#Chapter 280: The Ultimatum

Ella’s POV “Fifty million dollars or I have to go back to Stormhollow as an Omega servant?” I breathed. “Those are his terms.” Jane folded her arms. Her expression was pale and grim; I knew that look all too well because it was one I’d seen in the mirror many times. It was a look that said that my father hadn’t left any room for negotiation. I looked at Alexander. “We have to do something. We can’t just leave my mom there.” “I know,” Alexander replied tightly. “I’ll start making calls. See how quickly I can pull together the money.” “But we don’t have fifty million,” I said. “Do we?” He hesitated. “Not liquid. I’d have to sell properties, liquidate investments. It would take time.” “How much time?” “Too much time.” I thought about the picture of my mother, her bruised and bloodied face. She was an older woman—strong in will, perhaps, but not necessarily in body. My father would continue hurting her until we caved or she did. Even wa