Araceli POV
Perhaps it was because his eyes were so burning that I had an uneasy feeling.
I turned my head and walked toward the porch.
Valeria looked at me with a puzzled look in her eyes.
"Sweetheart, we can go back tonight and ask Mr. Elford..."
I stood up and turned back in a feigned bemusement, right into Raphael's deep and confused eyes.
Why was he looking at me with such a look?
My heartbeat suddenly picked up.
I pursed my lips and said, "I'm going to go make sandwiches for the kids."
With that, I turned around and went to the kitchen.
Raphael lowered his eyes.
I don't know why, but it was obvious that I was avoiding him.
He pursed his lips, got up and went upstairs into the study.
Only Essel and Valeria were left in the living room.
Valeria was drawing on the table, and Essel sat next to her, taking a pen and paper out and drawing with Valeria. They laughed and discussed the drawing.
Suddenly, the door was pushed open.
I thought it was a servant, so I didn't care. But at that moment, a wind hit me.
I heard the sound of something breaking, and when I looked back, I saw that the painting I had painted earlier had fallen to the ground. The picture frame had been shattered.
Valeria was tipped over. She was sitting on a stool, caught off guard, and fell. Valeria fell to the floor with a cry of pain.
I jerked back and saw Melany and Valeria lying on the floor. Essel had frozen in place in shock and had even forgotten to cry out.
"Get out! How dare you touch my painting?"
Melany shouted in anger. She raised her hand and slapped it hard.
"Vallie!"
Essel was stunned. I saw her subconsciously lunge forward and take Valeria into her arms.
I rushed over to her.
My mind went blank for a moment.
"Slap!"
A resounding slap to Essel's face.
The sound of the slap reverberated through the living room, and Melany snapped to attention.
I rushed over, pushed Melany away, and hugged Essel.
The sound of the door opening and the sound of footsteps came from upstairs.
I gritted my teeth, looked up slightly, and glanced.
Raphael pushed open the door to the study and came downstairs.
An icy chill settled in his eyes.
He took one step down the stairs. The cold air spread in all directions.
"I'm sorry, Essel. I didn't mean to..."
Melany's voice was shaking. She reached out with a shaking hand to touch Essel's slightly red and swollen face.
Just as Melany's hand reached over, she was bitten by Essel.
"You bad woman! Get out of my house! Get out!"
Essel pushed Melany away with force.
Valeria pulled Essel's clothes and touched Essel's face with her hand.
Essel's violent emotions suddenly calmed down. She held Valeria's hand, and there were crystal tears in her eyes.
I looked at Melany.
Melany looked confused, as if she didn't know what she did.
I looked up and saw Raphael walking down step by step.
Melany was instantly terrified of the core. She blinked her eyes and let the tears fall.
Melany cried, "Raphael, I really didn't mean it! I didn't mean to slap Essel... I'm so sorry..."
"And who did you mean to slap in the first place?"
Raphael came over to me, his voice covered in chills.
Even a chill crawled up my back.
Melany's tears were pouring down her face. Teardrops kept dripping onto the floor. She was trembling with sobs and her face was red.
Essel's voice was thick with contempt. "Get out!"
Melany froze and looked at Essel with a sinister and hateful look in her eyes.
She looked at Raphael and immediately pretended to be soft, biting her lip and explaining, "I don't like it when someone messes with my things without my permission. I painted this picture when I was a child. To me, it represents a very precious memory. Raphael, I promise I really didn't mean to..."
Raphael's face turned even colder.
He lowered his eyebrows and whispered, "I don't like it when people barge into my house without my permission either."
He glanced at Melany. "Maddox, take Ms. Melany home."
Melany's eyes widened.
She said hurriedly, "Raphael, are you kicking me out? Why? Are you going to kick me out because of this little girl? I didn't do anything wrong! This is my painting!"
Raphael looked up at Melany with a cold look in his eyes.
He sneered, turned around, grabbed a cup of tea and drizzled it on the painting.
Melany's eyes widened again. "Raphael, what are you doing? This is my painting..."
"This painting has long belonged to me, and it has nothing to do with you." Raphael's voice carried a strong tone of disgust. "Since you say this painting is yours, there is no need for it to stay in my house anymore. Maddox, throw this painting out."
Two bodyguards immediately walked in, picked up the painting on the floor, and headed out.
Melany's eyes widened in disbelief. She snapped her head around and looked at me.
"Raphael, are you in love with Araceli?" Melany questioned coldly, "So you're kicking me out, right?"
Raphael's patience was running out and glanced coldly at Melany.
"Don't you realize what you've done wrong?"
Maddox came over and whispered, "Ms. Melany, please leave. I'll take you home."
"Who are you to kick me out?" Melany directed all her anger at Maddox, yelling, "I'm Micah and Essel's mother! Raphael, if you're going to kick me out, I'm going to take my children! You'll never see them again!"
Valeria was gently stroking Essel's already red and swollen face. She froze immediately upon hearing these words.
Valeria looked up and stared incredulously at Melany, then back at Essel.
The next moment, Valeria withdrew her hand and took several steps back.
Melany and Raphael look at each other.
Raphael's deep eyes were filled with hostility.
He sneered, "Are you sure you can take them away, Melany? Otherwise, you know what I'll do. Like I said, don't provoke me over and over again..."
Melany was visibly stunned.
"Raphael, you said you'd accept me, but just now you're kicking me out... I'm really afraid that I'll never see my children again..."
"That's enough," Raphael said coldly, "Maddox, what are you standing there for? Get her out of here!"
Maddox nodded and stopped in front of Melany.
"Ms. Melany, if you don't leave, I'll have the bodyguards come over."
Melany stood still, unmoving.