Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her
In the cramped room, there was only a shabby folding bed and a few meager belongings. The rest of the space was crammed with junk. The yellowed walls reeked of dampness, with cobwebs. clinging to the corners.
Taking in the bleak surroundings, Barnett’s fury ignited. “Daisy, what kind of arrangement is this? Aurora is my sister. Who gave you the right to make her live here?”
Daisy looked both aggrieved and helpless. “Mr. Elvador, wasn’t it you who told me to settle Ms. Elvador in here? Did you forget?”
“When did I ever…”
Mid–sentence, Barnett stopped abruptly. The memory came rushing back to him.
Eight years ago, on the day Aurora was brought home, he had asked her to pick a room.
Aurora had chosen the guest room next to his bedroom, but he had refused immediately. “That one’s going to be my study. Pick
another.”
She then pointed to the room beside Bertha’s. Again, he rejected her. “That one’s for Bertha’s art studio. You can’t have it.”
Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her
In the end, Aurora suggested the attic. He dismissed the idea outright. “You’re my sister. If word gets out that you’re living in the attic, people will laugh at us. Daisy, isn’t there another room?”
“There is, but only the storage room is left…”
“Then clear it out and make it livable. She can stay there for
now.”
At the time, he had assumed the storage room was as bright and spacious as the guest rooms. He hadn’t realized it was a windowless, stifling space.
Now, images of Aurora spending night after night in that cold, lonely room flooded his mind, and the pain in his chest deepened.
In a mansion this large, even the servants had private rooms, yet his own sister had been forced to live in that damp, dingy storage room for three years.
The realization suffocated him.
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Barnett’s expression darkened further. Daisy hesitated before speaking, “The storage room’s not suitable. Mr. Elvador, why not move Ms. Elvador into my room instead?”
“That won’t be necessary.” Barnett cut her off decisively, his heart pierced by an overwhelming mix of guilt and anguish. It twisted painfully in his chest.
Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her
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Taking a deep breath, he said, “Call Darren and tell him to come to my room.”
Without waiting for a reply, he carried the unconscious Aurora and headed straight to his bedroom.
Watching Barnett’s hurried figure disappear down the hallway, Daisy felt a glimmer of happiness for Aurora. It seemed Barnett did care about her after all. Though he had always been indifferent, today he finally acted like a brother.
She quickly dialed the doctor, Darren Lowell’s number. “Hello, Dr. Lowell? Ms. Elvador is unwell. Please come over right
away…”
Five minutes later, Barnett’s bedroom door swung open, and Darren walked in.
“Mr. Elvador, just how much do you dote on your sister? Why didn’t you let Bertha rest in her own room… Wait, why is it her?”
Darren’s tone was lighthearted as he stepped inside, but the moment he saw Aurora’s pale face on the bed, his teasing vanished, replaced by disdain.
“I don’t treat criminals.” He picked up his medical bag and turned to leave.
“Darren.” Barnett’s voice was low but resolute, carrying an undeniable authority. “She’s my sister. Don’t call her at
criminal.”
Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her
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Darren’s cold stare froze over like frost. “She’s your sister? Then what about Bertha? She’s only connected to you by blood. Bertha is the one who grew up with you. Camille was turned into a vegetative state because of her, yet she only served five years in prison. She gets to walk free and live like a normal person. But who will give Camille the chance to wake up? Camille’s life was ruined by her!”
Barnett’s face showed a trace of struggle, his hands tightening. into fists and releasing repeatedly.
On one side, he felt guilt and affection for Aurora, but on the other, he couldn’t forget the pain Bertha and Camille had suffered because of her actions. It was as if he were caught between two grinding stones, unable to move forward or back.
“She’s… still my sister,” he said, his voice tinged with weariness yet stubbornly firm.
Darren’s gaze flickered to Aurora’s gaunt, frail face. His lips. curled into a sneer dripping with derision. “Someone as cruel ast her? If I cured her, she’d only go on to hurt others.”
“Darren!” Barnett’s tone sharpened, his eyes locked on Darren’s with a mix of pleading and steely determination. “Just check her condition. Especially her right leg.”
The two men locked eyes, caught in a tense silence.
After a moment, Darren relented with a sigh. “Fine, I’ll examine her. But don’t expect me to treat her.”
Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her
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He returned to the bed, setting down his medical bag. His movements were brusque as he pulled up Aurora’s pant leg, muttering, “I don’t know why you bother with her. Someone like this doesn’t deserve…”
His words stopped abruptly as her leg was revealed.
For a moment, Darren froze, staring at the emaciated limb in stunned silence.
Aurora’s lower leg was grotesquely twisted, the bone jutting out. at unnatural angles. The skin clung tightly to the sharp edges, with no trace of muscle or fat. A jagged scar stretched like at sinister centipede across her pale skin, surrounded by dark red bruises.
Darren’s long fingers hovered over her leg before finally brushing against the broken bone with a tremor.
Despite his deep resentment toward Aurora, the doctor in him. couldn’t help but recognize the extent of her suffering. The injury was horrifyingly severe.
“Was her leg always like this?” he asked.
The question struck Barnett like a thunderclap. His expression turned icy. “Of course not. For the three years she lived at home, her legs were perfectly fine.”
Darren understood immediately that the damage had likely been inflicted in prison.
Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her Suppressing his shock, he continued his examination.
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The more he uncovered, the darker his expression grew.
Aurora’s body was in a deplorable state. Years of malnutrition had left her weak and frail. Her skin bore layers of scars, some old, some fresh, hinting at repeated abuse,
Unable to stomach it any longer, Darren straightened up, his voice hoarse. “Barnett, come outside with me.”
In the study, Barnett met Darren’s somber gaze. “Go ahead.”
Darren steadied himself, then asked, “Do you know how strong human bones are?”
Barnett shook his head.
“Bones are incredibly durable,” Darren explained. “Especially the tibia and fibula in the legs. A fracture this severe usually comes from high–energy impacts, like a car crash or a fall from a great height.
“But since she was in prison, those scenarios are unlikely. This injury looks like the result of blunt force trauma.
“From the condition of her leg, it’s clear the injury wasn’t treated properly. Her bones healed misaligned over time, leading to the deformation you see now.
“The kind of pain she must have endured is unimaginable. The fact that she’s still alive is nothing short of a miracle.”
Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her Barnett’s hands began to tremble uncontrollably. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
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His bloodshot eyes burned with rage, and the fury within him swelled like molten lava, threatening to consume him entirely.
“In prison… How dare they?”
Visions of Aurora’s frail body enduring blow after blow flashed through his mind.
The sharp ache in his chest nearly blacked out his vision. It took every ounce of willpower to suppress his rising anger.
“Darren, can her leg still be treated?”
Darren shook his head. “The injury is over three years old. It’s too late.”
Barnett stood frozen, unable to move.
He didn’t even notice when Darren left. By the time he came to, he was slumped in a chair, utterly drained.
His mind was a chaotic storm. Reaching for a cigarette out of habit, his trembling hands couldn’t even light it.
In frustration, he hurled the unlit cigarette to the ground, clutching his head with both hands.
His body curled into itself, shaking slightly, as muffled,
Chapter 9 Someone as Cruel as Her anguished breaths escaped him.
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Time seemed to grind to a halt, leaving only his pain to fill the
void.
After what felt like an eternity, his breathing steadied. Slowly, he raised his head, his face a mask of cold determination. He grabbed his phone and dialed his secretary, Morgan Klein.
“Morgan,” he said, his voice low and sharp as a blade. “I need you to investigate everything Aurora experienced during her five years in prison. Leave nothing out.”
