Elizabeth was so angry she trembled.
Before she could retort, another voice rang out, cold and biting: "Elizabeth Bennet! Did you dare to hit her? Want to die!"
Mr. Darcys dark eyes seemed to hide a murderous intent; if his gaze could turn into a blade, she would have been torn apart at that moment.
"I havent touched a hair on her head," Elizabeth stood her ground, fed up with the situation.
"Are you saying Jane is lying?" His eyes grew colder.
Jane had always been gentle and graceful, while the cunning and peculiar Elizabeth Bennet was the one whose words couldnt be trusted!
No, it should be said that at any time, he only believed in Jane.
SLAP!
A loud slap instantly silenced all of Elizabeths words.
The one who hit her was her own mother.
"You wretched girl! Why did I even give birth to you! Look at what youve done to your sister!" Mrs. Bennet dragged her by the hair, ignoring the torment she had just been through, and pulled her to Janes room.
It was only then that Elizabeth saw who had just doused her with water and pulled her by the hair—it was her mother.
"You little slut! Why did I even bring you into this world! Look at what youve done to your sister!" Mrs. Bennet threw her to the side of the bed, forcing her to look at Janes wounds.
Those scratches looked horrifying, but they were not half as deep as the shards embedded in Elizabeths knees.
"How can you be so shameless? If it werent for you seducing Darcy, your sister wouldnt be in this state now! If it werent for the fact that I almost died giving birth to you, I would have torn you into pieces to feed the dogs!"
Mrs. Bennets scolding pierced Elizabeths heart, but she was already numb to the pain.
She just laughed at herself in her heart, wondering why she didnt have the courage to die, laughing at herself for still not being able to let go of someone despite her heart being dead and ashes.
"Mother, dont blame sister. I believe she didnt do it on purpose," Janes voice rang out in time, so gentle and understanding.
But Elizabeth knew very well that it was Jane who stepped on her foot and pulled her towards the shards.
But how vicious her heart was, even if it meant leaving her back scarred, she would also frame her.
"I think youre deliberately doing this! Jane, youre too kind, and this is how you end up getting the short end of the stick! How many times has your sister harmed you over the years!" Mrs. Bennet looked at her with soft affection, completely opposite to the cold disgust she showed towards Elizabeth.
At this time, Jane held her hand, "Mother, I want to talk to my sister alone, can you go out for a while?"
Mrs. Bennet was very reluctant but agreed in the end. Before leaving the room, she kicked Elizabeth hard, warning her not to hurt Jane!
As soon as the door closed, only the two of them were left in the room.
Elizabeth sat on the ground, staring at her, the wounds on her arms and knees were torn open, seeping blood.
But Jane seemed completely unharmed, and just now she was still lying on the bed, weak and lifeless, but now she got out of bed, standing straighter than anyone else.
"Sister, how does it feel to be wronged by everyone?"