Chapter 44


    Kristin bolted towards the charred remains of the house in a panic, only to be stopped by the


    firefighters. “Is this your ce? It’s been burning all night. If the neighbors hadn’t been choked awake


    by the smoke, this whole thing would’ve been toast by now. Don’t even think about going in there, it’s


    still not safe. These old houses just fall apart once they catch fire.”


    Kristin was shaking like a leaf, squatting on the ground with her fingers trembling. Because of her


    severe depression, she’d lose her speech when stressed out. She wanted to talk, but no words came


    out. She wanted to lift her arms, but they seemed to have a mind of their own.


    Her brother was still inside.


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    Her biggest fear was dragging Garner into this mess. Why… why wouldn’t they just leave her. alone?


    Curled up into a ball and quaking all over, Kristin silently wept on the ground.


    Why did they have to do this to her? How much did they need to torment her before they’d call it quits?


    Did they really want her dead?


    “My Uncle is still in there,” Summer cried, clinging to his mom and pointing at the room. “Please, can


    you save my uncle?”


    The firefighters exchanged looks. “We’ve been in there, there’s no one.”


    Kristin stiffened her body and looked up helplessly at the firefighter. “No… no one?”


    “It’s empty, you guys are lucky, didn’te backst night.”


    Taking a deep breath, Kristin reached out and pulled Summer into a gentle hug.


    Everything was okay as long as Garner was okay.


    “Summer!” Garner came running in with breakfast in hand, his face as white as a sheet.


    At the sight of Kristin and Summer in safety, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, crouching down to hug


    them both. “What happened?”


    Just yesterday, he’d gone to Ms. Lawrence’s ce for a bodyguard job interview, and that spoiled brat


    made him stand outside listening to a luby all night long. Only if he could stay awake and alert all


    night would he pass the test.


    He was worried sick about Summer being home alone all night without a wink of sleep and anxious for


    dawn to break.


    “It’s okay… Summer and I didn’te backst night,” Kristin sobbed, holding Summer tight, a little


    shaken. “Garner… I’ve crossed Ruby, so Vincent and rence won’t let me off the hook.


    “At least you’ve got some self–awareness.” No sooner had Kristin finished than rence


    10:06


    Cider


    walked in.


    Looking disdainfully at the burned–out yard, rence cast a cold nce at Kristin. “Ruby got so


    stressed out by you yesterday, she’s beenatose since then. Kristin… you really deserve to die.”


    Saying this nonchntly, rence lit a cigarette.


    Kristin, terrified, clutched Summer and backed away, not daring to meet rence’s eyes. She was


    scared and disgusted by all of them,


    “rence,e at me if you’ve got a problem!” Garner stood up, shielding Kristin and Summer.


    “Garner, you think too highly of yourself,” renceughed, hisughter dripping with sarcasm. “Do


    you think I’d let you off the hook?”


    A bunch of bodyguards, about eight or nine, got out of the car and pinned Garner down.


    Garner fought back, one against nine, but the odds were against him.


    rence seemed to want Garner to watch, stepping up to Kristin and yanking her hair right in front of


    the kid. “Ruby used to live in this filthy slum, living a life worse than death?”


    Kristin looked at rence fearfully, not daring to speak.


    Summer mustered up the courage to push rence away, but in response, rence ruthlessly


    pped him across the face. Summer hit the ground without tears, but blood gushed from his nose


    instantly. No matter how hard Summer tried to clean it, he couldn’t stop the bleeding.


    He didn’t want his mom to worry, so he kept wiping his nose with his back to her, but what could he do?


    There was so much blood.


    “Summer!” Kristín struggled out of control, fighting back, desperately trying to push rence


    away.


    But rence was too strong, gripping her hair tightly, she couldn’t break free.


    Kristin screamed until her voice cracked, kneeling and begging non–stop, wishing she could kill


    rence, but only able to plead helplessly.


    “rence, you son of a bitch!” Garner struggled to his feet, fighting against the nine men.


    He couldn’t fall, not in front of Summer at least.


    Taking a deep drag, rence blew out a cloud of smoke, looking down at Kristin.


    Kristin’s eyes were bloodshot, filled with intense hatred as she red at rence. “If you hate me so


    much, kill me then!”


    rence hated seeing those eyes of Kristin’s, once always shining, now only dark and stormy. He


    raised his hand with the burning cigarette butt aimed at Kristin’s eyes, about to press it down.


    Kristin’s breath was intense, her eyes locked on his, growing redder by the second.


    10:06


    Chapter 44


    In the end, rence didn’t press it into her eyes but onto her cheek instead,


    The searing pain made Kristin tremble all over, yet she bit her tongue and didn’t make a sound


    The once beautiful face was scorched with a ghastly scar, a sight to behold.


    rence really relished destroying her, ruining herpletely.


    “Ruby said she was in this dirty and messy ce where you, this beast, vited and molested her!


    Insulting my sister, Garner, you will get your dead wish.” As Garner was pinned down, rence choked


    Kristin in front of him.


    Garner red at rence with intense hatred. “She’s lying!”


    He and his mother had always pampered Ruby, he never hurt her.


    But his exnations were too weak, how could he prove his innocence when a bucket of filth was


    dumped on him from above?


    rence hit Kristin across the face. “Nonsense? Does Kristin ever tell the truth?”