Scarlett bit down hard on her lip, afraid Violet might hear the sob rising in her throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing only silence on the line, Violet asked softly, \u201cScarlett?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Drawing a shaky breath, Scarlett pressed her lips together. \u201cViolet, I\u2026 I can\u2019t make it back tonight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIs everything alright?\u201d Violet\u2019s voice grew concerned. \u201cDid something happen at work? Or is someone giving you trouble?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s neither,\u201d Scarlett lied. \u201cJust\u2026 a lot of overtime.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you haven\u2019t been home in so long,\u201d Violet persisted gently. \u201cNathan and Clara miss you. Your parents are always asking about you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A choked sob escaped before Scarlett could stop it. She quickly covered her mouth. \u201cI\u2019ll be back in a few days, Violet. I have to go\u2013a patient\u2019s family needs me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without waiting for a reply, she ended the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After hanging up, she picked up the apple Claire had peeled for her and took a mechanical bite.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tears streamed down her face as she chewed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Claire watched, her own heart aching.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bruises covering Scarlett\u2019s body hadn\u2019t faded overnight\u2013they\u2019d darkened, a stark map of the violence she\u2019d endured. It was clear how brutally she\u2019d been hit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Scarlett finished the apple, she wiped her hands with a tissue.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then she reached for her phone again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unlocking it, she dialed the police station.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a few rings, a man\u2019s voice answered. \u201cHello.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is Scarlett Theron,\u201d she said, her voice tight. \u201cI filed a report shortly after two a.m. last night. I\u2019m calling to ask if there\u2019s any update\u2013if you\u2019ve reviewed the surveillance footage yet.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a pause on the other end. \u201cWe\u2019ve looked into it, ma\u2019am. But without a clear evidence chain, we can\u2019t proceed with any arrests.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing the dismissive tone, Scarlett\u2019s composure snapped. \u201cNo evidence? What about the\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:12 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
(63)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 341 Evasive Lies and a Hollow Laugh\u00a0<\/p>\n
injuries all over my body?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
The officer responded slowly, almost casually. \u201cAnd how do we know you didn\u2019t inflict those on yourself?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett felt a surge of furious disbelief. \u201cWhy would I do that? Do you think I\u2019m insane?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He gave a short, mocking laugh. \u201cWell, you are in the hospital, aren\u2019t you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, Scarlett was too stunned to cry. Instead, a hollow, bleak laugh escaped her- filled with utter helplessness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t wait to hear more. She hung up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course. If Amanda, Luke, and Naomi had been bold enough to attack her in a hospital room, they\u2019d surely covered their tracks in advance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Calling the police had been pointless from the start.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Claire had heard the entire exchange. Her expression darkened. \u201cScarlett, this is Rivergate. Influence runs everything here. Asking \u2018the right people\u2018 for help won\u2019t change that. Sometimes\u2026 matters are better settled outside the system.\u201d She leaned closer. \u201cTell me who did this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett shook her head weakly. \u201cClaire, I don\u2019t want to drag you into this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Claire\u2019s patience was wearing thin. \u201cIt\u2019s the Stewarts, isn\u2019t it? I\u2019m not afraid of them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before Scarlett could protest further, Claire turned away, her mind made up. \u201cI may not be able to force an apology out of them, but I can sure make them hurt a little.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She knew her own limits\u2013but she also knew someone who didn\u2019t have\u00a0<\/p>\n
any.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her determination, Scarlett didn\u2019t argue\u00a0<\/p>\n
further.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett spent the rest of the day resting in bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With Claire there, the heavy loneliness lifted slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By evening, Claire mentioned she needed to leave\u2013she had a livestream to host.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett had no real reason to ask her to stay. \u201cOkay,\u201d she said quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But her fear must have shown,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Noticing her unease, Claire quickly added, \u201cActually, I\u2019ll just do the stream from the bathroom here. I\u2019m not going anywhere.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:12 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 341 Evasive Lies and a Hollow Laugh\u00a0<\/p>\n
63\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only then did Scarlett relax a little.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The terror of the previous night still clung to her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t face another evening alone in that quiet, vulnerable room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even with Claire in the adjacent bathroom, Scarlett remained on edge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes kept drifting to the door, her nerves taut.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inside the bathroom, Claire started her livestream, offering a brief apology to her followers for the missed upload earlier in the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, miles away, Zachary was idly watching Claire\u2019s stream, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand. He took a slow sip, his eyes fixed on his phone screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just then, a scrolling comment caught his attention\u2013a crude, provocative message from a user named Damian Rivergate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHey host, how much of a tip do I need to send to get a private night with you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u5408\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 341 Scarlett bit down hard on her lip, afraid Violet might hear […]<\/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":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27705","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=27705"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27705\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}