Chapter 73 A Worthless Girl
Barnett’s face grew even darker, his fists clenched tightly as he struggled to maintain his composure.
His voice trembled with barely contained emotion as he spoke. “Dad, Aurora is missing, and you’re still thinking about the cooperation with Mr. Hawke?”
“If you had shared even a fraction of the care you showed to Bertha with Aurora, would she have been driven to such despair? Tell me, Dad, do you even care about Aurora at all?”
He practically ground his teeth, speaking each word with difficulty.
Joshua, clearly offended, slammed his hand onto the table
beside the bed.
His face contorted with rage as he shouted, “Are you telling me that just because Aurora is missing, we’re supposed to stop living?”
“It’s not like I made her disappear! If she wants to go die. somewhere, let her! As long as she’s not around to bother me, I might actually feel better.”
His face reddened with fury, eyes filled with venom. “Since she returned to this house, I’ve never had a peaceful day. Not once.”
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He panted with fury, his words growing, more resolute. “I hope she never comes back. Whether she’s alive or dead doesn’t concern me. What I care about now is the Elvador family business.”
The coldness in Joshua’s eyes was chilling. There was no trace of fatherly love, no warmth left.
Barnett stood there, frozen, as his father’s harsh words hit him like a slap. The chill of those words sank deep into his bones, leaving him numb with disbelief.
He stared at his father for a moment, his lips trembling, slightly as he asked the question that had been weighing on his heart all night, “Dad, five years ago, you knew that it wasn’t Aurora who pushed Camille down the stairs, didn’t you?”
His eyes fixed intensely on his father, not letting go of any subtle change in his expression.
Joshua froze, a flash of panic in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure,
“What are talking about?” He asked.
“So, I was right? You knew all along, it wasn’t Aurora?” Barnett’s voice quivered, but the anger and disappointment in it were even more apparent.
Joshum fell silent for a moment before coldly responding, “It’s all in the past. No need to bring it up. Barnett, what’s most important now is reaching an agreement with Mr. Hawke on the
Chapter 73 A Worthless Girl
East Suburb project. Everything else is just small matters.”
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“Small matters?” Barnett suddenly burst into wild laughter, hist sound dripping with sarcasm. He laughed so much that tears started to fall from his eyes.
“You knew Aurora was innocent, yet you insisted she was the murderer. You even made me point her out in court as the killer. What exactly did she do wrong that you had to treat her like this? She’s your daughter, and yet you pushed her into the abyss. And you had me help you do it.”
“She’s my sister. She must have felt so hopeless when her own brother betrayed her. No wonder she didn’t want to forgive me after she got out of prison. Now I understand, I finally understand, hahaha…”
Although Barnett was laughing, his heart ached more than it would have if he were crying.
“Enough!” Joshua snapped, his voice harsh, his eyes full of warning. “Now is not the time to pursue this, calm down.”
Barnett’s eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently.
He glared at his father, speaking resolutely, “You disregarded Aurora’s life, made her the scapegoat, and let her suffer in prison. Aren’t you afraid of the payback?”
Joshua trembled with fury, his finger pointing shakily at his son.
His voice was filled with anger and desperation. “How dare you
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speak to me like this? I did all this for the sake of the Elvador family’s reputation. Aurora is just a worthless girl. What’s wrong with sacrificing her?”
“Sacrifice?” Barnett laughed bitterly, his face twisted with grief. “Aurora was tortured in prison, had her leg broken, and had one of her kidneys taken. Don’t you feel guilty? Don’t you feel any remorse for what happened to her?”
At the mention of Aurora losing a kidney, Joshua’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly kept his cool, forcing himself to stay calm.
“She’s always been a troublemaker. If she got beaten in prison, maybe she had it coming. As for losing a kidney, it’s probably because she got hurt during a fight, and it was removed. She brought this on herself.”
His voice grew more impatient, his words sharp and dismissive.
“Stop making a fuss here. The most important thing right now is to focus on the Elvador family’s business. Didn’t I ask you to look into Mr. Hawke’s number recently? Have you found it? If you have, call him and set up a dinner meeting.”
Barnett slowly stood up, his eyes filled with disappointment. “Dad, I used to respect you and listen to you, but on this matter, I can’t agree with you, and I won’t follow your orders. I will uncover the truth from that year and bring justice back for Aurora.”
With that, he turned and walked away, his steps resolute.
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Joshua shouted from behind him, “Stop right there! If you dare investigate, then don’t ever call me your father again, and don’t think you can get involved in any matters of the Elvador family!”
Barnett ignored him, his mind consumed by a single thought. He must find Aurora, make up for the years of wronging her, and clear her name.
Just as he was about to leave, Bertha entered, carrying a thermos.
With a sweet smile, she said gently, “Dad, I made chicken stew for you.”
It was only then that she noticed Barnett’s dark expression.
Her heart tightened at the memory of yesterday’s events, a wave of unease washing over her.
But she was relieved and flashed him a smile upon recalling how he had always protected her.
“Barnett, you’re here, too. Would you like to join Dad for a meal?”
Barnett didn’t say a word, his face dark as he walked toward Bertha.
He suddenly grabbed her shoulders, his eyes full of accusation. “Aurora is missing. Are you happy about it now?”
Chapter 73 A Worthless Girl
The sudden force of his grip shocked Berthn, her face turning pale as she stammered, “Barnett, I, I didn’t…”
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“You still dare deny it?” His voice was almost a hiss, clenched between his teeth. “Aurora’s gone, and now the Elvador family only has you left, Isn’t this exactly what you’ve been waiting. Kopp
Bertha seemed deeply insulted, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes as she choked out, “Barnell, how can you think of me like that? We’ve been siblings for over twenty years, don’t you know what kind of person I am?”
In Barnett’s heart, Bertha had always been the gentle, kind, and innocent little sister.
It was because of this belief that he had consistently favored her.
Years ago, when Camille had fallen from the stairs and become a vegetable, Barnett had never once suspected Bertha and immediately pointed the finger at Aurora.
But everything that had happened yesterday made him realize that he had been wrong.
Although he had successfully stopped Camille from accusing Bertha, anyone with a hint of sense could see the strange details lurking beneath the surface.
Barnett pressed Bertha hard against the wall. Her back hit with such force that it sent a sharp pain through her, causing her to let out a soft, agonized groan.
Chapter 73 A Worthless Girl
Tears streamed down her face, her eyes filled with fear and helplessness. “Barnett, you’re hurting me.”
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Seeing his precious daughter in pain, Joshua was overwhelmed with distress.
Ignoring his injuries, he struggled to get out of bed.
The sudden movement caused his wounds to pull, making him. gasp in pain, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.
He angrily slapped Barnett in the face and shouted, “You bastard, let go of your sister!”
The slap landed hard, causing Barnett’s face to twist to the side.
Just then, Darren entered the room and saw the three of them in the middle of an argument.
Having heard that Joshua and Celeste had been injured, he rushed back to the hospital to check on Joshua’s condition. But to his surprise, as soon as he entered, that chaotic scene unfolded before him.
Hastily, Darren pulled Barnett out of the room, his voice laced with reproach. “Barnett, your father is still injured. Why are you causing a scene in his room?”
Barnett’s eyes were bloodshot, struggling to hold back the overwhelming emotions threatening to break him. He briefly recounted the events of the previous day, his voice tight with
Chapter 73 A Worthless Girl frustration and fear.
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Then, with a weary sigh, he added, “Darren, you know how bad Aurora’s legs are and she’s lost a kidney. She’s in a horrible shape, I’m just so worried…”
His voice was thick with exhaustion.
Darren froze.
An image of a frail woman, resembling Aurora, being held in a man’s arms, flashed through his mind.
