\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 13\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bullet hit the floor beside his knee. Concrete flew. He screamed until his voice\u00a0<\/p>\n
cracked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMark,\u201d I said. \u201cBring the rest.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Six men were dragged in and shoved down. Crying. Hands shaking. Begging me not to\u00a0<\/p>\n
kill them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t look at them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at Westley. \u201cStart talking. Slow. Every damn thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He broke completely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe chair,\u201d he sobbed. \u201cI chained her. Barefoot. She begged all the time. I burned her when she screamed. Cigarettes. Please stop looking at me like that. I couldn\u2019t stop it. Men watched. Some laughed. Some joined. I raped her. Over and over. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My grip on the gun went white.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy keep her alive,\u201d I asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He choked. \u201cRoxanne paid me every month. Said keep her breathing but destroy her. Enough so you\u2019d hate her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed fire. \u201cWho ordered the last attack. The car. The grave. My son.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He started shaking so hard he fell forward. \u201cRoxanne. She wanted Isabella crippled. Not erased. Just enough to ruin her. She didn\u2019t expect the boy to be there. Please\u00a0<\/p>\n
believe me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I snapped. \u201cWhy the fuck were you so close to her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He screamed it. \u201cBecause we were sleeping together. Please don\u2019t kill me. Please. We\u2019ve been doing it for two years. When you were away she came to me. Sometimes even when you were nearby. Quick ones. She said you were blind anyway.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shot his leg. He screamed until he lost his voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou fucked her,\u201d I said coldly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded frantically. \u201cYes yes. Please David. I\u2019ll testify. I\u2019ll give you everything. Just don\u2019t let me die.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I lost it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I kicked him. Punched him. Again and again until he was coughing blood and begging through tears.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/5 48.8%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:08 Wed, Jan 28\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou touched my wife,\u201d I growled. \u201cYou watched my son suffer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He cried like a child. \u201cPlease. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m sorry. I didn\u2019t think you loved her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMark. Keep him alive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mark nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0e0a\u0e23\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo doctors,\u201d I added. \u201cNo mercy then after a month, kill him and feed to the piranhas.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Afterwards, I sat alone. Gun still in my hand. Blood on my shoes. Isabella\u2019s ring burned in my palm. Ryle\u2019s dinosaur sat on the table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I went to their graves that night. Knelt. Pressed my forehead to the stone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBlood for blood,\u201d I whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The wind smelled like the sea. The same sea that took them. I walked away differently. In the car, Ryle\u2019s bruises flashed in my head. The way his eyes went scared whenever\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roxanne came near.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I pulled my phone out. \u201cMark. Review every camera in my house. Every second Roxanne was around my son.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The hunt wasn\u2019t over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
600\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mark didn\u2019t sleep for two straight days.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When he finally walked into my office, he looked like hell. Eyes red. Shirt wrinkled. Hands shaking. He didn\u2019t sit. He just put the drive on my desk and said quietly, \u201cBoss\u2026 you need to watch this yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at him. \u201cSay it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He swallowed. \u201cVilla cameras. Old backups. Stuff Miss Roxanne never knew existed. The dates line up with every time you were overseas,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My chest tightened. \u201cPlay it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The screen lit up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
First clip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Living room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ryle was seven. Small. Too damn small. Sitting straight on the sofa like a soldier, hands on his knees, not moving an inch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My throat closed. \u201cWhy the hell does he look like that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roxanne walked into frame smiling. Sweet smile. The kind that used to fool me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She crouched in front of him. Soft voice. Fake gentle. \u201cWhy are you sitting like that,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 13\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/5 49.6%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:08 Wed, Jan 28\u00a0<\/p>\n
huh.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
She pinched his arm. Hard. Right where clothes would hide it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ryle flinched but didn\u2019t cry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My fist clenched. \u201cPause it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mark didn\u2019t move. He whispered, \u201cSir\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPause it,\u201d I snapped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at my son frozen on the screen. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t he cry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mark said nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I said it myself. \u201cBecause he learned not to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The video kept playing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0e0a\u0e23\u00ae\u00a0<\/p>\n
She leaned close to Ryle\u2019s ear and whispered something. His face drained white.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did she say, I growled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mark\u2019s voice cracked. \u201cShe told him if he told you anything, his mom would disappear\u00a0<\/p>\n
forever.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then she slapped the back of his head. Not hard enough to leave marks. Just enough\u00a0<\/p>\n
to hurt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSay sorry,\u201d Roxanne ordered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Ryle whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLouder.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She laughed and walked away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ryle didn\u2019t move. Ten full minutes. Just sat there staring at the floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I felt something snap in my chest. \u201cTurn it off.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mark clicked to the next file.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Basement. The one she personally ordered installed. Said it was for safety. I watched her shove Ryle down the stairs. He slipped. Fell. Scraped his knee. Blood soaked through his pants.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He cried out, \u201cA-auntie it hurts.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She grabbed his collar and hissed, \u201cShut up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She locked the door. \u201cYou stay here until you learn your place,\u201d she said coldly. \u201cAnd\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f54\u0f0b\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/5 50.4%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:08 Wed, Jan 28\u00a0<\/p>\n
don\u2019t you dare tell your daddy you saw me with another man on the bed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ryle sobbed. \u201cPlease\u2026 I want mommy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roxanne laughed. \u201cYou want what? Mommy? Oh, mommy ran away with another man. She hates you. That\u2019s why she left.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Time jumped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Twelve hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dark. No light. No food. No water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ryle curled into himself. Hugging his knees. Crying quietly like he was scared even the walls would hear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy\u2026\u201d he whispered. \u201cDaddy\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nobody came. I slammed my hand on the desk. It cracked. My vision blurred. I remembered Roxanne stroking his hair in front of me. Acting gentle. Acting kind and I was fucking blind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next clip rolled before I could stop it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kitchen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She put a plate down in front of him. The food was rotten. Mold on the edges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEat!\u201d she said. \u201cThis is how your dirty mother fed you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ryle gagged but cried anyway and vomited. She yanked his ear hard. Dragged him outside while the rain poured heavily outside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dog house camera.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She shoved him inside like trash.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStay here you, annoying bastard! This builds discipline.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The maid whispered, \u201cMiss Roxanne, it\u2019s cold\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roxanne snapped, \u201cTouch that door and you\u2019re fired! You heard me?!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The light went out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ryle hugged himself. Shaking. Whispering to no one, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, aunte- I\u2019ll be good. I promise.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood so fast the chair flew back. I couldn\u2019t breathe. My chest felt crushed. I stood there alone, staring at the black screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My son was crying. My son was begging. And me? Blind. Stupid. Busy protecting the wrong woman.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I dragged a hand down my face. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Ryle,\u201d I whispered. \u201cDaddy failed you.\u201d The room felt too small. The guilt felt like it was eating me alive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
4\/5 51.2%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:08 Wed, Jan 28\u00a0<\/p>\n
And Roxanne?\u00a0<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t getting mercy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not after this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
87\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:08 Wed, Jan 28\u00a0<\/p>\n
Prepare the divorce and ruin your husband by Mark Twain 13 \u00a0 Chapter 13\u00a0 The bullet hit the floor beside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-his-regret-my-victory-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23544\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}