Chapter 44
Nora panicked and ran toward the burned house, but was stopped by firefighters. "Is this your home? It's been burning all night. If the neighbors hadn't been woken up by the smoke, it would've burned to nothing."
"Don't go in. It's still not safe inside. These old houses fall apart when they burn."
Nora's fingers trembled as she collapsed to her knees. Because of her severe depression, she would lose her ability to speak when traumatized. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't get the words out. She wanted to lift her arms, but they seemed completely out of her control.
Jasper was still inside.
What she feared most was dragging Jasper into this.
Why wouldn't they just leave her alone?
Her whole body shaking, she curled up and knelt on the ground, crying silently.
Why did they have to treat her like this?
How much more would they torture her before they'd stop?
Did she really have to die before James would let it go?
"Uncle Jasper is still inside." Samuel cried and hugged Nora tight, pointing at the house. "Please save Uncle Jasper, okay?"
The firefighters looked at each other. "We went inside. There's no one in there."
Nora's body stiffened. She looked up at the firefighters helplessly. "No one?"
"It's empty inside. You're pretty lucky you didn't come back last night."
Nora's breathing tightened as she reached out to hold Samuel.
Jasper was okay. As long as Jasper was okay.
"Samuel!"
At the gate, Jasper ran in carrying breakfast, his face equally pale with shock.
Seeing that Nora and Samuel were safe, Jasper finally breathed a sigh of relief. He crouched down and hugged Nora and Samuel. "What happened?"
Yesterday, he had gone to the Williams family to apply for a bodyguard position. Who knew the Williams family's daughter would make things difficult for them, making them stand outside all night listening to lullabies. Only those who could stay awake all night without getting sleepy would pass the test.
He'd been worried about Samuel being home alone all night. Forget about being sleepy—he was so anxious he just wanted morning to come quickly.
"Thank god Samuel and I didn't come back last night." Nora cried and held Samuel tight, feeling scared. "Jasper, I've offended Evelyn. James and Aiden won't let me go."
"At least you know that much."
As soon as Nora finished speaking, Aiden walked in from outside.
Looking at the burned yard with disgust, Aiden glanced coldly at Nora. "Evelyn was so upset by you yesterday that her condition got worse. She's been unconscious ever since. Nora, you really deserve to die."
Aiden spoke casually as he lit a cigarette.
Nora backed away fearfully, holding Samuel, not daring to look Aiden in the eye.
She was afraid, and she was disgusted by these people.
"Aiden, come at me if you want!" Jasper stood up, protecting Nora and Samuel.
"Jasper, you think way too highly of yourself." Aiden laughed mockingly. "You think I'd let you off?"
Eight or nine bodyguards got out of the car and surrounded Jasper.
Jasper fought back—one against nine. The numbers were too uneven.
Aiden seemed to deliberately want Jasper to watch. He walked up to Nora and grabbed her hair in front of the child. "Is this the kind of filthy slum where Evelyn lived a life worse than death back then?"
Nora looked at Aiden fearfully, not daring to speak.
Samuel was brave. He tried to push Aiden away, but Aiden slapped him viciously across the face.
Samuel fell to the ground. He didn't cry, but blood instantly poured from his nose.
No matter how hard Samuel tried to wipe it, the nosebleed wouldn't stop.
He was afraid Nora would worry, so he turned his back to her and kept wiping the blood, but he couldn't get it clean.
"Samuel!" Nora lost control, struggling and fighting back, desperately trying to push Aiden away.
But Aiden was too strong. He had her by the hair, and she couldn't break free.
Nora screamed until her voice was hoarse, kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy. She wanted nothing more than to kill Aiden, but all she could do was beg helplessly.
"Aiden, you bastard!" Jasper was knocked to the ground but forced himself up to fight the nine men.
He couldn't fall down—at least not in front of Samuel.
Taking a deep drag on his cigarette, Aiden exhaled smoke and looked down at Nora.
Nora's eyes were bloodshot, filled with hatred as she stared at Aiden. "If you hate me so much, then kill me!"
Aiden hated seeing those eyes of Nora's—once always full of light, now filled only with darkness.
He raised his hand, aiming the burning cigarette butt at Nora's eye, about to press it down.
Nora's breath was hot as she stared at him with wide eyes, her eyes growing redder and redder.
In the end, Aiden didn't press it into Nora's eye. Instead, he pressed it against her face.
The burning pain made Nora's whole body shake, but she endured it without making a sound.
The cigarette butt left a bloody, mangled scar on her once-beautiful face. It was horrifying to look at.
Aiden really was obsessed with destroying her—destroying everything about her.
"Evelyn said that in this filthy, chaotic place, she was violated by you, you animal! Molested!"
"For abusing Evelyn, Jasper, how do you want to die?" Seeing Jasper pinned to the ground, Aiden grabbed Nora by the throat right in front of him.
Jasper looked at Aiden with intense hatred. "She's lying!"
He and Nora had both cherished Evelyn. He had never hurt Evelyn.
But his explanation was too weak. When a bucket of dirty water is poured over you from above, how can you prove your innocence?
Aiden slapped Nora across the face. "Nora's lying? Has Nora ever told the truth?"