Chapter 247
She handed me a torch through her bodyguard.
At that moment, those two girls from the orphanage screamed as Kate dragged them into the cabin.
“Hannah, this is way out of line p>
“Out of line? If you knew my story, you wouldn’t say that p>
She turned her back, suddenly barking, “What are you waiting for? Drag Claire Floyd over to light the fire, and if she resists, burn her with them p>
“Let go!” I struggled briefly, then added, “I can walk on my own p>
The thought of Ronald possibly being in danger left me clueless about what to do next.
Hannah’s schemes were too deep.
“Claire, I don’t want to force you, but you shouldn’t fall for those you shouldn’t have. You should be obedient like Richard p>
“What kind of parent are you? Using Richard like that. He loves you so much, and you’re just exploiting him. You’re going to ruin his life!” I was practically roaring at her silhouette.
“It doesn’t matter. He’s not my son; he’s your real brother p>
Crash-My world seemed to be crumbling bit by bit.
Richard was my real brother. Had he known all these years that I was his real sister, or was he also in the dark?
“Don’t be so shocked. He doesn’t know you’re his real sister; he only knows you’re his cousin. He was so protective of you just as a cousin. How could I possibly tell him you’re his only sister in this world? That wouldn’t serve my purposes, would it?” Hannah laughed smugly at her own cunning.
My heart ached. I always wondered
why I felt so dependent on Richard,
1.n
why there was this fate-like connection between us. It turns
it’s because he’s my brothero
en
“Hannah, you’ll get what’s coming to you p>
QUMS
“Consequences? I don’t care. Abandoned by fate long ago, nothing else matters. When my parents divorced, my mother remarried with your mother and left me behind to stay with my alcoholic father. When I was tormented and abused over and over by my own father, what did I get? I learned to be strong! To save myself p>
Her anger was palpable, her eyes reddened, her painful memories enveloping her entirely, leaving me frozen in place.
“You have no right to scold me. I thought escaping my father would mean a better life, but then your mother came with Richard, telling me she fell for a man out of her league, had Richard, and then vanished, leaving him behind. A single young woman with Richard, I faced scorn from the world, working odd jobs, scavenging through trash. Who felt sorry for me? Fate p>
I was trembling, both body and soul.
I couldn’t feel sorry for a criminal. Yet, I couldn’t help but see her as a victim.
“I climbed up from there, ran into Mr. Hilton, that old man, he… he forced himself on me! Said he couldn’t marry me, but he’d set up an orphanage for me p>
I was stunned by Hannah’s story, seemingly no one had been dragged through more mud than her!
“Enough, I don’t want to talk anymore. Kill them, but remember, I still love you p>
With a wave of her hand, the bodyguard pushed me towards the cabin. I saw the girls huddled together in fear, then looked at Kate, who gave me a resolute gaze.
I raised the torch in my hand, “Hannah, you want me to kill them, to become as heartless as you p>
“Yes, you and Richard are the only family I have in this world. I just want you by my side, never betraying me p>
“Alright p>
I didn’t hesitate to light the torch, cries and screams coming from inside.
But I knew Kate would lead them to safety, escaping through the window.