Wings of Broken Time by Alina Das 359
Seeing Sapphira’s five brothers ready to forcibly sever his fingers, Paxton knew he was out of options. After telling Vivica to call their family doctor, he picked up the dull knife, positioned it over his pinky, and through gritted teeth, brought it down hard.
“Hiss…”
The blade was so blunt that the first cut barely broke the skin, slicing only into the top layer of flesh. Even so, the shock of pain made him gasp, and he nearly blacked out as the knife slipped from his trembling hand.
Vivica couldn’t bear to watch. With tears in her eyes, she shook her head. “Paxton, stop…”
Gloria sneered. “If he won’t do it, then you can do it for him. You’re husband and wife. You can share in this hardship together.”
Vivica’s words caught in her throat. She stared at the blunt knife in her husband’s hand, unable to imagine that kind of pain. She loved her husband, yes, and couldn’t stand to see him suffer, but she didn’t have the courage to take his place.
Finley started to step forward, to offer himself, but then he remembered his own crippled leg. If he lost a finger as well, he would be truly broken. He hesitated, then stopped.
Suddenly, an idea struck Vivica. She turned her pleading gaze to Honora, who had been standing silently beside Finley.
“Honora, what if you did it for your dad? Just one finger?”
Honora’s body went rigid. If not for the mask she wore, everyone would have seen the venomous look
on her face.
“What if? What the hell does she mean, what if?” Honora thought furiously. “Does this old woman have any idea what she’s saying? She wants me to cut off my finger for Paxton!”
Larissa let out a short, derisive laugh but said nothing. It was pathetic, really. All it took was the threat of one finger for the whole family to start turning on each other.
Avril couldn’t hold back. “Whoa, hang on a second. I thought you guys adored your adopted daughter. That’s why you abandoned your real one, right? Now you want the young, beautiful girl to lose a finger for an old man? Doesn’t seem like a fair trade to me.”
Larissa chuckled. “Well said.”
Haskell grinned. “Don’t stop now, Avril. You’re on a roll.”
“You got it, Haskell!” Avril gave him a proud thumbs–up. Her whole purpose here was to make life difficult for Paxton’s family on her cousin–in–law’s behalf, and she was more than happy to deliver.
Vivica’s eyes, glistening with tears, shot a hateful glare at Avril. “We don’t need your commentary on our family’s affairs!”
“Too bad,” Avril said brazenly. “I’ll comment all I want. You can’t stop me.”
Vivica’s chest tightened with rage. Ignoring Avril, she turned her desperate eyes back to Honora, who
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femained silent.
“Honors, your father and I raised you for so many years. tert it time you repaid her it’s yet one finger it won’t affect your life”
“She’s insanel” Honora screamed internally. “How could one finger not affect met for a young beautiful girl, it would change everything! But for a middle–aged man like Parton, it’s practica nothing!”
Honora debated her next move. She could play the martyr, a tactic that had served her well in the past, but she worried that if she actually offered, Paxton might just agree. Then there would be no turning back.
She forced her lips to move. “Mom, L..”
Before she could finish, Finley cut in. “Honora has been through enough. She’s already disfigured from the poison. How can you ask her to endure this too, Mom?”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
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