Chapter 45


    Garner was iling like a fish out of water. “rence, you son of a gun,e at me!” he shouted in


    desperation.


    Kristin’s bandaged ear was hurt again, and now she might lose hearing in her left ear for good.


    Lying on the ground, Kristin tried feebly to crawl towards Summer.


    He was scared out of his mind, still wiping away a never–ending stream of nosebleeds.


    “Garner, Ruby nearly got killed by Kristin, and she still managed to pull Rhett into this mess. Quite the


    mover and shaker, huh?” rence kicked Kristin hard in the stomach, clearly pissed off that Kristin had


    found herself a powerful backer.


    “Kristin, are you stepping up your game, huh? What tricks did you pull to reel Rhett in?” rence


    grabbed her hair again, forcing her to look up. “Take a good look.”


    After that, rence signaled his bodyguard to rough up Garner. “Which hand of yours was getting fresh


    with Ruby, huh? Let Kristin watch how I make you useless.”


    Garner struggled as his right hand was pinned to the ground.


    He’d learned some handy skills in the military and even specialized in car repair after his discharge. His


    livelihood depended on those hands.


    If they wrecked Garner’s hands, they might as well be taking his life.


    “Don’t… Please…” Kristin was on her knees begging rence, “Take mine, not my brother’s. please…”


    Kristin’s voice was hoarse from screaming, pleading for Garner’s safety. But rence just stood there


    cold as ice, forcing her to watch with eyes wide open.


    A bodyguard picked up a hammer and smashed it down on Garner’s hand, again and again, until it was


    a bloody, unrecognizable mess…


    Kristin knelt there stiffly, her body slowly numbing, growing cold.


    Summer was still crying, throwing himself on Garner’s hand.


    And those monsters were still swinging the hammer down.


    It was just a kid…How could they be so heartless?


    Garner was fighting like a madman, punching the bodyguard in the face with his bloodied fists, as if he


    wanted to kill the man.


    It was all their doing, pushing him to the edge.


    Kristin just knelt there, surrounded by silence.


    With a raspy volce and eyes locked onto rence’s, she asserted, “I’ve long since repaid any


    10:06


    debt I owed to the Turner family… and yet, you persist in hounding me…”


    Death didn’t scare her, what else could?


    “Kristin, you think you can settle your debt with the Turner family and Ruby that easily? Ruby has been


    tormented by depression and nightmares since she was little, now she’s got one kidney less from a


    suicide attempt after a car crash, and you’ve pushed her to the brink of death again. Do you think the


    Turner family and the FitzGerald family would let you off? Let me tell you, this is just the beginning.”


    rence was telling the truth, Ruby was in aa from stress, and Mamie and Johnnie had lost their


    minds, hell–bent on taking Kristin’s life.


    rence came himself to at least ensure Kristin wouldn’t die…


    “Let’s go.” Maybe feeling satisfied, rence threw Kristin aside and left with his crew.


    Garner wasforting Summer, who was still shaking from shock.


    They all knew this couldn’t go on. If it did… Summer could get sick.


    Kristin sat on the ground in silence for a long time.


    Maybeing back was a mistake. Kristin should’ve stayed away from Summer, to let him have a


    peaceful childhood.


    “Garner, I’ve gotta go.” Kristin had thought donating a kidney would cover her debt, but now it seemed


    the Turner family wasn’t worth it anymore.


    They had stripped her of far too much, more than anyone should ever bear. She’d more than repaid


    their so–called kindness over the past twenty years.


    “Where will you go…” Garner’s voice was raspy, leaning against the wall and chain–smoking.


    Summer had passed out, deeply traumatized. His condition hadn’t been properly treated yet. and


    Kristin needed money, a lot of it.


    “I’ll go work…” Kristin nced at Garner. “Garner, I’ll send money home every month. Don’t skimp on


    food for yourself. As for the education of Summer, if it’s too expensive, just skip preschool.”


    Garner nodded. They didn’t have much choice.


    “If I stay, the Turner and FitzGerald families won’t leave me alone. Summer will keep getting


    traumatized, and he’s showing signs of autism and can’t be stressed out anymore.” Kristin cleaned her


    tears, the cigarette burning on her face stung with the wetness.


    “Going into hiding might be best.” Garner agreed. “Take this money, I’ve found a new job that’s not as


    hard as fixing cars, working 24 on and 24 off. It’s kindaid–back and I can take care of Summer.”


    Kristin only took five hundred–dor bills for travel expenses from the money Garner offered, insisting


    he keep the rest. “Taking care of Summer costs money…


    10.06


    Chapter 45


    Choking back tears, Kristin turned and walked away.


    “Kris…” Garner called out. “No matter where you go, give me a call,”


    Kristin, deaf in one ear, didn’t stop. She was leaving and breaking free to make money.


    Without donating a kidney to Ruby, the Turner family would hunt her down even more fiercely,


    Perhaps one day she would end up dead in the wilderness, her organs harvested,


    Kristin let out a hollowugh as she limped away. After a few paces, she turned to cast onest look


    over her shoulder. What she couldn’t bear to leave behind was her son..Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.