Rowan’s pupils constricted sharply. His entire body trembled as if the words had torn through him.
He couldn’t find anything to say.
Hattie broke into a strange, unhinged laugh. But as she laughed, tears. welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.
She had loved Rowan for years. Two years ago, she nearly died for
him. It had come that close. Just a little more, and her life would have
ended right there.
Joanna would never go that far for him. She couldn’t, and she
wouldn’t.
All Hattie did was have someone rough Joanna up, just enough to
make her realize who truly belonged next to Rowan. She was the one
who was meant to stand beside him, the one who deserved to be
called his wife.
But Rowan had chosen Joanna. He had kicked the child she was
carrying to death.
Watching him suffer should have broken her, yet it filled her with a
twisted satisfaction. He had thrown her away like she meant nothing, like their baby had meant nothing. She wanted to tear him apart.
Even in her fury, her tears betrayed her–she still couldn’t let him go.
She laughed maniacally, then cried with a hollow desperation.
Her thoughts spiraled as her gaze locked onto the kitchen knife on the table. She lunged for it, gripping it tightly in her trembling hand.
“I’ll cut it off. If I do, you won’t be able to chase after Joanna ever
again,” she hissed.
“Yeah… yeah, I’ll cut it off. Then you’ll belong to me. Just me!”
Rowan’s eyes burned red as he stared at the madwoman in front of
him.
He wanted to fight back, to stop her, but even the smallest movement
tore through his body with unbearable pain.
Just as she lifted the knife, the door burst open.
Calvin stormed in and pinned her down in one swift motion. The knife
clattered to the floor and landed near his boot.
He didn’t let his true reaction show. When he looked back at Rowan,
his face was calm and composed. “Rowan, are you alright?
“This woman’s lost her mind. I have no idea how she slipped out of
the psych ward, but I’ll make sure she’s taken back immediately.”
Rowan’s brief attempts to move had already reopened his wounds, sending sharp pain shooting through his body. Blood seeped through his bandages. His face was pale, with sweat dripping down his neck
and chest.
To make sure Hattie didn’t escape again, Rowan ordered for her
locked in the basement chamber.
The same room still held the women who had once tortured Joanna. When they saw Hattie being brought down, whatever hope they had
vanished.
They realized they had been deceived–there was no salvation waiting
for them.
When the women saw her arrive, they dragged themselves upright
and began screaming at Hattie in a fury.
Some had lost arms, some were missing legs, and one had even had
her tongue ripped out.
Their grotesque, broken appearances made Hattie recoil in fear. She instinctively stumbled backward, clearly wanting to flee.
But Calvin shoved her hard from behind, his face expressionless.
He had chosen this place for her specifically. There was no way he
would let her escape.
Hattie shrieked and tried to flee, but the women lunged forward.
Despite their injuries, they surrounded her with terrifying force, just
like they had once done to Joanna.
“You said you were Rowan’s wife, didn’t you? You promised you’d get
us out of this hellhole. And now look at us.”
“We’re barely surviving because of you, and look at you, walking around without a scratch! Mrs. Swanson, how’s that fair?”
Chapter 16
Their twisted faces curled into mocking grins as they laughed at her.
Hattie trembled violently, her voice cracking as she tried to hold herself together. “I’m warning you. Rowan just wants me to calm down for a few days. If you dare lay a hand on me, he’ll skin you alive. He’ll crush every one of you!”
But they didn’t believe her anymore.
The pain and mutilation they suffered were because they had trusted
her.
If not for Hattie, none of this would have happened.
Calvin didn’t bother watching the chaos unfold. He slammed the iron
door shut behind him, sealing her in.
Soon, Hattie’s screams pierced the silence, high and wild.
Meanwhile, George brought Joanna to the hospital for her follow–up.
Since that incident, her leg injury had limited her to slow, careful
steps.
George stayed close behind her, his mind stuck on what the doctor had told him before they left.
“Ms. Malone’s leg has healed significantly. Physically, she’s fine. But the trauma has left her with a mental block. She still believes she can’t walk properly.”
Chapter 16.
5/5
Joanna noticed he had fallen behind and paused, turning back with a
puzzled look.
George snapped out of it and gave her a small smile. He quickly stepped forward and took her hand. “Anything you feel like eating? I gave the housekeeper the day off. I’ll cook lunch today.”
Joanna grinned and teased him, her eyes squinting playfully. “Well,
that’s a problem. Am I going to starve?”
Seeing her laugh eased the weight on George’s chest.
He took her to a nearby supermarket to grab ingredients.
While George focused on selecting vegetables, Joanna stood beside
him silently, the smile fading from her face.
She knew how hard George was trying to take care of her.
But there were some things she would have to face on her own.
