Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 434: Schadenfreude

Chapter 434: Schadenfreude

Ella looked up at Eric, her body trembling slightly. Slowly, she lowered her gaze. "Eric, I’m sorry..." she whispered.

Eric’s eyes burned with anger, and he roared in pain, "Why didn’t you ever tell me the truth? Do you even think of me as your husband, Ella? Do you have any idea... how much I hate being lied to? How much I hate being played for a fool?"

Luke quickly stepped in front of Eric, blocking his view of Ella. "Eric, that’s enough! Look at her—she’s already like this, and you’re still shouting? Do you think she wanted any of this? She’s facing something so huge, and you, as her husband, didn’t notice anything. Isn’t that the most ironic thing of all?"

Lucas’s face darkened as he barked, "Luke, enough!"

The bodyguards stationed nearby discreetly moved aside, and the nurses waiting to enter the room froze in place, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.

Even the head nurse outside could hear Eric’s furious shouting.

"And who are you to speak? Get out of the way. This is between me and my wife!" Eric snapped, pushing Luke aside.

Lucas pulled Luke back, and Ella remained motionless on the bed, clutching the sheets tightly. Her lips trembled as she bit down hard, her eyes red with unshed tears.

"Ella, you... you’ve let me down so much," Eric said, his voice breaking. "To you, I’m nothing. Everyone else knew about your condition, but I... I was the last to know."

With that, Eric turned abruptly and stormed out of the room.

Ella immediately pulled the blanket over her head, hiding her face as her body began to tremble uncontrollably beneath it.

Lucas rushed over and gently patted her. "Ella, don’t be upset... His reaction is normal. Give him some time, and he’ll forgive you."

Luke, his fists clenched, gritted his teeth and stormed out of the room. Out in the corridor, he punched the wall, a sharp pain radiating from his hand.

In the hospital room, Ella’s labored breathing could be heard from under the blanket. Lucas sighed heavily and continued patting her back, saying nothing.

Mia, on the other hand, had turned into a sobbing mess, tissues piling up in the trash can as if she were the one who had fallen ill and miscarried, not Ella.

By the next morning, the details of the incident had spread like wildfire across forums and newspapers.

Some rumors claimed Eric had stormed out of Ella’s hospital room, enraged by her deception.

Others alleged that Ella not only miscarried but had also been hiding the fact that the child wasn’t Eric’s—it was Luke’s!

The media frenzy seemed designed to push Ella to the brink.

Another popular thread claimed Ella was suffering from a mid-stage brain tumor and had no more than three years left to live.

On the third day, an anonymous post shared a leaked CT scan with Ella’s name on it. Any doctor looking at the scan could confirm the presence of a sizable tumor in her brain.

Cruel commenters flooded the internet, mocking Ella and claiming this was her karma.

No matter how much good someone does in the world, there will always be people who doubt, criticize, and tear them down.

For several consecutive days, Ella and Eric dominated the headlines.

Eric, refusing to visit Ella in the hospital, took to Twitter with a cryptic post:

Eric:I despise lies. I believe every tragedy stems from deception. Those who have deceived me will no longer share my world.

The tweet sparked a storm of speculation among fans.

An overwhelming 99.9% of them believed Eric would divorce Ella.

Many expressed sympathy for Eric, painting him as a victim who had done everything for Ella, only to be betrayed—especially with the rumors that the child wasn’t even his.

Amelia and others, furious over the tabloid gossip, tried to visit Ella, only to find her refusing to see anyone.

On the seventh day after the news of Ella’s miscarriage broke, a photo surfaced showing Eric exiting Ella’s hospital room with a tense expression, holding what appeared to be divorce papers.

The image ignited another wave of speculation, with countless people assuming that Eric had abandoned Ella.

An anonymous source even claimed to have passed by Ella’s room and heard heart-wrenching cries coming from inside.

Despite all this, the relentless criticism from obsessive fans continued unabated. Even though Ella had done nothing to harm them, they mercilessly attacked her every day.

The turmoil took a toll on HopeCore Group’s stock prices, wiping out $5 billion in market value.

Carter Group Headquarters.

At the dining table, Julia chuckled gleefully as she spoke to Frank. "Have you been following the entertainment news lately? Ha! That wild girl Ella got dumped by Eric!"

Frank, who rarely paid attention to such matters, frowned at Julia’s comment.

"That doesn’t seem likely. Eric practically worshipped that girl, treating her like the most precious thing in the world. Divorce? I don’t buy it."

"You men just don’t get it," Julia said smugly. "Some men are fickle, especially when they’re married to a woman like Ella."

Sitting nearby, Leah—her pale face bearing a triumphant smile—added, "I heard she’s dying. Haha! All that wealth and the perfect man in her hands, and she can’t even enjoy it!"

Leah, who had recently been released after serving two years in prison for the teacher scandal, had been free for over two months now.

The painful Chapter of her incarceration was behind her, but Frank still cast her a skeptical glance. "Regardless, don’t go stirring up trouble with that girl again. I’ve always felt... she’s too cunning. Nothing about her situation ever seems straightforward."

Leah scoffed. "Dad, don’t you remember? That old woman in her family died of the same illness. She relapsed twice before passing away! It’s only a matter of time for Ella."

Though Leah hadn’t seen Ella in her current state, the mere thought filled her with an inexplicable thrill. Her jealousy toward Ella had always bordered on madness.

"Either way, stay out of her business," Julia cautioned, mulling over Frank’s words. "Carter Group has already declined so much. With Sean paralyzed from his stroke and the family barely holding together, we can’t afford more trouble. The eldest son is still abroad, but he’s spineless and won’t defend the family. If you go stirring the pot, Leah, I worry that woman might come after you."

Leah nodded. "I understand. I won’t provoke her. Still, seeing all the hate directed at her online is so satisfying!"

Julia sneered. "With the way things are going, people won’t have much time left to insult her anyway. She’ll be gone soon enough. But Leah, mind your words. We don’t want people thinking that Carter Group has become utterly uncouth since its decline."

Julia’s reprimand seemed hypocritical, given her history of sharp and cruel remarks toward Ella in the past.

Leah, however, was in too good a mood to care. "Got it, Grandma!"

Frank remained unconvinced. Ella had crossed paths with the Carter Group many times before, and each time, she had pulled off the unexpected.

Still, he thought grimly, no matter how clever Ella might be, brain cancer was a battle she couldn’t win. Even with tricks up her sleeve, what was the point if she didn’t have long to live?