Chapter 28 We Owe You Nothing
Bertha flung open the door and rushed out, only to collide head–on with a solid chest.
Looking up, she found Barnett and immediately wailed, “Barnett, save me! Aurora’s going to kill me.”
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Barnett reeked of alcohol, but he was mostly sober now. Hearing Bertha’s words, he frowned, about to unleash his anger on
Aurora.
But the next second, he heard Celeste’s shrill scream. Following the sound, he saw Aurora chop off her own pinky finger on her left hand.
Blood gushed out instantly, dripping onto the floor in a horrifyingly vivid scene.
Barnett’s pupils contracted in shock. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Aurora had inflicted such a brutal injury on herself.
A sharp pain in his chest dispelled the last remnants of his drunkenness.
He shouted, “Aurora, what are you doing!”
He lunged forward, but Bertha clung to him desperately. “Barnett, Aurora’s gone mad. I’m so scared.”
Chapter 28 We Owe You Nothing
Frustrated and impatient, Barnett forcefully pushed Bertha
away.
She stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she watched Barnett rush to Aurora’s side without a second glance.
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Barnett stared at Aurora’s blood–soaked hand, feeling a searing pain in his heart. His voice trembled as he said, “Aurora, are you crazy? How could you do this to yourself?”
Aurora ignored him, her gaze hollow as she looked at Celeste. “I’ve repaid you for giving me life. We’re even now.”
Celeste’s face turned ashen, and her body shook uncontrollably. She shook her head frantically, muttering, “No, it’s not like that…”
But Aurora continued, “Today, I’m going to make Joshua and Bertha pay for the torment they’ve inflicted on me. They have to die, both of them.”
Gripping the bloodied knife tightly, Aurora’s eyes locked onto Joshua, her gaze piercing through the air like a laser.
As Aurora advanced, Joshua felt a chill run down his spine, spreading throughout his entire body.
His legs turned to jelly, trembling uncontrollably, and his teeth chattered. Fear nearly suffocated him.
you
Chapter 28 We Owe You Nothing “Aurora, I know I was wrong. I promise I’ll never hit again. I’ll treat you well. Please forgive me,” Joshua pleaded, desperation in his voice.
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“No, you don’t realize you were wrong. You’re just scared because you think you’re about to die. Joshua, you beat me within an inch of my life. You deserve to die. Come to hell with me!”
With that, Aurora lunged forward like a rabid beast with the knife raised, charging at Joshua.
Joshua nearly wet himself in terror. In a panic, he screamed at Barnett, “Barnett, do something! Stop this lunatic!”
Seeing Aurora’s uncontrollable state, Barnett was frantic.
He sprinted forward and grabbed her arms like a vice, preventing her from swinging the knife. “Aurora, calm down!”
But Aurora had lost all reason. She struggled violently, trying to break free from Barnett’s grip. Her eyes were bloodshot with hatred.
At that moment, Celeste stepped in front of Aurora. Her face, once contorted with pain and guilt, now radiated fury.
She raised her hand and slapped Aurora hard across the face, the sound echoing through the room.
The atmosphere froze, as if time had paused.
Chapter 28 We Owe You Nothing
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“Are you done yet?” Celeste’s voice was shrill and icy, piercing Aurora’s heart like a dagger.
“Since you came back, there’s been no peace in our family. We’ve all been walking on eggshells around you. You’ve made your point. What more do you want? If you want to die, do it yourself. Don’t drag us down with you. We owe you nothing.”
Each word was like a venomous arrow, striking Aurora’s already wounded soul.
Aurora froze. She looked at Celeste, the madness in her eyes slowly giving way to emptiness and boundless despair.
She moved her lips, trying to speak, but no words came out.
At that moment, she felt like she had fallen into an endless abyss, abandoned by the entire world.
Nothing could be more cruel than a mother telling her own child to die.
Aurora’s body deflated, and she felt the world spinning around her.
Her vision blurred, and everything grew fuzzy.
Finally, she couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed, unconscious.
Barnett let out a cry and quickly scooped Aurora into his arms, holding her horizontally.
Chapter 28 We Owe You Nothing
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Daisy, looking at Aurora’s pale face and the bloodied stump of her finger, clutched her chest in pain.
“Mr. Elvador, get Ms. Elvador to the hospital,” she said, picking up the severed finger and clutching it tightly in her palm.
Barnett didn’t hesitate. He cradled Aurora closely and hurried outside.
Joshua snorted coldly, “Why take her to the hospital? Just leave her out there to fend for herself. She deserves to die for being so ungrateful.”
Celeste seemed to snap out of her daze, realizing the cruel words she had just spoken.
Overwhelmed with regret, she couldn’t believe she had said such heartless things to her own daughter.
Hearing Joshua’s vicious words, she exploded like a powder keg.
“Joshua, you bastard!” Celeste stormed over to Joshua and slapped him hard across the face, even harder than the slap she had given Aurora.
Joshua’s eyes widened in shock. “What’s gotten into you?”
“If you hadn’t kept hitting her, she wouldn’t have ended up like this,” she sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
“But you never stopped me when I hit her!” Joshua roared back.
Chapter 28 We Owe You Nothing
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Celeste’s tears flowed even more fiercely. She collapsed to the floor, burying her head in her hands, consumed by guilt and self–reproach.
Bertha, meanwhile, watched with flickering emotions in her eyes, her thoughts unknown.
The hospital lights shone brightly against the night.
Barnett burst into the emergency room, clutching Aurora. The doctors quickly surrounded her, placing her on a stretcher and beginning the urgent resuscitation.
Barnett sat on the cold chair outside the emergency room, feeling as if a boulder was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
He stared intently at the closed doors, anxiety gnawing at him.
Daisy stood beside him, her eyes filled with worry. She kept glancing at Barnett, wanting to say something but unsure of how to begin.
Finally, Barnett couldn’t hold back any longer. He looked up at Daisy, his voice hoarse as he asked, “Daisy, what exactly happened? How did Aurora end up like this?”
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